Gainesville's own Tom Petty dies from cardiac arrest

stephenPE

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A southern Bob Dylan. Two days after he passed I was at work youtubing his songs. It blew me away at how many were like Cover described. He struck a cord (no pun indtended) down here in the hammocks and sloughs.
 

cover2

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@stephenPE and @oxrageous ...a strange but really natural feeling where the loss of Tom Petty is concerned, if that can make sense. There's been artist before that I enjoyed who have passed away, but I don't recall feeling quite the connection I had with Petty's music. He started gaining notice outside of Gainesville about the time I was finishing high school. His was a refreshing relief from the Bee Gees, Elton John, Donna Summer and the Disco/Bubble Gum music that was proliferating in the '70's and early '80's. For me, he and the Heartbreakers fell somewhere in between Boston and the Allman Brothers (two favorites) and that was my niche. His voice (along with his lyrics), when combined with Mike Campbell's virtuoso guitar was a unique sound, but it made most everybody I knew say "that's my music!" Knowing he was from Gainesville, which at the time was considered about as redneck as Gadsden county, UF and the school of higher minds (as Jerry Clower might say) notwithstanding, was an instant connection for me. Later, I learned he grew up with a dad that drank and could get a little rough and that was part of the impetus for him to head west and seek his fortune on his own and with some band mates. I grew up in a similar home where the drinking was rough, too. I never escaped, but Tom's music was my getaway. Even the Losers spoke to me where this part of my life was concerned.

Even though he did escape and make it big, he always seemed to remain a southern boy in California. He had some California songs (my untrained interpretations) like Swiniging, but a lot of what he did remained connected to his Florida roots. I wound up buying the first Mudcrutch and there are references to wearing a "cowboy tie" in a bar in Lake City, as well as the song Crystal River. As I stated previously, I'm glad he left such an expansive anthology for us to keep on enjoying. It might just be me in that his stuff just doesn't get old or out-dated. But I don't think it's just me. Timeless. It'll be here and still be good long after I'm gone, I think.
 

cover2

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Tom Petty was a one in a million kind of songwriter and musician. He was kind of like an ever expanding universe, but he always returned to his roots. He outgrew Mudcrutch and then later the Heartbreakers and then found his way to the Traveling Wilburys and did some recordings with Johnny Cash, yet still went back and cut albums with both MC and the Heartbreakers. He and the Heartbreakers played the Superbowl. That was really amazing. Think about the Traveling Wilburys for a moment; fuking Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne and the skinny bucktoothed dude from Gainesville, Tom Petty. He fit right in. The first album the Wilburys cut was really just thrown together at George Harrison's house, just 5 friends that decided to do this thing together. Rolling Stone named it one of the top 100 albums of all time. Tom Petty was a giant.
Damn straight...a million in one songwriter and musician. @stephenPE was on the mark with the Dylan reference. He had a little balladeer in him! As for his stint with the Willburys, I remember first thinking like you described that here's Tom Petty from Gainesville getting the glorious opportunity to play and sing with some legends. Later, I thought, those guys, Harrison, Dylan, Orbison, Lynne, were damn lucky to get to play with Tom! Your "buck toothed dude" descriptor made me chuckle and think of the Willburys' video for Last Night where even Tom donned a set of "hillbilly teeth," even though he might not have needed them! His subtle humor was almost as good as his musicianship and part of what made him real. A giant? Indeed!
 

crosscreekcooter

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Part of Tom's tour thru Gainesville was inside SQ's post in the other thread. I had not seen this one before.
 

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