Tom Petty worked with several musical legends while in the Traveling Wilburys. Among that lineup was George Harrison. At that point, the former Beatle had long stepped out of the shadow cast by his former bandmates. His unique playing had captured the rock world in his solo career. Petty was among those singing his praises. Find out why the late rock icon had an affinity for Harrison, below.
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The Legendary Musician Tom Petty Though Sounded “Immaculate” in His Solo Career
The Traveling Wilburys are generally considered one of the most stacked lineups in rock history. Petty, Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Bob Dylan joined forces for the supergroup, fully living up to that descriptor.
While Petty couldn’t really fault any of his bandmates, it was Harrison that he thought took the cake. His skills on the guitar were undeniable to Petty. So much so that he called his songs “immaculate.”
“He was very in tune when he played,” Petty once said of Harrison. “The slide was very precise and had just a beautiful vibrato on it. It really sounded like a voice, like a very distinct, signature voice that came out of him. Just listen to those records. They’re so immaculate, so inventive. He was a guy who could just add so much.”
Petty’s praise of Harrison was refreshing, given how much he was often put on the back burner while with the Beatles. The songwriting partnership of John Lennon and Paul McCartney was so effective that the other two Beatles were often overshadowed.
Harrison’s solo career gave him the space to shine. Many of the scrapped songs he pitched to his former bandmates were released to great appeal. His spot in the Traveling Wilburys proved he could be apart of a group again, but in a leading role this time.
Credit: Photo by Larry Marano/Shutterstock
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