Jeff Lynne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeff Lynne OBE
Lynne in 2014
Born	Jeffrey Lynne (1947-12-30) 30 December 1947 (age 77) Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Occupation	Musician singer-songwriter record producer
Years active	1963–present
Spouse(s)	Rosemary Adams ​ ​ (m. 1972; div. 1977)​ Sandi Kapelson ​ ​ (m. 1979; div. 1994)​ Camelia Kath ​ (m. 2017)​
Musical career
Genres	Rock pop
Instruments	Vocals guitar bass keyboards drums
Labels	United Artists Jet Harvest Epic Sony BMG Reprise Frontiers

Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is a famous English musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder and main member of the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). ELO started in 1970 and became very popular.

Jeff Lynne wrote almost all of ELO's songs since 1972. These include big hits like "Evil Woman", "Livin' Thing", "Telephone Line", "Mr. Blue Sky", and "Don't Bring Me Down". He also has a solo career and has released two albums: Armchair Theatre (1990) and Long Wave (2012).

Besides his work with ELO, Jeff Lynne has produced music for many other famous artists. He was also part of the supergroup Traveling Wilburys with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. He even helped finish some songs by John Lennon for The Beatles' Anthology project.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Jeff Lynne was born in Birmingham, England. He grew up in a place called Shard End and went to Alderlea Boys' Secondary School. He still has his Brummie accent from Birmingham. His dad bought him his first acoustic guitar for just £2, which he still played many years later.

Starting His Musical Journey

Jeff Lynne became interested in music when he was young. He was greatly inspired by The Beatles. In 1963, he formed a group called the Andicaps. They practiced a lot and performed every week.

In 1964, Jeff left the Andicaps to join another local band called "the Chads." Around 1965, he got his first recording machine. It was a special tape recorder that helped him learn how to produce music. He said it "taught me how to be a producer."

In 1966, Jeff joined a band called the Nightriders as a guitarist. They soon changed their name to the Idle Race. He recorded two albums with them and even produced the second one. However, the band did not become very famous.

In 1968, while with the Idle Race, Jeff and his bandmates were invited to a Beatles recording session. He met the Beatles while they were making their album The White Album. Being in the same room with them made him so excited that he "caused me not to sleep for, like, three days." In 1970, his friend Roy Wood asked him to join the more successful band the Move.

The Move and Electric Light Orchestra

Lynne in 1973

Jeff Lynne wrote many songs for the Move's last two albums. At the same time, he, Roy Wood, and Bev Bevan were planning a new band. This new band would mix rock music with classical music. This project became the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).

The original idea was for both bands, the Move and ELO, to exist at the same time. However, Bev Bevan later said that Jeff Lynne joined the Move mainly to start ELO. He wasn't very interested in being a long-term member of the Move.

ELO's Unique Sound

The main goal of ELO was to continue "where the Beatles had left off." They wanted to bring that sound to the stage. John Lennon himself praised ELO, calling them the "sons of the Beatles." Critics often compared ELO to the Beatles, and some even said they were copying them. Jeff Lynne admitted that the Beatles' sound from 1968 and 1969 greatly influenced his songwriting. He said being compared to the Beatles was the "ultimate compliment."

ELO's first album came out in December 1971. It included their first hit single, "10538 Overture". In 1972, Roy Wood left ELO, and Jeff Lynne became the main creative force. He wrote, arranged, and produced almost all of ELO's music after that.

During the 1970s, ELO released many popular albums. These included ELO 2 (1973), Eldorado (1974), and A New World Record (1976). By A New World Record, Jeff Lynne had developed ELO's unique sound. It was a mix of pop-rock with orchestral strings, layered vocals, and catchy pop songs.

Jeff Lynne was in charge of almost everything: producing, songwriting, arranging, singing, and playing guitar. However, other band members also helped shape the ELO sound. Louis Clark and Richard Tandy helped with arrangements, especially for the string sections. Bev Bevan's drumming was also important. Richard Tandy's use of piano, Moog, and other keyboards gave ELO's songs a more symphonic feel. Bassist Kelly Groucutt's voice blended with Lynne's to create ELO's classic vocal harmonies.

Lynne in 1977

In 1976, Jeff Lynne recorded two Beatles songs, "With a Little Help from My Friends" and "Nowhere Man", for a film. He also released his first solo song, "Doin' That Crazy Thing", in 1977. It did not become a hit. After these solo projects, he returned to ELO, which was having its most successful period.

ELO's Peak Success

ELO's biggest success was the double album Out of the Blue (1977). Jeff Lynne wrote most of it in a Swiss chalet. The band's 1978 world tour featured a huge "space ship" stage and laser light show. To play their complex songs live, they used pre-recorded backing tracks. This is common now, but it was new then and caused some discussion. Jeff Lynne has often said he prefers working in the studio to touring.

After Out of the Blue, ELO released Discovery (1979). This album was number one in the UK for five weeks. It is known for its two disco-style songs, "Shine a Little Love" and "Last Train to London". However, the album also had other pop-rock songs, like the hit "Don't Bring Me Down". Jeff Lynne said he liked disco because it gave him "freedom to make different rhythms."

In 1980, Jeff Lynne wrote five songs for the movie musical Xanadu. Three of these songs became Top 20 hits for ELO. The title track "Xanadu", featuring Olivia Newton-John, reached number one in the UK.

Jeff Lynne changed ELO's sound with the science-fiction themed album Time (1981). This album reached number one in the UK. It still had strings but used more synthesizers. After a tour, Lynne continued this style with Secret Messages (1983) and Balance of Power (1986). By this time, ELO had only three official members: Lynne, Bevan, and Tandy. Jeff Lynne started spending more time producing music for other artists.

ELO performing in 1986 (Lynne and Tandy pictured)

In 1984, Jeff Lynne also released two solo songs, "Video!" and "Let It Run," for the film Electric Dreams. Richard Tandy played on these songs.

Producing for Other Artists

Even before ELO officially ended, Jeff Lynne began to focus on producing music for other artists. He produced and wrote the 1983 hit "Slipping Away" for Dave Edmunds. He also worked on songs for the Everly Brothers and Agnetha Fältskog (from ABBA).

Working with George Harrison and Traveling Wilburys

Jeff Lynne's love for the Beatles' music became even stronger when he produced George Harrison's album Cloud Nine in 1987. This album was a big success for Harrison. It included popular songs like "Got My Mind Set on You" and "When We Was Fab", which Jeff Lynne co-wrote.

Working with George Harrison led to the creation of the Traveling Wilburys in 1988. This was a "supergroup" that included Jeff Lynne, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and Roy Orbison. They released two albums, Vol. 1 and Vol. 3, both produced by Harrison and Lynne. The Traveling Wilburys won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance in 1989.

In 1988, Jeff Lynne also worked on Roy Orbison's album Mystery Girl. He co-wrote and produced Orbison's last major hit, "You Got It". He also worked with Brian Wilson and Randy Newman.

In 1989, Jeff Lynne co-produced Full Moon Fever by Tom Petty. This album had hit singles like "Free Fallin'", "I Won't Back Down", and "Runnin' Down a Dream", all co-written by Lynne.

Solo Album and More Production

In 1990, Jeff Lynne released his first solo album, Armchair Theatre. It featured Richard Tandy and George Harrison. The album received good reviews but was not a big commercial success. He also contributed the song "Wild Times" to the movie soundtrack Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

In 1991, Jeff Lynne worked with Tom Petty again, co-writing and producing the album Into the Great Wide Open for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. This album included the hits "Learning to Fly" and "Into the Great Wide Open".

Working with The Beatles Again

In 1994, Jeff Lynne worked with the three surviving Beatles (Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr) on their Anthology album series. He helped create new Beatles songs from old recordings by John Lennon. The songs "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" were made by taking Lennon's demo recordings and adding new parts from the other Beatles. He also worked on "Now and Then", which was finally released in 2023.

Jeff Lynne also produced records for Ringo Starr and worked on Paul McCartney's album Flaming Pie. In 1996, he received the Ivor Novello Award for "Outstanding Contributions to British Music."

ELO's Return and Later Work

In 2000, Jeff Lynne brought ELO back and released a collection of songs called Flashback. The next year, he released the first new ELO album in fifteen years, Zoom. This album featured guest appearances by Ringo Starr and George Harrison. It received good reviews, but a planned concert tour was cancelled.

In 2001, Jeff Lynne started working with George Harrison on his final album, Brainwashed. After Harrison's death in 2001, Lynne helped finish the album. He was also involved in the Concert for George in 2002, a tribute concert for Harrison.

In 2006, Jeff Lynne reunited with Tom Petty to produce his album Highway Companion. In 2009, he produced four songs on Regina Spektor's album Far.

In 2012, Jeff Lynne produced Joe Walsh's album Analog Man. He also released his second solo album, Long Wave, which featured cover songs. On the same day, he released Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra, which had re-recorded ELO songs.

In 2013, Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy performed together as "Jeff Lynne and Friends" at the Children in Need Rocks concert in London. They played "Livin' Thing" and "Mr. Blue Sky."

Lynne performing at the Genting Arena in April 2016

In 2014, Jeff Lynne performed with Joe Walsh and Dhani Harrison (George Harrison's son) at a Grammy event celebrating the Beatles. He also received an honorary degree from Birmingham City University. On 14 September 2014, Jeff Lynne and his touring band, now called Jeff Lynne's ELO, played a public concert in London's Hyde Park, London. This was their first public show in over 25 years. Lynne called it "easily the best concert I've ever been involved with."

In 2015, Jeff Lynne signed a new record deal for new ELO music. The album Alone in the Universe was released on 13 November 2015. It was followed by promotional shows, including the first ELO shows in the United States in 30 years. Jeff Lynne's ELO continued to tour in Europe and North America in the following years.

On 24 June 2017, Jeff Lynne performed at Wembley Stadium to a crowd of 60,000 people. This concert was later released as Wembley or Bust. In 2019, Jeff Lynne's ELO released a new album called From Out of Nowhere, which reached number one on the UK Albums Chart.

In March 2024, Jeff Lynne's ELO announced their final tour of North America, called the Over And Out Tour. Sadly, Richard Tandy passed away on 1 May 2024. Jeff Lynne remembered him as "a remarkable musician and friend." In December 2024, Jeff Lynne received an award from Spotify for "Mr. Blue Sky" reaching 1 billion streams. In July 2025, the last two shows of the UK tour were cancelled due to Jeff Lynne's hand injury.

Personal Life

Jeff Lynne has been married three times. He was married to Rosemary Adams from 1972 to 1977. Then he married Sandi Kapelson in 1979, and they had two daughters. After divorcing Sandi, he married Camelia Kath in 2017.

Despite his success, Jeff Lynne has said he doesn't like the typical rock star lifestyle. He told Rolling Stone magazine that he was "shy" and preferred working long hours in the studio. He said, "Rock stars are different. They dress all flashy and hang out in nightclubs. That just wasn't my priority."

In 2020, Jeff Lynne was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to music. He is also a fan of Birmingham City F.C., a football club.

Awards and Honours

Lynne's star on the Walk of Fame in Birmingham

• 2009: Golden Note Award from the ASCAP
• 2014: Star on the Birmingham Walk of Stars
• 2014: Honorary doctorate degree from Birmingham City University
• 2015: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 2017: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee as a member of Electric Light Orchestra
• 2019: ASCAP Founders Award from the ASCAP
• 2023: Songwriters Hall of Fame induction

Discography

Studio Albums

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Jeff Lynne para niños