Tom Petty
Latest about Tom Petty

Tom Petty and Mike Campbell on the song they couldn’t give Stevie Nicks — and the one they did that became a hit
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Asked to write a song for Nicks, Petty nearly gave away a cut he considered one of his best

Tom Petty and Mike Campbell on how a chance meeting saved the Heartbreakers’ debut single from oblivion
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Petty was so excited to find the hook, he called the band back in the studio to remake the song — at four in the morning

Tom Petty on the accident that nearly ended his guitar-playing days
By Christopher Scapelliti published
In a flash of anger over a song, the guitarist saw his future nearly disappear

Tom Petty on the song that defined him as a new kind of guitar-slinging American rocker
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The tune went on to challenge the norms for music videos with a storytelling approach that was unique for the time

Roger McGuinn on Bob Dylan’s big breakthrough, meeting the Beatles — and his question after hearing Tom Petty for the first time
By Andrew Daly last updated
The folk-rocker peels back the curtain on his friendships with a host of fellow music icons

Tom Petty played with George Harrison and Bob Dylan. But Crosby, Stills & Nash was the one act that left him literally shaking
By Christopher Scapelliti last updated
Petty's high regard for Stephen Stills dated back to their days as musicians on the Gainesville, Florida rock scene

Mike Campbell on the time he broke his guitar in two onstage with Bob Dylan with just one wrong move
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The guitarist bought the 1962 Gibson SG with another guitar for just $120 and famously played it for his guitar solo on Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down a Dream"

Tom Petty's throwaway guitar riff turned out to be one of the Heartbreakers' biggest hits — thanks to Rick Rubin
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Producer Rick Rubin discovered the tossed-off riff on a cassette of demos Petty gave him and thought it was the better than anything else on the tape
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