Roy Orbison died of a heart attack on December 6, 1988, at the age of 52. Prior to his death, he had been experiencing serious health issues, including severely obstructed coronary arteries for which he underwent open-heart surgery in 1978. Despite medical advice, he continued smoking and had ongoing health struggles. His heart attack occurred at his mother's home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. This was shortly after a period of active work with the supergroup Traveling Wilburys and just before the release of his solo comeback album, Mystery Girl.
