On Wednesday, October 3rd, we had the rare privilege of hosting one of the hottest and most prolific songwriters of the 60’s and 70’s. Bill Dees graced Mercy for nearly 3 hours of singing. This was a special night for us.
While Bill Dees may not be a household name, his songs sure are. Most famous is "Oh Pretty Woman", that Bill wrote with the legendary Roy Orbison.
The name “Mercy” comes from this song. In the second verse Roy sings: “no one looks as good as you……….MERCY”.
Bill performed "Oh Pretty Woman" twice that night at the audience’s request. Legendary hits such as: "It’s Over" and "Sleepy Hollow", were both huge hits for Roy. Bill also performed songs from his latest cd as well as a few, he and Roy co-wrote in the late 80’s but Roy never had the chance to record.
Bill sprinkled his performance with stories of Roy, Johnny Cash and other celebrity stars. Bill’s rendition of "Crying" brought the house to a standing ovation in the middle of the show. It was a night to remember and one we will not forget.
We were also fortunate to have Wesley Orbison in the house that night. Wes is Roy’s oldest son and a regular visitor to Mercy. It was an amazing experience to sit there and watch Wesley smile as his dad’s co writer belted out those huge, timeless hits from the 60’s.
Keep rockn’ Bill, you are awesome!
