Electric Light Orchestra & Jeff Lynne

Started in 1970, Electric Light Orchestra became one of the seminal acts of the decade. Combining a love of Beatles-esque rock and roll with a flare for drawing from classical music, the band crafted some of the most timeless and impeccably produced music from the era. Led by their frontman and primarily producer and song-writer Jeff Lynne, ELO began releasing a string of hit album after hit album topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic in sales numbers that began to even rival Lynne's Beatle heroes. As the '80's saw Lynne become one of the industries most in demand producers working with legends like Brian Wilson, George Harrison and producing some of the biggest songs of Tom Petty's career. Jeff Lynne soon gained a reputation for reviving the careers of icons from decades past as well working on albums from Roy Orbison, Duane Eddy, and Del Shannon. In this episode of Influenced we trace ELO and Jeff Lynne from their early days covering Chuck Berry to ELO and Lynne's impact on artists as far ranging as Daft Punk, The Killers and even influencing some work by his own heroes the Beatles.