Damien Leith's friendship with Roy Orbison's songwriter Joe Melson
ABC Illawarra
Music
Friday, 17 July 2026, 11:26 am
Damien Leith worked with Joe Melson for 14 years.
In short:
Joe Melson, who wrote songs with Roy Orbison, has died.
Damien Leith and Joe Melson wrote songs together online for 14 years.
Their friendship started after Joe Melson heard Damien Leith's Roy Orbison tribute album.
Damien Leith looked forward to Mondays when he would talk to Joe Melson online.
Damien Leith would sit in his home studio and talk to Joe Melson on the computer.
Joe Melson was a famous songwriter who worked with Roy Orbison on many hit songs.
Joe Melson would start their online sessions by talking about the lyrics from the week before.
Joe Melson and Roy Orbison wrote many great songs together in the 1960s.
Damien Leith and Joe Melson wrote 81 songs together over 14 years.
How Damien Leith and Joe Melson became friends
In 2011, Damien Leith was in the US singing his Roy Orbison tribute album.
Joe Melson met Damien Leith for breakfast and liked his version of 'Crying'.
Damien Leith sang 'Crying' differently than Roy Orbison, and Joe Melson liked that.
Damien Leith performs with his daughter Kikki.
Joe Melson liked that Damien Leith made 'Crying' his own song.
Joe Melson wanted singers to find their own sound and be unique.
The last time Damien Leith talked to Joe Melson
The Monday Joe Melson died, Damien Leith talked to Joe Melson's son-in-law.
Joe Melson's son-in-law said Joe was not feeling well and could not talk that week.
Damien Leith was worried because Joe Melson loved writing songs and rarely missed their meetings.
Damien Leith visited Joe Melson in the US many times.
The week before Joe Melson died, he and Damien Leith wrote a new song together.
Damien Leith thinks Joe Melson wrote the new song just for him before he died.
The songs Damien Leith wrote with Joe Melson will be special when he sings them live.
When Damien Leith sings the songs, he will remember why they were written and the stories behind them.
The songs will have a new meaning for Damien Leith when he sings them live.
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