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Who sang the lead vocals on the Traveling Wilburys songs?
The Traveling Wilburys shared lead vocals across their songs, with George Harrison reportedly deciding who sang each one. The arrangement helped balance a group of five established performers, and gave the band’s two albums a mix of individual leads and shared vocal performances.
Tom Petty sang lead on nine of the 21 tracks across the albums, while Bob Dylan led eight. Harrison sang lead on four and Jeff Lynne on three; Roy Orbison led only “Not Alone Anymore”, though he also sang alongside other members. Orbison died in 1988, two months after the release of the first album, and the remaining members continued with the second.
In short
- Tom Petty led the most songs, with nine.
- Bob Dylan sang lead on eight tracks.
- Roy Orbison led one song before his death in 1988.
Explained simply
The Traveling Wilburys were a group formed in the late 1980s by five well-known musicians: George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison. They released two albums, recording songs that featured different combinations of their voices.
Harrison reportedly chose who would take the lead on each song, so no one singer led every track. The group included performers with established solo careers, and sharing the vocals gave each member a role in the band’s sound. Orbison died in 1988, after the first album was released.
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