Collaboration and ego do not mix well. So who would guess a supergroup of some of the biggest names in rock and roll would work as well as The Traveling Wilburys did? It could be the members were such legends, egotripping would seem absurd. And legends they were. George Harrison of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne of ELO were all bona fide superstars with the sales, critical acclaim, and legions of adoring fans to back it up when the Wilburys came into being.
Their two albums, Volume 1 (1988) and Volume 3 (1990), are packed with some of the best work these guys have done on their own. An incredible blend of styles and an unreasonable amount of talent resulted in a sound that is refreshing and nostalgic. The songs were expertly crafted, with hooks, laughs, and transcendent harmonies galore.
Tragically, Orbison passed away between the two, but the remaining members soldiered on for a second collection as strong as the first. Songs range from warm and sincere to sardonic takedowns, with fascinating wordplay and expert storytelling. At the sunset of the classic rock era, The Traveling Wilburys were the green flash.
Back down here on earth, collaboration takes center stage among a group of Savannah musicians who have paid tribute to legendary artists for more than 20 years. In 2002, local drummer Jim Reed organized an Elvis tribute show at (where else?) The Velvet Elvis.
In recent years, the tradition has been repeated by different groups of musicians paying tribute concerts The Beatles, Cheap Trick, Pixies, The Cars and The Rolling Stones.
Those are names you’d mostly expect to see. But an unexpected coincidence brought the Traveling Wilburys tribute show into being.
“Several years before the pandemic, a friend suggested the idea of a Wilburys-themed show to me, which I eventually pitched several years later to my pal Brian Goldman at Victory North, who loved the idea. Almost a year after that — by coincidence — Ray Lundy of Bottles and Cans pitched the same idea to Brian. At that point, it seemed fate was encouraging us to join forces to make it a reality.”
If you know the Savannah community, it won’t be surprising to hear Reed had little trouble rounding up the 30 musicians who will be taking part in the show.
“I wasn’t surprised at all. Everybody loves the Wilburys,” said Lundy, who will sing many of the songs.
“Some of the musicians involved in this concert are big fans of the two albums, but I think just as many, if not more, are more familiar with the records made by the members of the Wilburys. This show will run almost three hours, and we’ll perform about half the songs off each Wilburys record, along with three songs from each of the main members of the band,” Reed elaborated. “This concert is just as much of a salute to the music and talents of each of those iconic performers as it is to their collaborative efforts in the Wilburys.”
On that note, Reed shared some songs attendees can expect to hear.
“I don’t want to give too much away, however from a drummer’s perspective, the ELO song ‘Do Ya’ is a blast to play live. I’m also looking forward to playing ‘She’s My Baby,’ the opening track and first single off the Wilburys second LP. Josh Safer, who’s a flat-out amazing drummer, and I are both going to play that song on two full drum sets at the same time for maximum rock and roll,” Reed revealed.
It’s all about getting the audience into it from Lundy’s perspective.
“The songs that will probably get the crowd singing along with us are what I’m really looking forward to playing. ‘Handle With Care’ and ‘End of the Line’ are gonna raise the rafters in Victory North higher than ever before, hot damn!” Lundy said.
It became well known the living legends of The Traveling Wilburys had fun making the records. Some songs were written at a kitchen table; some were finished when they were recorded. All of them worked out. Whether world-famous superstars or dedicated local heroes, talented artists focused on the final product and looking to share good times and great music often succeed.
Working with the catalogs of five all-time greats and that same spirit of collaboration, the Traveling Wilburys tribute show can’t miss.
The Traveling Wilburys: A Savannah Salute will play on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 7:30pm at Victory North. For more information and tickets, visit victorynorthsavannah.com/concerts.
This article appears in Connect Savannah | November, 2023.
