Were The Traveling Wilburys a short-lived gimmick or a legitimate musical force? It’s terribly easy to be cynical and dismiss the Wilburys as the former. After all, how many times have we seen an all-star group of musicians come together for a few easy hits? The “fake” all too often flows from such gatherings in waves.
But with the Wilburys, the music tells the story. The Traveling Wilburys were the real deal, a genuine band that just so happened to be made up of some of rock’s greatest talents. Ex-Beatle George Harrison’s band in spirit, all of their band in practice, the Wilburys – featuring Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne – recorded two excellent albums that have become overlooked not because the music isn’t worth remembering, but because they’ve been out of print for so long.