"The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1" is the debut studio album by the English-American supergroup Traveling Wilburys, consisting of George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. Released in October 1988, the album achieved both commercial success and critical acclaim. The project emerged when Harrison, needing a B-side for a single from his album Cloud Nine, collaborated informally with the other members at Dylan's home, resulting in the song "Handle with Care." They adopted alter egos as the Wilbury brothers and recorded a full album produced by Lynne and Harrison under pseudonyms.
This was the only Wilburys album featuring Roy Orbison, who passed away shortly after its release. The album was nominated for the Album of the Year award at the 1990 Grammy Awards and helped revitalize the careers of Dylan and Petty. It has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
In early April 1988, while in Los Angeles, Harrison needed to record a B-side and enlisted the help of Jeff Lynne and Orbison, who were also in town. After a dinner together, they decided to gather at Dylan's garage studio to work on "Handle with Care," which ended up being too good for a B-side. They subsequently decided to form a band and record additional songs. In May, they recorded basic tracks and vocals at Dave Stewart’s studio, with overdubs and mixing done in England at Harrison’s home studio.
The group adopted humorous alter egos—Nelson (Harrison), Otis (Lynne), Lucky (Dylan), Lefty (Orbison), and Charlie T. Jr. (Petty)—with drummer Jim Keltner credited as Buster Sidebury. Harrison's background in adopting alternate identities contributed to the concept. The band members' real names did not appear on the album, which was a distinctive choice.
Songwriting was a collaborative effort, with each member contributing to the lyrics and music, although primary credits were assigned to individual members to avoid appearing egotistical. The relaxed atmosphere during the songwriting sessions helped produce fresh and enjoyable tracks.
Released on October 18, 1988, in the US, the album reached number 3 on the Billboard charts and sold two million copies within six months. In the UK, it peaked at number 16, and the single "Handle with Care" became a hit, particularly in Australia and New Zealand. Critics praised the group for their refreshing approach and the album received several accolades, including a Grammy for Best Rock Performance.
After Harrison’s distribution deal with Warner Bros. expired, the albums went out of print. In 2007, Volume One and Vol. 3 were reissued by Rhino Records as The Traveling Wilburys Collection, which debuted at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart.
