Excellent article by Tom's biographer.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/tom-petty-death-biographer-warren-zanes-731414/
Funny for me was getting to "know" Tom over the final years of his life by listening to his Buried Treasure program on Sirius XM. So informative and entertaining and so Tom. I still occasionally tune in to a continuous stream of those shows. Great rock 'n roll companion. BTW, three previously unreleased final shows can be be heard over the next couple of months.
miss Tom a lot. Always looked forward to his tours and seeing the Heartbreakers live in concert. Great band!!!
I remember the Full Moon Fever release getting me really interested in his music.
Still hard to believe that he's gone. I am glad that he was able to finish the 40th anniversary tour though. Saw him in Dallas in April of last year with Joe Walsh, and it was a great show!!!
I had to miss him years ago in Houston, my sister was getting married in NY and I had to be in the wedding.
Love of my life invited me to Boston in 2014 to see him at Fenway Park with Steve Winwood opening.
Great show and I'm glad I got to finally see him.
Just wondering if there are any fans out there of his "Buried Treasure" shows? Tom and I were born only two months apart and I could really get where he was coming from in his musical evolution. He thought of himself on the show as a music history educator and really appreciated responding to e-mails from teenage listeners. He was kind of like the kid on the block who had the coolest record collection and would invite any would be hipster over for some listening pleasure. As Tom would say he always hoped that his selections would "put the peyote in your coyote". BTW, the shows are continuously (perpetually?) streamed on the internet sector of Sirius XM.
Loved the Buried Treasure show. Went to the 50th anniversary of Sweetheart Of The Rodeo show last night at the Akron Civic Theater. During the encore they played a very moving tribute to Tom. American Girl, Wildflowers, and Running Down A Dream. McGuinn, Hillman, and Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives put on a great show.
Thoroughly enjoying "An American Treasure" (4CD). We miss you Tom!
Finally got around to reading. Great read, thanks Don.
I saw him maybe four times going all the way back to 1977 when TP and The Heartbreakers opened for Styx at Santa Monica Civic. Styx blew the walls off, they were in their prime. To be honest didn't care much for The Heartbreakers. My musician buddy and I both thought they were way too simplistic.
As records continued to come out though, especially of course Damn The Torpedoes, I eventually became a fan. And two shows really sealed that: Seeing TP and The Heartbreakers as Dylan's backing band at The Greek in Berkeley, 1986. They opened with their own set then backed up Bob. Damn.........WHAT a show.
Then in 1997 seeing TP @ The Fillmore in SF when he did a run of 20 shows over maybe a six week period. Caught one of those with an ex-girlfriend. Oh Man.............Tom considered this an experimental run, decided to play only a few hits and concentrate on loosening it up, doing some jamming, trying out new material including some covers. It became obvious what an incredible band The Heartbreakers really were. Van Morisson's "Mystic Eyes" really sticks out in my mind. Man that band could ROCK...........
