Tom Petty is gone.

[Dmitry]

Not knowing his life's story, to my untrained eye he looked like a genuinly good guy. Never saw his name in the headlines described as an asshole.

Too bad, just 66 y.o.

 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Though I haven't seen him in decades, he put on a great show when I saw him. I hear he was a genuinely nice guy too.

[clifford_thornton]

Major loss. RIP.

[mjazzg]

great, great shame, too young too. 

that first Heartbreakers album set a high standard. This is where I first heard/saw him. I can remember it like yesterday

 

Edited October 2, 2017 by mjazzg

[Scott Dolan]

WOW! That's truly a shame...

I wasn't a big fan of his earliest stuff, but pretty much everything he did from Full Moon Fever on was truly outstanding. Wildflower and Mojo, most notably. 

His band was at the height of their power on this date.

 

Edited October 2, 2017 by Scott Dolan

[catesta]

Very sad. When in my teens and 20s, I never would have considered myself a fan. That wasn't so much because I didn't like his music but rather FM radio gave me more than enough Tom Petty, so, no need to but, besides I was more of a metal head. As I got older though I learned to appreciate his straight forward rock and roll and became a fan.

He definitely seemed to be an overall nice guy and a gentlemen. His quote below proves that.

“About the Sam Smith thing. Let me say I have never had any hard feelings toward Sam. All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen. Most times you catch it before it gets out the studio door but in this case it got by. Sam’s people were very understanding of our predicament and we easily came to an agreement. The word lawsuit was never even said and was never my intention. And no more was to be said about it. How it got out to the press is beyond Sam or myself. Sam did the right thing and I have thought no more about this. A musical accident no more no less. In these times we live in this is hardly news. I wish Sam all the best for his ongoing career. Peace and love to all.”

 

[Scott Dolan]

2 hours ago, catesta said:

Very sad. When in my teens and 20s, I never would have considered myself a fan. That wasn't so much because I didn't like his music but rather FM radio gave me more than enough Tom Petty, so, no need to but, besides I was more of a metal head. As I got older though I learned to appreciate his straight forward rock and roll and became a fan.

 

You pretty much summed up MY story of Tom Petty fandom here. 

And the Sam Smith thing was handled perfectly by both sides. Neither seemed bothered by it at all. Once I heard the similarities, I knew that Petty could have sued the pants off of him, but chose not to. 

Good stuff. 

[Hardbopjazz]

R.I.P. Tom. The Heart Breakers were the music of my youth. As his fiend and Traveling Wilburys band mate said, "All Things Must Pass." 

 

[GA Russell]

He may be still alive.

Drudge currently says that he is "clinging to life."
http://drudgereport.com

CBS reported that he had died, but TMZ said that that report is wrong.
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tom-petty-rock-iconoclast-who-led-the-heartbreakers-dead-at-66-w506651

http://www.indiewire.com/2017/10/tom-petty-dead-66-cardiac-arrest-1201882918/

[Scott Dolan]

The news of his death has been grossly exaggerated? 

[Lyin' Wolf]

Rolling Stone reporting that he was taken to hospital and placed on life support. No brain activity was detected and life support had been withdrawn. 

[felser]

HUGE fan here, and his  loss seems inevitable, even if the official reporting was premature.  "Refugee" and  "Here Comes My Girl" helped shape my world.  One of the greatest live bands ever, along with Springsteen/E-Street.

[Tom 1960]

Saw them tour with Dylan many years ago. A very good show. I enjoyed much of his music over the years, Saddened to come across the news earlier today. It sucks getting older.

[GA Russell]

Now there is confirmation of his passing.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/10/03/legendary-rock-star-tom-petty-dead-at-66.html

 

[Soulstation1]

RIP

☹️

 

[mjazzg]

2 hours ago, Soulstation1 said:

RIP

☹️

 

I remember going to the shop to buy that album, getting it home, spinning it and thinking...Yeah!

Played it endlessly

[sidewinder]

Very sad news, RIP.

[soulpope]

R.I.P ....

[kinuta]

Man that's sad news. RIP Tom.

[ghost of miles]

9 hours ago, mjazzg said:

I remember going to the shop to buy that album, getting it home, spinning it and thinking...Yeah!

Played it endlessly

Great album, just went back and revisited it about a month ago. 

[Soulstation1]

On Wax!!

[sidewinder]

On 02/10/2017 at 8:09 PM, mjazzg said:

great, great shame, too young too. 

that first Heartbreakers album set a high standard. This is where I first heard/saw him. I can remember it like yesterday

 

I think I caught that broadcast too. ‘Whistling Bob’ era.

[mjazzg]

1 hour ago, sidewinder said:

I think I caught that broadcast too. ‘Whistling Bob’ era.

or Whispering Bob? 

Channel 4 News just ended with a montage of Petty. I was surprised by that, didn't think he was that recognised to merit national news coverage.Maybe the producer watched OGWT too

[Scott Dolan]

A woefully overlooked album. And one of the better album openers of all time, IMO. 

 

 

[B. Clugston]

RIP. There aren't too many examples of rock and rollers who were so consistently good for so long as Tom Petty. So many great songs. Got to see him with the Heartbreakers plus a non-proselytizing Bob Dylan back in 1986.