The Traveling Wilburys: Biography

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• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

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• Roy Orbison
• Jeff Lynne
• George Harrison
• Ringo Starr
• Little Village
• Tom Petty
• Bob Dylan

• The Beatles
• The Band
• Electric Light Orchestra
• Buffalo Springfield
• Bob Dylan
• Byrds

• Company
• Monsters of Folk

• The Move
• George Harrison
• Roy Orbison
• Tom Petty
• Jeff Lynne
• Bob Dylan
• Electric Light Orchestra

Formed:

Jan 1, 1988

Genres:

Rock Music, Singer/Songwriter Rock Music, Adult Contemporary Rock Music

Decades Active:

1980's

Artistic Quality

Medium

Cultural Impact

Low

Popularity

Medium

Ratings Guide

Reversing the usual process by which groups break up and give way to solo careers, the Traveling Wilburys are a group made up of solo stars. The group was organized by former Beatle George Harrison, former Electric Light Orchestra leader Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison, thus representing three generations of rock stars. In 1988, the five (who had known each other for years) came together to record a Harrison B-side single and ended up writing and recording an album on which they shared lead vocals. It turned out to be a way to transcend the high expectations made of any of them as individuals, and a delighted public sent the album to number three, with two singles, "Handle with Care" and "End of the Line," hitting the charts. Unfortunately, Orbison died of a heart attack only a few weeks after the album's release.

Two years later, the remaining quartet released a second album, inexplicably titled Vol. 3. Although it didn't match the success of the first Wilburys album, it was another million-selling hit. Throughout the '90s, there were rumors of another Traveling Wilburys record in the works, but no new albums from the group surfaced. Harrison and Lynne did reteam in 1995, when Lynne produced and reworked two John Lennon demos with the Beatles for their Anthology rarties collection.

- William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide