# In 1988, Tom Petty joined the Traveling Wilburys. He immediately found the best songwriter

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1988-tom-petty-joined-the-traveling-wilburys-he-immediately-found-the-best-songwriter/
- Published: 2026-11-11T15:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-11T15:25:00+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1988-tom-petty-joined-the-traveling-wilburys-best-songwriter/
- Topics: Culture, Travel

## Key points

- Tom Petty saw the Wilburys as a songwriting education.
- He considered Bob Dylan the group’s strongest songwriter.
- George Harrison also held Dylan in exceptional regard.

## Summary

Tom Petty found that joining the Traveling Wilburys gave him a chance to learn from musicians he admired, especially Bob Dylan. Though the group began as a relaxed, informal project, Petty regarded its songwriting sessions as an education in how songs are shaped.

Petty said Dylan had an exceptional grasp of songwriting, refining lines and verses until a stronger picture emerged. The article describes George Harrison as sharing the band’s deep respect for Dylan, while Petty was seen as its less experienced member despite already having more than a decade of hits with the Heartbreakers. Roy Orbison’s death later disrupted the group.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.