"Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3" is the second and final studio album by the supergroup Traveling Wilburys, featuring George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Bob Dylan, and Tom Petty. Released on October 29, 1990, it followed their debut, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1. For this album, the members adopted new pseudonyms as part of their fictitious Wilbury brothers concept.
The album's title was a playful decision by Harrison, intended to confuse fans. Jeff Lynne recounted, "That was George's idea. He said, 'Let's confuse the buggers.'" Following Roy Orbison's death, the remaining members took on new names: Spike (Harrison), Clayton (Lynne), Muddy (Petty), and Boo (Dylan). Production was again handled by Harrison and Lynne, with sessions taking place in spring 1990. An additional track, a cover of "Nobody's Child," was recorded and released as a charity single for Olivia Harrison's Romanian Angel Appeal, and the album was dedicated to Orbison's memory.
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 was released in the UK on October 29 and in the US on October 30. Although it received a more mixed reception than its predecessor, it still found success. In the US, songs like "She's My Baby" and "Inside Out" became radio hits, charting at numbers 2 and 16 on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks. The album peaked at number 14 in the UK and number 11 in the US, where it was certified platinum by the RIAA.
Reviews noted a shift in tone compared to the first album, with Vol. 3 described as faster, jokier, and lighter. Rolling Stone remarked on the effortless blending of the participants' musical styles and highlighted their continued enjoyment in collaborating. Following the release, speculation about further Wilbury projects persisted, but Harrison's death in 2001 effectively ended those possibilities.
After Harrison's distribution deal with Warner Bros. lapsed in 1995, ownership of the albums reverted to him, and they went out of print. On June 12, 2007, Vol. 1 and Vol. 3 were reissued by Rhino Records as The Traveling Wilburys Collection, featuring bonus tracks and a DVD.
