In 1988 Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne formed the Traveling Wilburys and released their debut album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1. The first song off the album is “Handle with Care” and it became one their most popular songs in their short career (Orbison died right before a proper follow up could be recorded).
In 2006, Jenny Lewis recorded her own cover of “Handle with Care” for her album Rabbit Fur Coat with The Watson Twins, Conor Oberst, Ben Gibbard, and M. Ward. These are two very different music supergroups from different eras, yet each version is great.
What makes a great guitar solo? Is it how fast or flashy it is, or how slow and soulful it is? Does it sound like a voice that you could sing to, telling its own story? Does it start small but then crescendos into a colossal showcase of talent and emotion? Solos are great for different reasons, but the one thing all great solos have is soul. The following solos are my favorites, and they’re each here for different reasons. These aren’t necessarily the best solos I’ve ever heard, but each solo here has soul and shows what can happen when an talented guitarist is in harmony with his instrument.
The Beatles – “Something” (Guitar Player: George Harrison)
Jimi Hendrix & The Band Of Gypsys – “Machine Gun” (Guitar Player: Jimi Hendrix)