7 Musicians’ Reactions to Tom Petty’s Death: ‘My Heart Will Never Get Over This’
In 2017, Tom Petty’s death stunned fans and his fellow musicians. It prompted an outpouring of tributes from artists who knew him and took inspiration from his music. Here are seven musicians who offered statements about Petty.
Stevie Nicks was closer to Tom Petty than most musicians
Petty and Stevie Nicks were close friends in his lifetime. They collaborated on several songs and supported one another through difficult times. Nicks said that Petty’s death devastated her.
“The loss of Tom Petty has just about broken my heart,” she said, per HuffPost. “He was not only a good man to go down the river with, as Johnny Cash said, he was a great father, and he was a great friend. He was one of my best friends. My heart will never get over this.”
After Petty’s death, the Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell joined Fleetwood Mac for their 2018 tour, and the band started closing their shows with “Free Fallin’.”
Bob Dylan covered his collaborator’s song in concert
Petty and the Heartbreakers toured with Bob Dylan in the 1980s, and they collaborated again in The Traveling Wilburys. Dylan issued a public statement after Petty’s death.
“It’s shocking, crushing news,” he said, per NME. “I thought the world of Tom. He was great performer, full of the light, a friend, and I’ll never forget him.”
Several weeks after Petty’s death, Dylan covered “Learning to Fly” in concert.
Sheryl Crow said Tom Petty’s death was unbearable
Sheryl Crow rose to prominence at a different time than Petty, but she is good friends with Nicks. She admired his music, but also likely got to know him through Nicks’ glowing view of him. She took to social media after his death, describing it as “unbearable.”
“This is unbearable,” she wrote on Twitter. “Vegas and now a great music hero has passed. You brought us so much joy, [Tom Petty]. We will miss you.”
Jeff Lynne gave a simple tribute to the musician
Petty and Jeff Lynne worked together multiple times over the years, including in The Traveling Wilburys. He gave a simple, to-the-point tribute to his friend.
“Tom Petty was the coolest guy I ever knew,” he said, per Variety.
Bruce Springsteen remembered Tom Petty as a musician who rose to fame at the same time as him
Bruce Springsteen told Rolling Stone that when he heard Petty had died, everyone in his house was stunned. He felt a kinship with Petty, who rose to prominence at the same time as him.
“I got the phone call and told the folks in my house,” he said. “There were shrieks of horror. You couldn’t quite believe it. We were from the same generation of rock & rollers. We started around the same time and had a lot of the same influences. And when I lived in California, I got to know him quite well. He was just a lovely guy who loved rock & roll and came up the hard way.”
Ezra Koenig pointed to 1 of his favorite Tom Petty songs
Upon hearing the news of Petty’s death, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig praised Petty’s song “Free Fallin’.”
“Damn we love you Tom Petty,” he wrote on Twitter. “Incredible songwriter. ‘Free Fallin’ is truly one of the greatest pieces of American art. So perfect & sad.”
He also noted how meaningful the music video was to him.
“In the video, when he’s watching the skaters & sings ‘I wanna free fall out into nothing/ I wanna leave this world for a while’ – kills me.”
Elton John said Tom Petty was an irreplaceable musician
Elton John and Petty ran in many of the same circles, so the “Tiny Dancer” singer wrote a tribute to the late musician.
“Tom Petty’s music and songs are timeless,” he tweeted. “He was a wonderful writer, musician, and singer. Irreplaceable and unique.”
