Jeff Lynne will receive the 2,548th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today for a career that spanned more than four decade and has included being the leader of the Electric Light Orchestra and writing songs and producing for rock royalty.
Tom Petty and Joe Walsh will join Lynne in speaking at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony in front of the Capitol Records building.
Born Dec. 30, 1947, in Birmingham, England, Lynne scored many hits throughout the 1970s with the Electric Light Orchestra, including “Can’t Get It Out of My Head,” “Livin’ Thing” and “Don’t Bring Me Down.”
Lynne eventually went on to concentrate on production and songwriting work for major stars, including Roy Orbison, Del Shannon and three of the Beatles — Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
Lynne resurfaced as a performer in 1988, when he became a member of the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, joining Bob Dylan, Harrison, Orbison and Petty.
Lynne has made two high-profile performances in the past year. ELO headlined BBC Radio2’s Hyde Park festival in September, the first time in almost 30 years the band had been on a festival stage.
Lynne performed with Ed Sheeran at the 57th annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in February, giving a performance that prompted McCartney and Taylor Swift to dance in the aisles.
“Jeff Lynne is one of the premier musicians of his time,” said Ana Martinez, the producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies. “With longevity and decades of his magical artistry, Lynne has captivated fans with his distinctive style and very memorable sounds.”
