The Traveling Wilburys

mewsic moves me Monday music

Good-morning, kittens & dawgs a couple of weeks ago I kicked off the post series. In my first edition, I shared with you What ever happened to ELO? Several bloggers left comments of interest, but one person mention today’s featured band. I had no clue why until I took a quick peek to learn the Traveling Wilburys consists of several well-known music talents: Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, and none other than Jeff Lynne (ELO).

If you’re wondering how this mega talented band came up with The Traveling Wilburys for their group. Wilbury is slang for “We’ll bury ’em in the mix” used by Harrison during a recording session of small production errors. Later on Harrison suggested The Trembling Wilburys and it was Lynne’s idea of The Traveling Wilburys that all members agreed on for the band’s name.

Allow me to (re)introduce these super band members who call themselves  The Traveling Wilburys!

Nelson/Spike Wilbury (George Harrison)

Otis/Clayton Wilbury (Jeff Lynne)

Lefty Wilbury (Roy Orbison)

Charley T. Jr/Muddy Wilbury (Tom Petty)

Lucky/Boo Wilbury (Bob Dylan)

During their time together as The Traveling Wilburys these artists helped each other with their solo records, but they never did a tour together. Here’s what Petty said on this matter…

“I think it would work, if we wanted to do it. I don’t think we ever considered it, really. There were a lot of nights when the conversation would roll around to that. But I don’t think anybody ever took it seriously. I think it would ruin it in a way. Then you’re obligated to be responsible and it’s not in the character of that group. It would make it very formal and that would be the wrong spirit.”

This league of extraordinary artists recorded one album before Orbison’s sudden death in 1988, but a second one followed. Harrison and Lynne continued to occasionally work together until Harrison’s death in 2001. In 2007, The Traveling Wilburys music reissued selling more than 500,000 copies worldwide in its first three weeks. Their roots rock style captured the hearts and ears of many in the decade plus spent together. If you have time, you might The History of The Traveling Wilburys interesting.

Have you heard of The Traveling Wilburys before now? What interesting factoids can you share about this supergroup?

Thanks for stopping by for the dance and for including me in your day. You’re invited to tag along with me as I dance over to see the ?Monday’s Music Moves Me? crew to join their linky party. Have a tunetastic week and I hope you’ll join in tomorrow for What ever happened to…? series!

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24 comments

  1. This is a very good introduction. It’s always interesting to learn the story behind a band.
    I always wonder what a tour consists for a musician.

    Definitely good listening.

    Thanks Cathy.

    *HUGS*
    Thank you for praying for me. I appreciate your care.
    Have a blessed weekend!

  2. I had both their albums on tape, which means I no longer have them… My favorite song is “Not Alone Anymore,” which was primarily Roy Orbison with the others playing backup. It was the end of Side 1 on the first album. Roy could grab your heart, jerk it up through your throat, and pull you by it with that voice of his, and I think he hit the highest notes he ever sang in that song.

  3. I thoroughly enjoyed your presentation, Cathy… Quite the gathering of singers!

    Oh, and… I left a comment yesterday, but do not see it now, so I am trying again.

    1. Myke, for some reason this comment as well as the previous one was put in my spam folder. I’m sorry for that craziness! I’m happy you enjoyed The Traveling Wilburys.

  4. I LOVED their first album!!! All those great legends – together? Awesome. The music was great and they had such a cool vibe as a unit. It was so sad it ended too soon. But I always thought it so funny, yet somehow “right”, that despite their name having “Traveling” — they never actually toured! ha.

    1. Les, yeah, ‘Traveling’ in The Traveling Wilburys is an odd fit considering they never toured. lol I really didn’t think about that until you brought it up.

  5. Oh wow, I never saw this before much less heard about it. Wow, the greats all in one place and pouring out their talent just for us to hear! Fantastic my friend! Great find. Thanks for sharing with us. I’m happy to know you girl Rock on and have a rocktastic week!

  6. I have their cd from way back in the late 80’s or early 90’s when it came out, we are Tom Petty fans 🙂

    1. Ellen, They all are exceptional artists. We have music by all of them, but not as The Traveling Wilburys. You can buy digital copies of most TTW music from iTunes and some from Amazon, but they also have physical media for purchase, too. Thank goodness for the age of technology where it’s a ton easier to get music than it use to be. 🙂

  7. I remember I was in my first year of my ill-fated first attempt in college and was working at school radio station (one of the few classes I and that came in. I fell in love with it and Handle With Care is a song that really represents who I am. (Sorry TMI).

    1. Patrick, well I be! That’s cool to know. 🙂 I feel like I’ve lived in a dungeon. Nearly everyone else has heard of TTW and I’m got an education on them in recent months. lol

  10. I had at least one Traveling Wilburys cassette back in the 1980’s. They were an outstanding group, but with the talent on board they would be expected to be pretty darn decent.

    .Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    1. Lee, you’re right about the talent factor. I was blown away to learn who made up The Traveling Wilburys. What I can’t figure out is why they weren’t on my radar sooner. I reckon it was a timing thing. I was a new mom and I didn’t listen to the radio much for many years, then when the kids hit their preteen & teen years it was all about their music. ?

    1. Steve, Glad you enjoyed this morning’s music. They are relevantly new to me. I think it was only this year that I was introduced to them for the first time, so it was interesting to learn a bit about them. Have a tunestastic week, my friend!

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