Jeff Lynne's musical influences

[orioles70]

most of us have heard that Jeff learned to play with a $2 guitar and taught himself to produce with a reel to reel recorder, and the influences that Jeff has mentioned include Del Shannon, Roy Orbison, Chuck Berry and the Beatles - but there's always more to know for the obsessed fan

I found a short bio - says Jeff's grandparents were musicians. Does anyone know anything about that? His father's side or mother's? What type of music?

It also mentions the sound track for a disaster movie of all things - "The High and the Mighty" scored by Dmitri Tiomkin. Can't say I've ever heard of that - will see if I can find a description or recording.

if you've learned other bits and pieces about what sparked Jeff's interest in music and songwriting, please share

here's a link to the bio:

www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/jeff-lynne-8211.php

[orioles70]

found the soundtrack to that film (John Wayne was the star) - lots of strings, but otherwise hard to pick out any obvious things that might have influenced young Jeff. Eldorado would be the album that comes closest to resembling Tiomkin's style.

Tiomkin is credited on a lot of big budget films from the '50s.
www.dimitritiomkin.com/

[BSJ]

The Who were an influence. I can't remember Father or Mother's side, but they performed at, what I believe, were music halls.

[Chippa]

The music on Long Wave is a good indicator of what Jeff was influenced by, as a young kid.

Aside from the artists orioles70 mentioned, Jeff was also influenced by Duane Eddy, Hank Marvin and The Shadows, The Beach Boys, Phil Spector's productions, Motown(especially Marvin Gaye), Al Green, The Kinks, The Zombies,Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Carl Perkins. Probably lots more, but those are the obvious ones.

[unomusette]

Wasn't he quite keen on George Formby (along with several of the Beatles who also appreciated him?)

You can hear the influence in his early Idle Race songs like Lucky Man, End of the Road, The Skeleton and the Roundabout and Sitting in my Tree

[StrangeMagic]

I was listening to Seventh Sojourn (1972) by the Moody Blues last night. I can't help but think that Birmingham-based, strings-laced group may have influenced Jeff a bit. They used the narrative introductions like Eldorado and (backward) Fire on High. Jeff did better than the Moodys at blending strings and electric guitars, but I think he learned some of this early production techniques from them.

About time the Moody Blues got into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, right after ELO.

[ninetwentynine]

Sept 8, 2018 4:28:26 GMT StrangeMagic said:

I was listening to Seventh Sojourn (1972) by the Moody Blues last night. I can't help but think that Birmingham-based, strings-laced group may have influenced Jeff a bit. They used the narrative introductions like Eldorado and (backward) Fire on High. Jeff did better than the Moodys at blending strings and electric guitars, but I think he learned some of this early production techniques from them.

About time the Moody Blues got into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, right after ELO.

The Moody Blues did headline Heartbeat 86' if I remember correctly

[orioles70]

there was a show on a long time ago called "Rock Family Trees" about all the bands that came out of Birmingham - Moody's were on there, Move, ELO, etc.
think I remember one of the Moody's saying he was a bit envious of ELO's success with strings, Moody's were doing it first and had a really successful album in Days of Future Passed, but didn't capitalize on it as much as ELO did later

I'm sure many on the board have watched it before - but for those who haven't, here is a link. Very nostalgic trip through the '60s and '70s music scene.

[BSJ]

It's worth a watch.