Joe Melson, born May 11, 1935, in Bonham, Fannin County, Texas, is an American singer and songwriter. As a teenager, he fronted a rockabilly band called the Cavaliers. In 1959, he began collaborating with Roy Orbison, co-writing hits such as “Only the Lonely” and “Crying,” both of which were later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and included in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Melson was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018. His collaborations with Orbison also produced other charting songs, including “Running Scared” and “Blue Bayou.” In addition to his work with Orbison, Melson recorded singles for Hickory Records and EMP Records, and co-wrote hits for artists including The Newbeats, Don Gibson, Glenn Barber, and Linda Ronstadt.
