9 Years Ago Today, the World Lost the Classic Rock Icon Whose Songs Have Been Covered by Pearl Jam, Johnny Cash, and Linda Ronstadt

On this day (October 2) in 2017, Tom Petty died from an accidental drug overdose in his Santa Monica, California, home at the age of 66. He and his longtime bandmates in the Heartbreakers kept their feet planted in classic rock and folk music while experimenting with other sounds. The result was a body of work that spanned genres and generations, making Petty one of the most influential artists and songwriters of a generation.

Petty became interested in rock and roll when he was ten years old. His uncle was working on the set of the Elvis Presley film Follow That Dream and took him to meet the King. Soon, he dove headfirst into Presley’s discography and found his passion for music. Like many other artists his age, Petty knew he wanted to be in a band when he first saw the Beatles on television.

“The minute I saw the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show–and it’s true for thousands of guys–there was the way out. There was a way to do it,” Petty told NPR. “You get your friends together, and you’re a self-contained unit. And you make the music. It looked like so much fun. It was something I identified with. I had never been hugely into sports,” he added. “I had been a big fan of Elvis. But I really saw in the Beatles that here’s something I could do.”

Soon, he started his first band, the Epics. Later, that band became Mudcrutch. The original lineup included Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, who would be with Petty for the next four decades.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Mudcrutch inked a deal with Shelter Records, but went nowhere. After they split, Tom Petty embarked on a solo career. At the same time, Tench started another band. Before long, Petty and Campbell joined Tench, Stan Lynch and Ron Blair to form the Heartbreakers. Their self-titled debut album hit shelves in November 1976. It reached No. 55 on the Billboard 200. More importantly, it introduced “American Girl,” one of the band’s signature songs. “Breakdown” and their first UK hit “Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll” also came from their debut release.

The band released their debut album, Damn the Torpedos, in 1979. It included their sole top 10 hit, “Don’t Do Me Like That.” Petty only had one other single reach the top 10 of the Hot 100. “Free Fallin’,” taken from this debut solo outing, reached No. 7 in 1989.

Petty was more successful on the Mainstream Rock chart, where he notched nine chart-toppers and several more top-10 hits both solo and with the Heartbreakers. “Room at the Top,” “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” and “I Won’t Back Down” were among the classics that went to No. 1.

The Traveling Wilburys and Solo Work

In the late 1980s, Tom Petty found himself working with one of the men who inspired him to start a band. Former Beatle George Harrison was working on a solo album, which brought Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison together with Harrison in the studio. They recorded “Handle with Care” and liked it so much that they decided to record a full album together. Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 dropped in October 1988. Two months later, Orbison died. They continued as a quartet and released Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 in 1990.

In 1989, Petty released his debut solo album, Full Moon Fever. While it wasn’t a Heartbreakers album, nearly everyone in the band contributed. Only drummer Stan Lynch abstained. The LP contained classics like “I Won’t Back Down” and “Free Fallin’.”

Five years later, Petty returned with Wildflowers, which introduced “I Won’t Back Down,” “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” and “You Wreck Me.”

Petty released his final solo album, Highway Companion, in 2006. He wrote all of the songs on the LP, including the singles “Saving Grace” and “Flirting with Time.”

Standout Tom Petty Covers

Several labels have been placed on Tom Petty’s music. However, his songwriting and output defied any box they were shoved into. Was his music heartland rock? Southern rock? Folk rock? Yes, and no. The variety of artists who covered his songs speaks to his versatility and relatability. A few notable covers are below.

• “Free Fallin’”–Stevie Nicks
• “Breakdown”–Grace Jones
• “The Waiting”–Linda Ronstadt
• “Southern Accents”–Johnny Cash
• “I Won’t Back Down”–Pearl Jam
• “Room at the Top”–Jason Isbell

Featured Image by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

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