Traveling Wilburys
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | George Harrison, Jeff Lynne |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Traveling Wilburys were a supergroup combining British and American musicians, established in Los Angeles in 1988. The lineup consisted of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. Their sound, rooted in rock traditions, has led many to regard them as "possibly the greatest supergroup ever assembled."
The concept for the band emerged during sessions for Harrison's 1987 album Cloud Nine, with Harrison and Lynne initiating the idea. Official formation occurred in April 1988 when they came together to record an additional track for one of Harrison’s European singles. The song "Handle with Care" impressed the group enough to inspire a full-length album, resulting in the October 1988 release of Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1. Following Orbison’s passing in December 1988, the ensemble continued as a four-member group and released Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 in 1990.
Due to the members’ individual fame, anticipation ran high for their first album. Each artist adopted a pseudonym representing fictional half-siblings from the Wilbury family. The debut record received both critical acclaim and commercial success, revitalizing Dylan’s career and earning the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.
Harrison had plans for multiple Wilburys albums and even a film produced through his company HandMade Films, but the group ceased activity after 1991 without formally reuniting. Members occasionally collaborated on solo efforts thereafter. With Harrison’s death in 2001 and Petty’s in 2017, only Dylan and Lynne remain from the original lineup. Harrison’s estate later remastered and reissued both albums within the 2007 box set The Traveling Wilburys Collection.
Background
George Harrison first revealed the existence of the Traveling Wilburys during a February 1988 interview on the radio program Rockline. When questioned about his next project following Cloud Nine, he explained: "What I'd really like to do next is ... an album with me and some of my mates ... It's this new group I got [in mind]: it's called the Traveling Wilburys." According to co-producer Jeff Lynne, Harrison proposed forming a band approximately two months into the Cloud Nine recording sessions in early 1987. Harrison suggested inviting Bob Dylan, while Lynne selected Roy Orbison. The name "Wilbury" originated during these sessions as a humorous term for recording mistakes that Harrison joked would be "buried in the mix." Initially dubbed "the Trembling Wilburys," the group's name soon evolved into "Traveling Wilburys."
During that same Rockline interview, Harrison expressed support for Dylan, who was experiencing a commercial decline at the time. Harrison and Lynne met Tom Petty in October 1987 when Petty's band served as Dylan's backing musicians on tour. Later encounters in Los Angeles saw Harrison and Petty connect over their mutual love of 1950s rock 'n' roll, while Lynne worked alongside Petty on Full Moon Fever and with Orbison on his comeback album, Mystery Girl. Petty recalled that Harrison’s goal was to assemble "the perfect little band," emphasizing friendship above all else. Additionally, all five members shared an enthusiasm for Monty Python humor, which Harrison had supported through his company HandMade Films.
Formation and "Handle with Care"
The group came together in April 1988 while Harrison was in Los Angeles supervising his HandMade production Checking Out. Warner Bros. Records requested an additional track to serve as the B-side for the European single release of Harrison's "This Is Love". During a meal with Lynne and Orbison, Harrison asked Lynne to assist with recording the new song and invited Orbison to join the session, which was quickly arranged at Dylan's garage studio in Malibu due to time constraints. Petty joined after Harrison retrieved his guitar from him.
They completed the track titled "Handle with Care," inspired by a label on a box found in Dylan’s garage. Warner Bros. executives considered the song too strong to be relegated to a B-side. Consequently, Harrison and Lynne decided to establish a band, initially inviting Petty, followed by Dylan, who accepted. That same evening, they enlisted Orbison during his concert in Anaheim. Petty described Orbison’s performance as "unbelievable," solidifying their enthusiasm about the collaboration.
First album
The band recorded Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 primarily over ten days in May 1988 at Dave Stewart’s residence in Los Angeles to accommodate Dylan’s and Orbison’s touring commitments. Sessions involved playing acoustic guitars in Stewart’s kitchen; initial tracks used a drum machine before vocals were added each night. Harrison prioritized treating Dylan as an equal despite his legendary status, encouraging a creative environment where all members contributed equally.
Harrison took on leadership and production responsibilities alongside Lynne, overseeing vocal arrangements and session efficiency. Additional work was completed at Harrison’s FPSHOT studio, featuring session musicians Jim Keltner (drums), Jim Horn (saxophones), and Ray Cooper (percussion). To maintain a collective identity, the album credited members under pseudonyms.
Released on 18 October 1988 through Warner Bros.’ newly created Wilbury label rather than Harrison’s Dark Horse Records, the album involved complex negotiations among several record companies, particularly Columbia Records representing Dylan. The liner notes included a fictional Wilburys family history authored by Derek Taylor and an essay penned by Michael Palin.
Vol. 1 achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, revitalizing the careers of Dylan, Orbison, and Petty. Defying contemporary trends such as hip hop and synthesized pop, it attained triple-platinum certification in the United States and won the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. Harrison had envisioned producing a feature film about the band through HandMade, directed by David Leland; however, contractual complications prevented its realization.
Orbison's passing, "Nobody's Child," and Vol. 3
Roy Orbison passed away from a heart attack on 6 December 1988. As a tribute, the music video for the band's second single, "End of the Line", includes a black-and-white image of Orbison with his guitar rocking in a chair during his vocal segment. Lynne described Orbison's death shortly after Vol. 1’s success as "the most sickening thing," reflecting on their intentions for further collaboration. Although there was speculation about replacing Orbison with artists such as Del Shannon or Roger McGuinn, the remaining members chose not to proceed with that idea. Lynne remarked, "We'd become this unit... now it's just the four of us."
Throughout 1989, Harrison actively promoted the Wilburys while awaiting other members to complete solo projects before resuming group efforts. Dylan concentrated on revitalizing his live performances and recording Oh Mercy, paying minimal attention to the band. Harrison noted that while Dylan accepted royalties, he refrained from participating in interviews.
In March 1990, Harrison, Lynne, Petty, and Dylan reunited to produce a second Wilburys album intentionally titled Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3. Prior to this release came a charity single outside the album—a cover of "Nobody's Child", recorded for Olivia Harrison's Romanian Angel Appeal. Due to Dylan’s limited availability during sessions, he recorded lead vocals early on, resulting in increased prominence as lead singer on this record. Harrison expanded his production role and contributed more lead guitar parts. Petty described this album as "a little more rough and ready," while Dylan noted that songs were more fully developed compared to their debut’s jam-oriented style.
Released on 29 October 1990 and dedicated to Orbison ("Lefty Wilbury"), Vol. 3 did not match its predecessor’s commercial performance. Mo Ostin explained that the album title humorously referenced a bootleg considered an unofficial Volume 2. Eric Idle authored the liner notes under a pseudonym. The final single, "Wilbury Twist", featured a video including Idle, John Candy, and other comedians performing the dance; filmed in Los Angeles and completed on 28 February 1991. For the 2007 box set The Traveling Wilburys Collection, this video was re-edited focusing primarily on the band miming with minimal guest appearances.
Post-Wilburys Period
Jim Keltner observed that the direction of the group following Vol. 3 largely depended on Harrison's choice. While Lynne, Petty, and Dylan were keen to regroup, Harrison's level of commitment remained ambiguous.
After completing his 1991 tour in Japan—his first since 1974—Harrison showed some openness toward the idea of a Traveling Wilburys concert series:
Nonetheless, this tour never came to fruition. Petty commented that although it had potential, the band never seriously pursued it, concerned that formalizing their collaboration might undermine the casual essence that defined them.
Impact and Enduring Significance
The Traveling Wilburys have been characterized by The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll as "the quintessential supergroup," uniting four distinct rock eras through three iconic figures—Dylan, Harrison, and Orbison. Their use of playful fraternal pseudonyms and lightheartedness distinguished them from conventional supergroups. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic emphasized their prestigious backgrounds coupled with a refreshing absence of pretension as central to their appeal. Petty highlighted that humor and humility were fundamental to their achievements, aiming to inject optimism into a challenging world.
Harrison regarded the project as a means to challenge conventional music industry practices. In a documentary, Petty remarked that the Wilburys’ power derived from freedom from record label or promotional constraints, thriving instead on collaboration among established musicians. Author Simon Leng interprets the band as a platform for Harrison and Dylan to shed their serious public personas while "demystifying" rock music history.
The Wilburys' success inspired similar collaborations; notably, Lenny Waronker encouraged Ry Cooder to form Little Village under Warner Bros., releasing a self-titled album in 1992. Greg Kot from the Chicago Tribune compared Mark Knopfler's Notting Hillbillies project to the Wilburys' approach. Elizabeth Wurtzel cited these ventures as part of a broader movement toward cooperative rock projects following Vol. 1.
Colin Larkin credits the Wilburys’ modern skiffle style as testament to Lonnie Donegan’s enduring influence on popular music. Patrick Humphries describes their sound as rooted in understated skiffle, sparking a brief revival including Knopfler’s Notting Hillbillies. Every member has received individual induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—Orbison and Dylan for solo careers; Harrison both with the Beatles and solo; Petty with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; Lynne with Electric Light Orchestra—although the group itself has yet to be inducted.
Reissues and Genesis Publications Volume
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, both Traveling Wilburys albums had mostly gone out of print. As the principal rights holder, Harrison did not authorize reissues prior to his passing. In June 2007, the albums reappeared as The Traveling Wilburys Collection, a box set containing both albums on CD (including bonus tracks) alongside a DVD featuring a 25-minute documentary titled The True History of the Traveling Wilburys plus music videos. This collection was released in three formats: a standard double Digipak with a 16-page booklet; an elaborate boxed edition with an extensive 40-page booklet, artist postcards, and photographs; and a deluxe vinyl edition which excluded the DVD but added a 12-inch vinyl disc containing rare tracks.
Upon release, the set entered at number one on UK charts and also topped rankings in Australia, Ireland, and various other nations. In the United States, it reached number nine on the Billboard 200. Worldwide sales totaled 500,000 copies within three weeks, maintaining a position within the UK top five for seven consecutive weeks.
In November 2009, Genesis Publications, linked with Harrison since the late 1970s, announced a limited-edition finely bound book titled The Traveling Wilburys. Compiled by Olivia Harrison, this volume includes rare images, studio notes, handwritten lyrics, sketches, and firsthand narratives about the band's journey, featuring an introduction by Lynne. The US launch event took place in Beverly Hills in March 2010 with attendance by Petty, Lynne, Olivia Harrison, Barbara Orbison, Keltner, and Idle. Reflecting on Harrison’s and Orbison's passing, Lynne expressed sorrow while recalling: "The Wilburys was such an incredible band... They were the finest collaborators I could have hoped for. Every day felt like 'Wow!' ... it was enjoyable right from the start."
Musicians
- Volume 1
- "Nelson Wilbury" – George Harrison
- "Otis Wilbury" – Jeff Lynne
- "Lefty Wilbury" – Roy Orbison
- "Charlie T. Wilbury, Jr." – Tom Petty
- "Lucky Wilbury" – Bob Dylan
- Volume 3
- "Spike Wilbury" – George Harrison
- "Clayton Wilbury" – Jeff Lynne
- "Muddy Wilbury" – Tom Petty
- "Boo Wilbury" – Bob Dylan
Session drummer and percussionist Jim Keltner was informally known as "Buster Sidebury," though he was not officially counted among the Wilburys. The overdubs on the 2007 bonus tracks "Maxine" and "Like a Ship" were attributed to "Ayrton Wilbury," a pseudonym used by Dhani Harrison in tribute to Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna. Contributions of saxophone and percussion on both albums came from Jim Horn and Ray Cooper. The lead guitar part on the Vol. 3 song "She's My Baby" was performed by rock guitarist Gary Moore, credited under the name "Ken Wilbury."
Additional Wilbury aliases
On Warner Bros. Records' 1988 promotional album Winter Warnerland, Harrison appeared as Nelson Wilbury, alongside Paul Reubens who featured as "Pee Wee Wilbury." In 1992, Harrison credited himself as "Spike and Nelson Wilbury" in his role as producer on the live album Live in Japan. During that tour, he adopted the alias Nakihama Wilbury. The 1992 single "Christmas All Over Again" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers included greetings from Nelson and Pee Wee Wilbury. At the 2019 Tom Petty Celebration event, Roy Orbison Jr. was given the moniker "Lefty Wilbury Jr." while Alex Orbison was called "Ginger Wilbury." The promotional film created by Harrison for the Traveling Wilburys, titled Whatever Wilbury Wilbury, assigned various production credits using Wilbury pseudonyms such as "Cecil Bidet Wilbury" for director and others.
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | AUT | CAN | NOR | NZ | SWE | SWI | UK | US | |||
| Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 |
|
1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 3 |
|
| Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 |
|
14 | 22 | 6 | 3 | 19 | 5 | 18 | 14 | 11 |
|
Box sets
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | AUT | NOR | NZ | SWE | SWI | UK | US | |||
| The Traveling Wilburys Collection |
|
1 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 45 | 1 | 9 |
|
Singles
| Year | Track | Highest chart rankings | Certifications | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Canada | Ireland | New Zealand | United Kingdom | United States | US Mainstream Rock | US Adult Contemporary | ||||
| 1988 | "Handle with Care" | 3 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 21 | 45 | 2 | 30 | Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 | |
| 1989 | "End of the Line" | 12 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 52 | 63 | 2 | 28 |
| |
| "Heading for the Light" | 88 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | |||
| 1990 | "Nobody's Child" | 66 | — | — | 9 | 44 | — | — | — | Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal | |
| "She's My Baby" | 58 | 30 | — | — | 79 | — | 2 | — | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="3"| Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 | ||
| "Inside Out" | "117" | "50" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "16" | "—" | |||
| "Wilbury Twist" | "137" | "86" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "—" | "46" | "—" | |||
Additional charted tracks
| Year | Track | Highest chart position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Mainstream Rock | |||
| 1988 | "Last Night" | 5 | Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 |
| 1989 | "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" | 41 |
Collaborative works among members
| Year | Project/Track Title | Lead Artist(s) | Contributors/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | "I'd Have You Anytime" | "George Harrison" | "Co-written by Harrison and Dylan" |
| 1971 | "The Concert for Bangladesh" | "George Harrison & Friends" | "Featuring Harrison and Dylan" |
| 1985 | "Porky's Revenge! soundtrack" | "Various Artists (George Harrison)" | "Harrison introduced Dylan's '[I Don't Want to Do It]'" |
| 1986 | "Band of the Hand" | "Bob Dylan with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" | "Dylan and Petty collaboration" |
| "Knocked Out Loaded" | "Bob Dylan" | "Dylan and Petty partnership" | |
| "Shanghai Surprise soundtrack" | "George Harrison" | "Harrison and Lynne involvement" | |
| 1987 | "Jammin' Me" | "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" | "Co-written by Petty and Dylan" |
| "Cloud Nine" | "George Harrison" | "Harrison and Lynne collaboration" | |
| "Duane Eddy" | "Duane Eddy" | "Lynne and Harrison participation" | |
| 1988 | "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction performances" | "Various Artists" | "Dylan and Harrison featured performers" |
| "Land of Dreams" | "Randy Newman" | "Composed by Lynne and Petty" | |
| 1989 | "Mystery Girl" | "Roy Orbison" | "Orbison, Lynne, Petty, Harrison collaboration" |
| "Full Moon Fever" | "Tom Petty" | "Petty, Lynne, Harrison, Orbison contributions" | |
| "Cheer Down" | "George Harrison" | "Written by Harrison, Lynne, Petty together" | |
| 1990' | 'Work It Out' | 'Jim Horn' | 'Harrison, Lynne, Petty involvement' |
| 'Hell to Pay' | 'Jeff Healey Band' | 'Harrison and Lynne' | |
| 'Armchair Theatre' | 'Jeff Lynne' | 'Co-written by Lynne, Harrison, Petty' | |
| 'Under the Red Sky' | 'Bob Dylan' | 'Dylan and Harrison collaboration' | |
| 'A Tribute to John Lennon' | 'Various (featuring Ringo Starr)' | 'Lynne and Petty participation' | |
| 1991' | 'Back from Rio' | 'Roger McGuinn' | 'Written by Petty and Lynne' |
| 'Into the Great Wide Open' | 'Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' | 'Petty and Lynne collaboration' | |
| 'Rock On!' | 'Del Shannon' | 'Lynne and Petty contribution' | |
| 'Hot Love' | 'Del Shannon' | 'Petty, Lynne, Harrison collaboration' | |
| 1992' | 'The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration' | 'Various Artists' | 'Featuring Dylan, Harrison, Petty' |
| 'Christmas All Over Again' from A Very Special Christmas 2 | 'Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' | 'Written by Petty and Lynne' | |
| 'King of Hearts' | 'Roy Orbison' | 'Orbison and Lynne partnership' | |
| 1995' | 'Free as a Bird' | 'The Beatles' | 'Created by Harrison and Lynne' |
| 1996' | 'Real Love' | 'The Beatles' | 'Composed by Harrison and Lynne' |
| 2001' | 'Zoom' | 'Electric Light Orchestra' | 'Lynne and Harrison collaboration' |
| 2002' | 'Brainwashed' | 'George Harrison' | 'Harrison and Lynne partnership' |
| 'Concert for George' | 'Various Artists' | 'Lynne and Petty involvement' | |
| 2006' | 'Highway Companion' | 'Tom Petty' | 'Petty and Lynne collaboration' |
| 2023' | 'Now and Then' | 'The Beatles' | 'Created by Harrison and Lynne' |
Sources
External links
- Articles with short description
- Traveling Wilburys
- 1988 establishments in California
- 1991 disestablishments in California
- Bands with fictional stage personas
- Folk music supergroups
- Grammy Award winners
- Musical groups disbanded in 1991
- Musical groups formed in 1988
- British musical quartets
- American musical quartets
- Rock music supergroups
- Musical groups disestablished in 1991