It was shocking to hear this. Definitely one of the great rockers of all-time, someone who never forgot where he came from and whose inspiration derived from the first few waves of rock masters. Supported by his superb band the Heartbreakers, TP created loads of startling songs--"Listen to Her Heart," "Restless," "Refugee," "Woman In Love (It's Not Me)" are some of my favorites, and I followed TP & company all the way to their wonderful final album, 2014's Hypnotic Eye. Their onstage covers of everything from the Animals, the Zombies and Bo Diddley to "Goldfinger" were surprising and grand.
Petty's humor added greatly to his music, not to mention his interviews. And who can forget his battle with MCA Records in 1981, when the list price of LPs was going to be raised a dollar to $9.98 and Petty's latest album Hard Promises was deemed to be the one that would take company and industry profits up to a higher level. Siding with consumers, he refused to allow his album to be the guinea pig. If forced to do so, he threatened to call it The Nine Ninety Eight Album.
But it wasn't about the rock "market." Petty had all the passion and skill of the great ones, so leave those corporate bands elsewhere. The Heartbreakers were anything but faceless virtuosos trying to impress other musicians; they played in a lean, mean and soulful way throughout their time with Petty, continually connecting with their audience on their tours (the last one finished in L.A. on September 25th).
Petty wasn't afraid to admit his mistakes. The Florida-bred rocker apologized for using the Confederate flag behind the band in their mid-'80s tours. Petty's music, and his humanity, is not going to be forgotten.
Those songs will continue to be all over the radio, in our cars, in our homes and hearts. There is crap mainstream music and there is good mainstream music. The best of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers was great mainstream music.