Bill Frady is the younger brother of Claudette Orbison (Roy's first wife) Following concerns from the Frady family and fans alike over the Dark Star biography's inaccuracies over events that directly or indirectly involved them, Bill has agreed to put the Frady's version of events exclusively here on this website for all of Roy's fans to see. - As Bill is still working and looking after his elderly parents Geraldine and Chester Frady as well - he is going through the book in sections as time permits. So this page will be updated regularly until it has been completed.
 
 

"Only the Lonely"
(I  understand that this book has been reprinted to coincide with the 10th Anniversary of Roy's passing and I believe that Alan Clayson corrected a lot of known inaccuracies in the reprint.)  - Martin 

  Page  34--
Quote," .....Roy met his"beautiful dish"---an attractive,vivacious brunette from Houston". Well built for her sixteen years, Claudette Hestand had never lacked male attention back home".

Corrections:
Claudette was born in Odessa ( Ector Co.) Texas.
In the spring of 1956 Claudette was fourteen (14)years.
Claudette's last name was Frady not Hestand.
Hestand was the Dr. that delivered Claudette.

Page 39--
My personal experience with Roy since going weekly to watch him and dance at the Odessa Eagles Aries and watching him on our local T.V. station. Traveling with him in Texas and New Mexico. Living in Roy's and Claudette's homes. Sitting in Roy and fellow artist practice in homes
and studios, plus many other times up to his death,did I ever see Roy move as was written on page.39; contained within the second paragraph.
 
 
 

                      "Dark Star"
pg.28
Roy did not have white or gray hair in the mid fifties, his hair was reddish like his mother's. My mother gave him a Tony Perm. one time at our home. neither Mom nor I can remember if she darkened it or not though.

pg.34
True: Claudette did go out with Jack Kennelly once or twice, the same goes for Johnny"peanuts" Wilson.
False: Our parents did not think Jack was a," rock n' roll star", or for Claudette and Jack to "hook up" as he says.
False: Claudette,' according to Jack ,"She wasn't very bright". ---Bull!, Claudette was very smart, she would play naive and dumb. as many girls did back in the those days. but she had the smarts and common sense she got from our father.
False: Roy and drugs! I have to laugh at this, Especially about him using cocaine.

pg.36-37
False: Mom and Dad did not have Claudette when they were,"Very young".
Dad was twenty-seven and mother would turn twenty the following month when Claudette was born.
False: Claudette was not,"farmed out to friends until she was six years old". She stayed with relatives in Merkle, Texas so she could start the first grade at six years old. Since her birthday was in September,the schools in Odessa would not let her enroll until she was seven years old.

pg. 124
I was stationed on an aircraft carrier ported in Long Beach, Ca. when Claudette stopped in Ca. on her way to Hawaii to meet Roy. We spent two days together which would be the last time I would ever see her. When we went to Frederick's of Hollywood, Claudette didn't buy negligees. She bought two beautiful housecoats. The one she picked was dark brown and tan. I chose a Black and smoke gray. She paid $10,000 for the two of them. When I said " Claudette, Roy is going to kill you." She didn't say," He likes me in this kind of thing." She said," No he won't, he will be so glad to see me he  won't care."

This little tidbit that wasn't in the book:
One day as Claudette and I was walking down Hollywood Blvd., we were approached by this man that handed Claudette a business card of one of the movie studios. He asked if Claudette was an actress, which she answered no. He asked if she would be interested in auditioning. She was polite and told him no thank you. He took back the card and wrote something on the back. It was a pass to get through the studio gate and to see his secretary at his office in case she changed her mind.

pgs.142 - 143
Roy left his Harley in the shop (Stubb's Motorcycles) to be repaired while he was on tour in England. When he returned, Roy, Claudette, and my father, Chester went to pick it up. While waiting for them to get Roy's Harley, Roy ask dad, " If you had a choice of any motorcycle in here, which one would you pick." Dad picked one and Roy said it's your's." This is the only motorcycle bought that day.

pgs. 145 - 146
It had been either misting,drizzling, or raining since we had left Texas when we were going to Tennessee for Claudette's funeral. As my cousin Ronnie, myself, and the rest of the pallbearers were taking Claudette's casket out of the hearst at the grave site, the drizzle stopped and rays of sun light started to break through the clouds. So Claudette did get her wish.

pgs. 149 -150 -151
   All I can say to 90% of what Mr. Blackburn says in this area plus other parts is, if you believe it, I have a ship called the Queen Mary I'll sell you real cheap.

to be continued.....