The Travelling Willburys must go on

Cafe Society
1

With the recent passing of Charlie T. Willbury Jr, er Tom Petty, we’re down 60% of the original Willbury lineup. All we have left are Otis (Jeff Lynne) and Lucky (Bob Dylan).
But the show must go on, as someone has said. So what long-lost or next-generation Willbury would you call upon to fill the three seats vacated by Nelson (George Harrison), Lefty (Roy Orbison) and the aforementioned Charlie T.?

My replacement picks (with Willbury name):

Dwight Yoakam (Bucky)
Jack Johnson (John Henry)
Sheryl Crow (Petunia)

2

David Crosby (Silver Willbury)
Bonnie Raitt (Belle Willbury)
Joe Jackson (Nigel Stokes-Willbury)

3

What about The Heartbreakers? Campbell, Tench, Blair, Ferone and Thurston are a great, great rock band. Without Tom will they ever play again?

4

If Ringo Starr weren’t fronting the All-Starr Band, I’d pick him. He could call himself Ritchie Wilbury in honor of his given name.

Keith Richards, aka Vlad Wilbury, because he has the undead-like qualities of Count Dracula.

Pete Townshend, aka Johnny Lee Wilbury because of his R&B influences.

5

Dave Grohl (Crash Wilbury)

Also, there have been several other officially-named Wilburys:

  • Dhani Harrison (George’s son) participated in completing two unfinished Wilburys songs for the 2007 boxed set, and was given the name “Ayrton Wilbury” (a reference to late Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna).

  • Guitarist Gary Moore (who is also now deceased) played lead guitar on the song “She’s My Baby” (from Volume 3), and was credited as “Ken Wilbury.”

  • Session drummer Jim Keltner, who played on both albums, was later credited (in the 2007 DVD) as “Buster Sidebury.”

6

Bruce “Jeffrey Wilbury” Springsteen
Robert “Richard S. Wilbury” Plant
Ann and Nancy Wilson, aka “Teri and Jeri Wilbury”

7

As the Wilburys song “Tweeter and the Monkey Man” is either an homage to, or a parody of, Springsteen songs, I already consider him to be a Wilbury-by-proxy. :smiley:

8

I guess, really, he should be Tweeter Wilbury. If they could get Patti Scialfa to sing backup, she’d be Jan Wilbury.

9

Steve Earle, who can choose his own nickname, would fit like a glove.

10

Here are a few unlikely candidates:

Hansi Kürsch (Dieter Wilbury)
Josh Groban (Luciano Wilbury)
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher (Mungo Wilbury)

11

Oh, Neil Young could fit right in there. Willie Nelson ain’t doing much. Willie could be Red Wilbury, A forgotten cousin, or some such.I think maybe Gene Simmons might work. Hayes Carll, young upstart, college educated, illegitimate son of Old Daddy Wilbury!

12

Given Young’s interest in toy trains, he would absolutely need to be Lionel Wilbury.

13

Ray Davies. He could be Muswell Wilbury.

14

How about:

Elvis Costello (Declan Willbury)
Neko Case (Sadie Wilbury)
Eddie Vedder (Evan Wilbury)

15

John Hiatt (y’all will need to help me with the name)

16

John-boy Hiatt Wilbury

17

It has to be someone with ties to Dylan, Lynne or both.

Dave Edmunds has Lynne ties- I appoint him as Rocky (short for Rockpile) Wilbury
Roger McGuinn has Dylan ties- he can be, er, JIM Wilbury
And there has to be at least one 50s rocker in the band… I nominate** Don Everly**, as Bubba Wilbury. Or if he’s busy, Jerry Lee Lewis can join as Killer Wilbury.

18

Don McLean is still around.

19

I second this one!

Or, perhaps, Byrdie Wilbury. :smiley:

20

This would be brilliant!

As for my idea, how about Frank Black? No clue about his name tho…maybe…uh…Francise Wilbury? Darth Wilbury?