This is an iHeart Podcast. Hey, it's Bobby from the Bobby Bone Show. I had an incredible time at this year's iHeartRadio Music Festival and even got the chance to hang out with Diplo and Bailey Zimmerman while I was there. How did Ashes come together, Diplo? I pulled up real quick.
He was about to leave on tour. You're about to jump in your tour bus, and we had like three hours. It was really cool. He literally just like randomly showed up to my house. I'm like, oh, hey, Diplo, what are you doing?
He's like, I have a song that I want to show you. And I was like, okay. You can listen to the full episode out now wherever you get your podcast. And big shout out to my friends at Hyundai for making this possible. At a blast, cruising around the festival weekend in the all-new Palisade Hybrid.
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Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washablesofas.com. offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Hey, what's up? It's Mario Lopez.
Back to schools, an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in. Ask questions.
Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign. I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything.
It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we could calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts.
Let's move forward from there. NBC News. Reporting for America. Hear that? That's what it sounds like when you plant more trees than you harvest.
Work done by thousands of working forest professionals, like Adam, a district forest manager who works to protect our forests from fires. Keeping the forest fire resistant, synonymous with keeping the forest healthy. And we do that through planting more than we harvest and mitigate those risks through active management. It's a long-term commitment. Visit WorkingForestsInitiative.com to learn more.
This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories. Our next story is about a band that was dubbed The Billion Dollar Quintet. Here's Greg Hengler with a story. The traveling Wilberries had a short history. but a long past.
The creation of the rock group was a fortunate accident. Nicknamed the Billion Dollar Quintet. The Five Musical Legends Three of whom were in their 40s, had gathered to assist a former Beatle in writing and recording what was intended as a throwaway B-side track. Tom Petty at age 38, whose career was at its peak, was by far the youngest member of the group. She's a good Uh Love's remote.
Loves Jesus. In America too. Roy Orbison, at 52, who was called the greatest singer in the world by Elvis. was the oldest. Here's Roy singing, You Got It.
The hit he co-wrote with future fellow Wheelberries. Jeff Lynn and Tom Petty. Anything you want, you got it. Anything you need, you got it. Anything at all, you got it.
And then there was former Beatle George Harrison. Here comes the sun to Do you Here comes the sun, I said it's alright. In 1963, A young Bob Dylan would ask future bandmate Roy Orbison To record the song he wrote, Don't think twice. It's all right. Orbison would later regret his decision to reject this Dylan masterpiece.
I'm a thinking and a wondering walking down the road. I once loved a woman, a child I am told. I give her my heart. But she wanted my soul. But don't think twice, it's all right.
Finally, there's probably the least known member of the traveling Wilburries. but no less talented. Singer-songwriter and record super-producer Jeff Lynn. Lin co-founded the Electric Light Orchestra, or ELO. A rock band inspired by the Beatles' complex orchestral sound of the late 60s.
Between nineteen seventy two and nineteen eighty six, Jeff Linz, ELO, put more singles in the top forty charts. than any other band in the world. Don't bring me down No, no, no, no, no I'll tell you once more before I get up the door Don't bring me down George Harrison's career was on fire in the late 1980s His comeback album Cloud 9 was certified platinum in the US Thanks to the production work of Jeff Lynn. I got my mindset. Then, in a pivotal moment in rock history.
Warner Brothers told Harrison He needed to record a B-side track for his single. This is love. On the evening before the recording session, Harrison dined at a French restaurant in Los Angeles with Jeff Lynn. who had brought along Roy Orbison. with the three legends sitting together at one table.
Harrison asked Orbison and Lynn to help him record the B-side. They agreed. For the sake of convenience. Lynn suggested they record the track at Bob Dylan's garage studio. Harrison telephoned Dylan, who agreed to the idea.
needing a guitar that he had left with Tom Petty. Harrison called and was pleasantly surprised that Petty also wanted to attend. Please. Jump. The recording session took place on April 5, 1988.
After dining on some barbecued chicken in Dylan's backyard garden, The five musicians worked out the song's lyrics. Thankfully for us George Harrison understood that history was being made. And so he took out his personal video recorder. And began shooting. Oh yeah, there it goes.
Here's George Harrison. The thing about the Wilburies for me is if we'd have tried to plan that or if anybody had tried to you know, say, let's form this band and get these people in it. It would never happen. It's impossible. My guitar was at Tom Petty's house, so Tom, Jeff picked me up, we went over to Bob's, I got the first line, just said bean beat up, battered around.
Bean beat up and round. Yeah. Wow, they just kept coming with all these lines. And uh there was Bob was saying, Well, what's it called? What's it about?
Well, I finally saw behind the door this big box with a sticker on his hand handed a car. I said, Handle with car? He said, oh yeah, go. Have no me with Uh I'm so tired of being lonely. Nice to hell.
Listen love. You give Won't you show me that you believe in everybody? Yeah. I liked the song and the way it had turned out with all these people on it so much.
So I just carried it around in my pocket for ages thinking, well, what can I do with this thing? And the only thing to do I could think of was do another nine, make an album. Here's Tom Petty. And I said, yeah, that sounds like a real good idea, because it had really been such magic doing the first try. Petty recalled how the group's lineup was finalized.
We all jumped in a car to go see Roy play in Anaheim. All four of us ran into Roy's dressing room and said, We want you to be in our band, Roy. He said, that would be great. Harrison made the final proposal official. By dropping to his knees and formally asking Orbison to join the band.
The five men soon celebrated with a band meeting at Denny's on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Dylan proposed they call the band Roy and the Boys, but they settled on the quirky name The Traveling Wilberries. All five men are rhythm guitarists, but there are no excessive solos and the boys did a fantastic job at sharing the spotlight. Harrison did emerge as the chief Wilbury. and when the band returned to record the rest of their album, His video recorder was on again to capture the memories.
Starting with Tom Petty's arrival. On day one, All in a day's work for a well-broom. And we had like nine or ten days that we knew we could get Bob for. And everybody else was relatively free.
So we just said, well, let's do it. We'll just write us tune a day and do it that way. It was very exciting. We were in Dave Stewart's house and it was a nice environment because you could kind of sit outside. It was warm and the doors were always open.
So he sat up in his kitchen, It wasn't soundproof or anything. And we just put like five chairs around the kitchen and put the microphones up. And that's it. All them guitar parts, you know, all them acoustic guitars were just in this kitchen. Here's Roy Orbison.
With music. That's what it was all about. There wasn't a lot of deciding. what to do. not a lot of time spent planning out anything.
So we just wrote the best songs that we could write and sang them as best we could. There it's Baro and I got out of the car. Oh, no, she was long and tall. She was short and fat. She was dressed to kill.
Yeah, that's good. Give me a tweet over the hill. Here's Jeff Lynn. Just sitting around in a circle like five of us just drumming acoustic guitars and coming up with the song. in like a couple of hours that was almost ready to record.
It's pretty sort of unbelievable stuff. And you've been listening to the story of what has been called the billion-dollar quintet. We're talking about. The Traveling Wilberries, Tom Petty being the youngest member, Warrior Orberson, the oldest. George Harrison, Bob Dylan, and Jeff Lynn, the founder of ELO.
with the other members. And I can just picture the staff At that Denny's. looking at this ensemble of talent. hashing out what they would call this band. Roy and the boys, by the way, was Dylan's suggestion.
Telling you about the stature of Roy Orbison with the rest of this crew. When we come back, more of this remarkable story, the story of the traveling Wilburries, here on Our American Stories. Hey, it's Bobby from the Bobby Bone Show. I had an incredible time at this year's iHeartRadio Music Festival and even got the chance to hang out with Diplo and Bailey Zimmerman while I was there. Check this out.
So how did ashes come together, Diplo?
Well, uh I kind of briefly met Bailey I think at Morgan's show, one of them. And I think He's just the guy in Nashville. He's cool as hell, and I had a new kind of sound I wanted to do. I think he's the one guy that could carry it. I came to his house, I had a show.
I pulled up real quick. He was about to leave on tour. You're about to jump in your tour bus, and we had like three hours. played the record for him, we kinda like got a scratch and then he handled it on his own on the road. Yeah.
It was really cool. He literally just like randomly showed up to my house. And I'm like, oh, hey, Diplo, what are you doing? He's like, I have a song that I want to show you. And I was like, okay.
And then.
Now we're here playing it live. You can listen to the full episode out now, wherever you get your podcast. And big shout out to my friends at Hyundai for making this possible out of blast, cruising around the festival weekend in the all-new Palisade Hybrid. Let's be real. Life happens.
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Visit washablefas.com today and save. That's washablefas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Hey, what's up? It's Marla Lopez.
Back to school. It's an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated. A vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor.
Check in. Ask questions. Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign.
Hear that? That's what it sounds like when you plant more trees than you harvest. Work done by thousands of working forest professionals, like Adam, a district forest manager who works to protect our forests from fires. Keeping the forest fire resistant, synonymous with keeping the forest healthy. And we do that through planting more than we harvest and mitigate those risks through active management.
It's a long-term commitment. Visit WorkingForestsInitiative.com to learn more. I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait.
It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we could calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there.
NBC News. Reporting for America. And we continue with our American stories and the remarkable story. Of the traveling Wilberries, let's pick up where we last left off. Here again is Tom Petty.
followed by our own Greg Hengle.
Sometimes we can sing the same song, you know, just to see who sounded good or if this keys fit somebody and that was a lot of fun. And George would kind of audition us, which could be really intimidating, you know, because like, you know, Roy Orbitson had sing the song and then they'd send you out to sing it, you know. It's like, well damn, that's really intimidating. Let's Tweeter in the Monkey Man was recorded in only two takes and was notable for its many references to Bruce Brinkstein's songs. Here's Harrison discussing the Dylan recording as we also hear Dylan getting feedback.
Tweeting the Monkey Man was like really Tom, Petty and Bob.
Well, Jeff and I were there too, but we just sit round in the kitchen and he For some reason, we was talking about all this stuff which didn't make much sense to me. You know, it was that Americana kind of stuff, and we got a tape. cassette and put it on and then transcribed everything they were saying. I labeled him stummerling in, a state trooper close behind. Twitter took his gun and tied him up and treated him unkind.
Undercover cop was left tied up to a tree. We had a souvenir stand by the abandoned factory. How's that? Huh? Good?
Yeah, I think it was good.
Okay. And the walls came down. All the way to hell Never saw them when they're standing Never saw them when they fell Was that it? That was it? That was it, yeah.
Okay. Okay. Really not. George Harrison and Roy Orbison first met in May 1963 when the Beatles were scheduled as the opening act. for Orbison.
What Orbison did not know at the time was that the Fab 4's second single, Please Please Me. had been written by John Lennon in an attempt to emulate Orbison. Come up, come out, please, please. We won't be like I please you. Ringo Starr would later admit.
Roy Orbison was the only act that the Beatles didn't want to follow. Here's Tom Petty and Jeff Lynn discussing Roy Orbison as Roy records the Traveling Wheelberry's tune. Not alone anymore. If you're just sitting on the sofa working on a song and you're always singing, even when you sing soft, It's such a tone, such a sound, you know, such a a gift, really. We used to always tell him Or you must be the The best singer in the world.
And he'd say Yeah. I feel the rain, through the hiking pain. It hurts like never before. Jeff Lynn's production skills always makes a great track even better. I see you for the rain.
Every heartache and pain. It hurts like never before. Don't love alone. Don't love alone. Don't love alone anymore anymore anymore.
Brilliant. That was great, bro. That's a must-up there. The band hated the notion of the supergroup, which were popular in the 1970s. I never meant to be so bad to you.
They wanted to soften the notion that they fit into this category. After all, most so-called supergroups don't exactly live up to the term. Michael Palin, one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python, was hired by Harrison to write the band's fictitional biography. Palin chronicled the short story of five half-brothers who had one father. but five different mothers.
Consequently, out of sheer self-amusement, All five members of the group decided to use aliases. Their real names did not appear anywhere on the album or cover. Here's Harrison and Lynn discussing the bittersweet track. Congratulations. The only Wilbury song Dylan has performed in concert.
One of the most amazing things ever about the Wilburs was this holes apart thing of Roy and Bob Dylan. That's what I thought was wonderful, the best singer and the best lyricist and they're both in the same group. End of the Line became the album's second single. Orbison stated at the time. I've been rediscovered by young kids who had never heard of me before the Wilburries.
Pretty woman walking down the street. But just four days before they shot the music video for End of the Line. and just three weeks after the album's release. Roy Orbison suffered a fatal heart attack. Although he had complained of chest pains over the previous month, mentioning the discomfort to his close friend Johnny Cash.
Orbison did not take the symptoms seriously. Here's Tom Petty. You always said. Roy went out on top and And I'm sure he knew that. The last conversation I had with him was a couple of days before he died on the phone, and he was just so thrilled that the Wilburies had gone platinum, and he was just.
It's great. We all felt that Roy was a real special part of the group and it was just our ace in the hole to have that voice come in. And he was so nice, you know, and it was so painful when he died. No. The video for End of the Line was shot inside a vintage passenger car on a moving train.
Maybe somewhere down the road away. The end of the You'll think of me and wonder where I am these days. During Orbison's vocal solos, the camera focused on a framed portrait of the singer. Which was perched near a weathered rocking chair that held a resting, upright guitar. Orbison became the first musician since Elvis in 1977 to land two posthumous albums in the top five.
and the traveling Wheelberries album handled with care. Would also win accolades such as a Grammy and were ranked number two by Rolling Stone in the category of Best New American Band. right behind Guns N' Roses. Unfortunately, the band never lived up to the traveling aspect of their name. They never toured.
Not one live appearance. Here's Tom Petty, George Harrison, and Roy Orbison. The whole experience was just some of the best days of my life, really. She wrote a long letter. I think it probably was for us all.
On a short piece of paper. The thing I guess would be hardest for people to understand is what good friends we were. It really had very little to do with combining a bunch of famous people. It was a bunch of friends that just happened to be really good at making music. What comes battery?
Be single. For that beast. None of this would have happened without him. It was George's band. It was always George's band.
And it was a dream he'd had for a long time. From my point of view I just tried. To preserve our relationship, I worked so hard. To make sure that all the guys who were in that band and consequently on record and film, their friendship wasn't abused. Just to preserve our.
friendship. That was the underlying contribution, I think, to what I was trying to do. What remains of the traveling Wilburies is a mystique of unfulfilled possibilities and what could have been. much like a rock band that does not come out for an encore. even as the fans remained standing on their feet.
and cheering. at the top of their lungs. And a terrific job on the production, editing, and storytelling by our own Greg Hengler. And my goodness, George Harrison first meets Roy Orbison while opening for him in 1963 as a member of the Beatles. Orbison was the only act we did not want to follow.
Ringo Starr would say about Orbison. My goodness, what you had in the end with this group was the best singer. and the best lyricist. And in the end, heart attack would take Roy Orbison's life way too early at the age. of only 52.
The Wilburries, we learn, well, they would never travel. The experience, Tom Petty said, was the best of his life. We were such good friends, he said, and then we hear about George. It was George's band, by the way, Petty added. And what George kept at top of mind at all times.
was quote, preserving our friendships. The story of The Traveling Wilberries, a classic American music story. Here. on our American stories. Hey, it's Bobby from the Bobby Bone Show.
I had an incredible time at this year's iHeartRadio Music Festival and even got the chance to hang out with Diplo and Bailey Zimmerman while I was there. How did Ashes come together, Diplo? I pulled up real quick. He was about to leave on tour. You're about to jump in your tour bus, and we had like three hours.
It was really cool. He literally just like randomly showed up to my house. I'm like, oh, hey, Diplo, what are you doing? He's like, I have a song that I want to show you. And I was like, okay.
You can listen to the full episode out now wherever you get your podcast. And big shout out to my friends at Hyundai for making this possible. At a blast, cruising around the festival weekend in the all-new Palisade Hybrid. Time for a sofa upgrade? Visit washable sofas.com and discover Anibay, where designer style meets budget-friendly prices.
With sofas starting at $699, Anibay brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anibay is the only machine-washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high-resilience foam lets you choose between a sink-in feel or a supportive memory foam blend.
Plus, our pet-friendly stain-resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years. Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washable sofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no-risk returns and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washablesofas.com.
Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Mm-hmm. Hey, what's up? It's Marla Lopez. Back to schools.
An exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated. A vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in.
Ask questions. Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign. Get ready to power up your play with Nintendo Switch 2.
Power up the visuals with 4K support and a bigger, more vivid screen. Power of the fun with exclusive new games like Mario Kart World. And Donkey Kong Bonanza. Nintendo Switch 2, all together, anytime, anywhere. Games rated E to E10 Plus, games and systems sold separately, compatible TV required for 4K display.
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