Who Is in the Traveling Wilburys: The Five Legends You Probably Know (and Their Secret Names)

It happened in a garage in Malibu. Not a high-end, state-of-the-art studio with marble floors and a barista, but Bob Dylan's actual garage.

George Harrison needed a B-side. His record label, Warner Bros., was breathing down his neck for an extra track for his European single "This Is Love." Most artists would have just thrown a rough demo or a live cut on there and called it a day. But George? George called Jeff Lynne.

Then he called Bob.

Then he realized Roy Orbison and Tom Petty were around too.

That afternoon, they wrote and recorded "Handle with Care." When the label heard it, they basically told George it was too good to be a throwaway B-side. They needed a whole album. And just like that, the most accidental supergroup in history was born. If you've ever wondered who is in the Traveling Wilburys, you aren't just looking for a list of names; you're looking at a rare moment where five of the biggest egos in rock 'n' roll actually got along.

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The Core Lineup: Who Really Made Up the Wilburys?

Let’s get the "Big Five" out of the way first. These weren't just session musicians or guys who were "big in the 80s." These were the pillars of rock.

1. George Harrison: The man who started it all. Coming off the massive success of Cloud Nine, George was the spiritual leader. He wanted a band where he wasn't "The Beatle" but just one of the guys.
2. Bob Dylan: The "Lucky Wilbury" of the group. Having Dylan in a band was like having a living monument in the room, but by all accounts, he was just happy to be writing lyrics on the fly while sitting on the grass.
3. Tom Petty: He was the young gun. Petty’s band, The Heartbreakers, had recently backed Dylan on tour, so the connection was already there. He brought that classic American rock grit.
4. Roy Orbison: The Big O. Every single other member of the band was intimidated by him. They used to say that when Roy sang, they all just stopped and watched. He was the legend’s legend.
5. Jeff Lynne: The architect. As the leader of ELO, Jeff brought the production polish. He’s the reason those Wilburys records sound so crisp, layered, and unmistakably "Jeff Lynne."

The Wilburys Alias System

They didn't use their real names on the records. Instead, they pretended to be a group of half-brothers. It was a gag, a way to keep the press from making it a "supergroup" circus.

For Volume 1, they were:

• Nelson Wilbury (George)
• Otis Wilbury (Jeff)
• Lefty Wilbury (Roy)
• Charlie T. Wilbury Jr. (Tom)
• Lucky Wilbury (Bob)

When they returned for Volume 3—more on the weird numbering later—they changed their names again. George became Spike, Jeff became Clayton, Tom became Muddy, and Bob became Boo. It’s the kind of inside joke that only makes sense if you’re a multi-millionaire rock star hiding from the world in a Malibu garage.

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Why There Is No "Volume 2"

If you go looking for the second Traveling Wilburys album, you won’t find it. You'll find Volume 1 and you'll find Volume 3.

Why? Because George Harrison thought it would be funny to "confuse the buggers." He figured it would keep the critics on their toes and mess with the record collectors.

There’s a more somber reason the second album felt so different, though. Roy Orbison passed away in December 1988, just weeks after the first album became a smash hit. The group was devastated. They never replaced him. They couldn't. How do you replace a voice like Roy Orbison's? In the music video for "End of the Line," they placed his guitar in a rocking chair while his vocals played. It’s one of the most touching tributes in rock history.

The Secret "Sixth" Wilburys

While the five frontmen got the glory, the Wilburys weren't alone. You can't have a band without a heartbeat.

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Jim Keltner was the drummer on both albums. He’s a legendary session guy who has played with everyone from John Lennon to Eric Clapton. In the Wilburys world, he was "Buster Sidebury." He’s in the videos, he’s on the tracks, and he’s essentially the sixth member, even if he didn't get a "Wilbury" brother name until later.

Then there’s the comedy connection. The fictional history of the Wilburys in the liner notes was written by Michael Palin of Monty Python fame (under a pseudonym, of course). Later, Eric Idle helped out too. The band was obsessed with British humor. Honestly, that’s probably why they worked so well. They spent more time laughing than they did arguing over guitar solos.

What to Do Next If You’re Just Discovering Them

If you’re just now diving into this rabbit hole, don’t just stop at the hits like "Handle with Care" or "End of the Line."

Go listen to "Tweeter and the Monkey Man." It’s Bob Dylan’s playful (or maybe not so playful) parody of Bruce Springsteen’s songwriting style. It’s long, it’s cinematic, and it’s hilarious if you know what he’s poking fun at.

Here is your Wilburys starter kit:

• The Documentary: Track down The True History of the Traveling Wilburys. It’s a 25-minute fly-on-the-wall film of them in the studio. You’ll see them literally writing songs while sitting around a kitchen table.
• The Solo Links: Listen to Tom Petty’s Full Moon Fever and Roy Orbison’s Mystery Girl. Both were recorded around the same time and feature heavy involvement from the other Wilburys.
• The Box Set: In 2007, the estate released The Traveling Wilburys Collection. It’s the easiest way to get all the tracks plus some rare bonus stuff like "Maxine" and "Like a Ship."

The Traveling Wilburys weren't meant to last forever. They were a flash in the pan, a lucky alignment of the stars. Today, with only Jeff Lynne and Bob Dylan still with us, the music feels even more like a time capsule of a era where legends could still just be "the boys in the band."