Bruce Springsteen is one of the most respected rock stars in the world. Known for his powerful voice, emotional lyrics, and songs about real life, he’s often called “The Boss.” But even the best artists have heroes, and for Springsteen, one of his biggest inspirations was the legendary Roy Orbison.
From the start of his career, Springsteen always showed respect for the musicians who came before him. He grew up listening to rock pioneers like Little Richard and Chuck Berry, but it was Roy Orbison who truly changed the way he thought about music. When Springsteen was recording his famous album Born to Run in 1975, he said, “I wanted to write like Bob Dylan, sound like Phil Spector, and most of all, sing like Roy Orbison.”
Roy Orbison was different from other singers of his time. His songs were full of emotion and sadness, and his voice had a haunting beauty that touched people’s hearts. Orbison didn’t just sing about love—he sang about heartbreak, loneliness, and hope. His hits like Only the Lonely and Crying showed how music could be both powerful and deeply personal.
Springsteen learned a lot from Orbison’s style. He loved how Orbison broke the normal rules of songwriting. Instead of sticking to simple patterns like verse-chorus-verse, Orbison created songs that felt like little stories, full of twists and turns. Springsteen brought that same storytelling style into his own songs.
You can clearly hear Orbison’s influence in Springsteen’s music. In his song Thunder Road, he even mentions him directly: “Roy Orbison singing for the lonely.” That line shows how much Orbison’s voice meant to him—it was the sound that gave his characters the courage to chase their dreams.
Even though Springsteen’s music is known for its energy and power, many of his songs also have that same emotional depth that Orbison was famous for. Songs like Born to Run, Backstreets, and There Goes My Miracle carry that feeling of beauty mixed with sadness—just like Orbison’s classics.
When Roy Orbison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, it was Bruce Springsteen who gave the speech. He said, “In 1975, I wanted to sing like Roy Orbison. And everybody knows, no one can sing like Roy Orbison.” That simple line showed how deeply he admired him, not just as a musician, but as a person who could make people feel something real through music.
Springsteen also had the honor of performing with Orbison on the special TV concert Roy Orbison & Friends: A Black and White Night. Instead of trying to outshine him, Springsteen played guitar and sang backup, clearly showing his respect and love for his hero.
At the heart of it all, what connects these two artists is emotion. Orbison’s music was about heartbreak and loneliness, while Springsteen’s songs tell stories of struggle, hope, and dreams. Both believed that music should speak to the soul.
Bruce Springsteen may have been “The Boss,” but even he had someone to look up to. Roy Orbison’s voice, passion, and honesty left a lasting mark on him—and through Springsteen’s own music, that spirit continues to live on.