Alex Orbison – President
Alex Orbison is a third generation musician who began his own path in music playing violin at the tender age of three because his hands were too small to fit around the neck of a guitar. With age and bigger hands, Alex eventually moved on to guitar and piano before finding his way to the drums at age eight but Alex always felt that he was a little late to the party because his dad, Roy Orbison, already had had his own radio show at that same age.
Alex joined his first band and started gigging around fourteen. At age 17, Alex took his first real ‘job’ in music, working in publishing for the Don Williams Music Group in Sherman Oaks California; but a year later, he was back on tour with his band Backbone. Backbone was co founded by Alex with Chris Williams, son of legendary songwriter Jerry Lynn Williams, and Alex and the group toured for the next eight years until Chris was tragically killed in a car accident. Alex then spent time bouncing between gigs with a number of local Los Angeles acts before eventually ending up joining Cisco Adler (son of Lou) in his band Whitestarr which, in time, also expanded into a reality TV show. The group disbanded in 2007 and in quiet periods between various new gigs, Alex took time out to study finance.
After three years of finance, Alex turned back to the creative life starting first with finishing a novel he had started writing while on the road with his prior bands. In the midst of this and a few days before the celebration of what would have been his father Roy Orbison’s 75th birthday, Alex’s mom Barbara was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The disease would claim her life seven months later.
Alex had promised his mother that if anything happened to her, he would ‘get down to Nashville and take care of business.’ That commenced with the re-positioning of Still Working Music in 2012 and Alex and his brothers taking the reigns of his father’s recordings and publishing businesses at that same time. On the Still Working front, Alex’s first move was to re-sign Tommy Lee James – Tommy had been a Still Working writer from Barbara’s founding of the company. Tommy quickly proved his worth with the delivery of “My Eyes,” his sixth Still Working #1 and first under Alex’s leadership. Since 2012, Still Working has also signed or re-signed seven additional writers and has designs on expanding even further. Still Working’s partner through this all has been BMG – this relationship has both expanded and solidified.
Insofar as Alex’s father’s music is concerned, Alex and his brothers Wesley and Roy Jr, recently co-executive produced a documentary “Mystery Girl: Unraveled” about the last couple of years of their father’s life and career (Alex also directed the film). The Orbison brothers additionally have broad plans for their father’s far reaching music with comprehensive new deals with Sony Music, Universal Music and Kobalt Publishing positioned to partner in this success.
Roy Orbison Jr – President
Roy Orbison Jr. is a multifaceted producer, author, guitarist, songwriter, and the son of legendary rock and roll icon Roy Orbison—an inductee of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a recipient of the Musicians Hall of Fame’s Iconic Riff Award, and a multiple GRAMMY® Award winner. He is also the son of Barbara Orbison, a German-born, influential music businesswoman. With his father’s career spanning eight decades and earning #1 hits in countries around the world, Roy Orbison Sr.’s musical legacy is undeniable. Roy Jr.’s godparents were none other than Johnny and June Carter Cash.
Music has been a constant in Roy Jr.’s life, much like it was for his legendary parents and godparents. Following in his mother’s footsteps, he runs one of the largest independent music publishing companies and is a passionate curator of his father’s extensive and iconic catalog. Despite his father’s passing over 30 years ago, Roy Sr.’s influence lives on, particularly through award-winning films such as A Star Is Born, You’ve Got Mail, Star Trek, and Aquaman, all of which are managed by Roy Jr.
From growing up surrounded by rock legends like Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and George Harrison of the Traveling Wilburys to co-writing a song with Bono of U2 at just 17 years old, Roy Jr. has had a front-row seat to rock and roll history. Today, he is renowned for his deep knowledge of rock’s past, including the legacies of his father, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Traveling Wilburys, Johnny Cash, and Sun Records.
Roy Orbison Jr. serves as the President of Still Working Music Group, home to some of the most successful songwriters behind hits for superstars like Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Celine Dion, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Maren Morris, One Direction, Blake Shelton, and Gwen Stefani. He is also a co-author of The Authorized Roy Orbison and the creator and host of the Roy Orbison Jr.’s Rock & Roll Circus podcast. A popular TV personality, he appears regularly on AXS TV’s music countdown shows and as a recurring guest on the globally broadcast BRAVO hit Below Deck Mediterranean, which reaches over 120 million viewers.
Roy Jr. has also made his mark in the music world as a guitarist, playing on the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra albums Unchained Melodies and A Love So Beautiful. His efforts were key in bringing his father’s legacy to new generations through the first-ever hologram tour, which reimagined performances by both Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly. Roy Jr. also played a significant role in launching Pretty Woman: The Musical, which brings the story behind his father’s iconic song to the stage in cities like New York, Los Angeles, London, and Hamburg.
Recently, Roy Orbison Jr. has found new creative success as a performer in his own right, collaborating with his wife, Åsa Orbison, in a jazz band. The couple’s reinterpretation of Roy Sr.’s classic song “Blue Bayou,” released as the title track of Åsa’s debut album, offers a fresh, jazzy spin on the beloved hit. Produced by Roy Jr., this version incorporates extended 7th chords and jazz substitutions, blending Scandinavian influences with a classic American tune. The track features contributions from music legends like saxophonist Jim Horn and harmonica virtuoso Charlie McCoy, offering a dynamic and contemporary take on a timeless classic.
Chelsie Lykens – Project Manager
Originally from Kingsport, TN, Chelsie’s earliest memories are of sitting on the side of the stage and napping in green rooms while her dad’s band played. Finishing high school in North Carolina, Chelsie spent four years as an art major, during which time she fell head over heels for photography and the darkroom. Never one to limit herself, by the time it was all said and done, she graduated from Marshall University with a French degree in 2010. Chelsie has worked for the Orbison Estate for over seven years, providing design, marketing, and production expertise on a long list of releases and projects, coordinating with both Sony and Universal. Teaming with Alex Orbison and Luke Chalk to branch out into film, Chelsie has notably captured interviews with recording artists like k.d. lang, Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, and more. The BBC documentary Roy Orbison: Love Hurts features some of her work.
Luke Chalk – Director of A/V & Technology