As the band began rehearsals for the 40th Anniversary Tour, Tom Petty received a nice surprise: In February 2017, he received the MusiCares Person of the Year award. Its an ugly fucking thing.. "Our family sat together this morning with the Medical Examiner -- Coroner's office and we were informed of their final analysis that Tom Petty passed away due to an accidental drug overdose as a result of taking a variety of medications," the post reads. [80][81], On June 3, 2001, Petty married Dana York,[82] who had a son, Dylan, from an earlier marriage. It was also, probably and secretly, Petty's farewell tour. If youre sick, just tell em. [85] He credited the group with inspiring him by demonstrating that he and musicians like him could make it in rock and roll. ", That day at Hyde Park, Nicks remembered rehearsing "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" with the band in the dressing room. Stevie Nicks told Peoplethat Petty was visibly unwell. Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury. Tom's autopsy report shows the singer was on several pain meds, including Fentanyl patches, oxycodone (Oxycontin), temazepam (Restoril), alprazolam (Xanax), citalopram (Celexa), acetyl fentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl. [68][69] Petty told Rolling Stone, "I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. Tom Petty in New York, 1977. " But Harrington apparently didn't see what Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band, who opened the concert, saw. He was 66 years old, and had just. Even as Tom Petty and his band rocked the house, however, the last two songs on the final night (via Slate),September 25, show Petty visibly lumbering across the stage and limping off after signing a few autographs. News of the sudden passing of celebrated rock musician Tom Petty shocked fans worldwide, but a deeper look into the music legend's life reveals physical and emotional afflictions that may ha Read allNews of the sudden passing of celebrated rock musician Tom Petty shocked fans worldwide, but a deeper look into the music legend's life reveals physical and emotional afflictions that may have led to his death at age 66.News of the sudden passing of celebrated rock musician Tom Petty shocked fans worldwide, but a deeper look into the music legend's life reveals physical and emotional afflictions that may have led to his death at age 66. 3 and recorded without the recently deceased Orbison, followed in 1990. The singer had recently completed a 40th anniversary tour with his band, the Heartbreakers. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. They played "American Girl", "I Won't Back Down", "Free Fallin'" and "Runnin' Down a Dream". I think keeping the right routine, keeping the right people around you [is crucial]. TV-14 | Sep 20, 2020 | 42m. News of the sudden passing of celebrated rock musician Tom Petty shocked fans worldwide, but a deeper look into the music legend's life reveals physical and emotional afflictions that may ha News of the sudden passing of celebrated rock musician Tom Petty shocked fans worldwide, but a deeper look into the music legend's life reveals physical and emotional afflictions that may have led to his death at age 66. [36], In 2005, Petty began hosting his own show "Buried Treasure" on XM Satellite Radio, on which he shared selections from his personal record collection. Petty, an uncomplicated, easygoing musician from Florida, would have likely laughed at that, but to millions of fans around the world, his loss was a devastating, unforeseen surprise that saddened the music world. Neither knew it was the last time they would see Petty sing. According toThe Sound, Petty would later recall that when Nicks first befriended him, "We were a little wary of Stevie. [53], In 2017, the Heartbreakers embarked on a 40th Anniversary Tour of the United States. The Hall of Fame musician had taken several pain medications, including Fentanyl, oxycodone and generic Xanax. Pettys family said they hope the musicians death leads to a broader understanding of the opioid crisis. Tom Petty was a national treasure, and his loss was difficult. Also in 1987, the group released Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) which includes "Jammin' Me" which Petty wrote with Dylan. [57], Petty's first appearance in film took place in 1978, when he had a cameo in FM. Winwood joined Petty and the Heartbreakers on stage at select shows and performed his Spencer Davis Group hit "Gimme Some Lovin'", and occasionally he performed his Blind Faith hit "Can't Find My Way Home". The meeting "kicked off my love of music," according to Petty, who would later say that "I'd never thought much about rock n' roll until that moment." In 2017, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers embarked on their40th Anniversary Tour, a 53-date extravaganza where the band played a set list comprised of only the most popular, carefully selected songs from their fruitful history. Among them: knee problems and emphysema, an often fatal, often smoking-related disease that damages the lungs and prevents oxygen from getting into the body. "Better safe than sorry, I guess," Petty told the audience. He said the energy boost he gets while on stage transcends the pain he experiences from the cancer and the chemotherapy treatments. [41][42], In July 2006, Petty released a solo album titled Highway Companion, which included the hit "Saving Grace". Firefighters were able to salvage the basement recording studio and the original tapes stored there, as well as his Gibson Dove acoustic guitar. He has two songs on the same magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications," the post reads. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Joe Walshs drummer Joe Vitale talked about his experience with The Heartbreakers late singer Tom Petty during his final tour and revealed whether there were any signals about his health problems. As a bassist, Petty played a Fender Jazz Bass, Rickenbacker 4003, Hfner Club Bass and Danelectro Longhorn. "[101], Petty owned and used a number of guitars over the years. His father, he said, "took a belt and beat the living sh*t out of me." Petty was left "covered in raised welts." An Ogeechee lime tree that he purportedly planted while employed at the university is now called the Tom Petty tree (Petty stated that he did not recall planting any trees). That was his 40th-anniversary tour. Nobody would have ever thought he had health problems on that tour. The bulk of the film is comprised of a newly discovered archive of 16mm film showing Tom Petty at work on his 1994 record Wildflowers. Continuing to play rock n roll at an age when most adults have retired and are collecting Social Security checks is not easy, said Tyler, who turned 70 in March. These Things Happen', "Tom Petty on the 'Good Thing About Getting Old': 'You Know What's Worth Spending Time on and What's Not', "Stevie Nicks Admits Past Pregnancy With Don Henley and More About Her Wild History", "Rock Star Tom Petty's Home Damaged in Fire", "Tom Petty died of accidental drug overdose, medical examiner says", How Tom Petty Overcame an Abusive Childhood, Heartbreaking Divorce and Heroin Addiction to Find True Love, "10 Musicians Who Saw the Beatles Standing There", "Tom Petty: Rolling Stones Were 'My Punk Music', "Dixie Chicks, Russell Simmons Meditate on Rick Rubin's Greatness at David Lynch Foundation Event", "Tom Petty, Heartbreakers frontman who sang 'Breakdown,' 'Free Fallin'' and other hits, dies at 66", "How confusion spread over news of Tom Petty's 'death', "Tom Petty's Death Was Reported Prematurely. He loved curating music for his SiriusXM show, Tom Petty's Buried Treasure, and he'd wanted to continue doing that. The band's twelfth album Mojo was released on June 15, 2010, and reached number two on the Billboard 200 album chart. Dana said that Petty was in a good mood the day before his death: "He had those three shows in L.A. Never had he been so proud of himself, so happy, so looking forward to the futureand then he's gone. So I was always trying to figure out how to do less, and then that wouldnt work. Tony Dimitriades posted the news on the Tom Petty website: "On behalf of the Tom Petty family, we are devastated to announce the untimely death of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend Tom Petty." You're at Petty's house at a Christmas party. His signature gray top hat, however, was destroyed. In November 2009 the boxed set The Live Anthology, a compilation of live recordings from 1978 to 2006, was released. 1 Album on Billboard 200", "Tom Petty Radio channel debuts Nov. 20 on Sirius XM", "40th Anniversary Tour Announced! [16] As a young man, Petty worked briefly on the grounds crew of the University of Florida, but never attended as a student. The man who "discovered" Tom Petty talks about the day he cemented their relationship over "the radio." Click the share button to make sure your FB friend who loves Tom Petty more than anybody doesn't miss a very special "How It Really Happened" with Hill Harper tonight at 9 ET/PT only on HLN. The package went on to sell over ten million copies, therefore receiving diamond certification by the RIAA. The band then launched into "Swingin'" from their 1999 album Echo, with Petty adapting some of the lyrics to fit the storm that had just passed through. It was a hip problem. We want to hear it. 70. After the MusiCares gala, according toPeople,Nicks said Petty was " talking to me about how important it was to him. You stumble upon George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Petty in Petty's office, jamming. Reflecting on Pettys death, the Doors John Densmore said: Its too bad that Tom couldnt let his vulnerability show like the great B.B. But I really saw in the Beatles that here's something I could do. Dana said her husband "insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans." TMZ maintained that there was no brain activity and that Petty's family had decided to pull life support. There was an inner force driving him.". Looking back, Petty still expressed shock at the incident. [3] In 2010, Petty made a five-second cameo appearance with comedian Andy Samberg in a musical video titled "Great Day" featured on the bonus DVD as part of The Lonely Island's new album Turtleneck & Chain. Stat News physician writer Lipi Royverified that surgery would have put Petty down for two months or more. 214),[122] Damn the Torpedoes (No. "Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans," his family said in statementon Petty's website after he died. Petty was found unconscious at his home. Unless you were among the lucky audience members inside the Fillmore in January . With the commemorative set coming out, Tom Petty made other plans, too. The film also was screened in select theaters last month. Just be honest with them. He was prescribed pain medication for these problems and informed on the day of his death that his hip injury had worsened. The ensuing tour led to the live album Pack Up the Plantation: Live! His wife, Dana Petty, told Billboard that "he had it in mind it was his last tour and he owed it to his long-time crew, from decades some of them, and his fans. In May 1979, he filed for bankruptcy and was signed to the new MCA subsidiary Backstreet Records. 17,355. In it, Petty spoofed himself as a tutor to Homer Simpson on the art of lyric writing, composing a brief song about a drunk girl driving down the road while concerned with the state of public schools. Petty was found unconscious at his home. [109] The next month, Petty won the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Golden Note Award. [64] A judge issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting further use of the ad and the suit was later settled out of court. We broke the story Tom went into full cardiac arrest before being taken to a hospital in L.A. Dylan Owens from the Denver Post's The Know called the show"a memorable one," with the band playing from "a seemingly bottomless bucket of hits." 2. Still of Tom Petty to coincide with the release of the new set 'Live at the Fillmore (1997). A deeper look into Tom Petty's life reveals afflictions that may have led to his death at age 66. I know what drugs I love, and I dont go there anymore.. Weeks later, the Los Angeles County Medical. But I don't believe in lawsuits much. "I need to stop working for a period of time." The song is an unreleased outtake originally recorded in 1982 during the Long After Dark sessions. It used to be that whenever I was asked, If Jim [Morrison] was around now, would he be clean and sober? I always used to say, No, he was a kamikaze drunk and nothing would stop him, Densmore said. News of the sudden passing of celebrated rock musician Tom Petty shocked fans worldwide, but a deeper look into the music legend's life reveals physical and emotional afflictions that may have. I had to call somebody to find out, Is this on the level? I couldnt believe it.. [66] His family would do the same for Donald Trump in 2020, stating "Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate. Updated on: January 19, 2018 / 9:28 PM I want some time. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Ask Chuck Berry. Later, singer Shania Twain showed up, according toRolling Stone, and told Nicks, "I'm going to be greedy right now. ", "Tom Petty Was the Great Rock Songwriter We Too Often Took for Granted", "Tom Petty, Rock Icon Who Led the Heartbreakers, Dead at 66", "Tom Petty Private Funeral Services Held Today", "America's deadliest shooting massacre. [6][7][8] His brother Bruce was seven years younger. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? As confused friends and fans dug for the truth, Petty did die that evening at 8:40 PM. Petty had been prescribed the drugs to treat emphysema, knee issues and a fractured hip, his family said in a statement accompanying the results. The only issue was that in these arenas, the dressing rooms are quite a good distance to the stage, maybe 150 yards. Especially pleasing to fans was an acoustic sing-along of "Learnin' to Fly," with the audience singing out the chorus like "an eerily beautiful choral society" as a crescent moon shone brightly in the night sky and the night lights of Denver glowed far away. [25] Their rendition of "Cry to Me" was featured on the resulting album, No Nukes. They are little pranksters. [58], Petty appeared in the 1997 film The Postman, directed by and starring Kevin Costner, as the Bridge City Mayor (from the dialogue it is implied that he is playing a future history version of himself). The song's video featured Petty dressed as the Mad Hatter, mocking and chasing Alice from the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, then cutting and eating her as if she were a cake. The chef's trick: He used a knife to level measuring spoons of ground coffee, so as to nail the perfect coffee-to-water ratio. "Why not?" Billboardreported on the event, which featured over three hours of performances by such music greats as the Bangles, the Foo Fighters, George Strait, Jeff Lynne, Randy Newman, and Petty's longtime friend, Stevie Nicks. Yet many musicians will testify to the healing power of music and the live performance, even when they may be suffering. As he continued touring with Mudcrutch, Petty furthered his plans for the Heartbreakers, and himself. When Tom Petty was rushed to a hospital one year ago in full cardiac arrest, two words immediately sprang to many minds: Not again. According to Rolling Stone, he'd originally intended for the LP to be a double album, and before his death Petty was in the process of adding back in several excised songs. Location. [113], He is ranked 91st on Rolling Stone's list of the Greatest Artists of All Time. South African singer, guitarist, songwriter Johnny Clegg, 65, booked a final tour of the U.S. last fall because he has pancreatic cancer and doesnt know how long he will be able to continue performing. Petty's solo hits include "I Won't Back Down" (1989), "Free Fallin'" (1989), and "You Don't Know How It Feels" (1994). Willman observed that Petty's bandmates "scoffed" at the idea of the show being the last tour ever. ", What's Come Out About Tom Petty Since He Died. Some were for pain, while others served as anti-depression drugs and sleep aides. Kiss Paul Stanley Has 'Thoughts' About Parents Who Support Kids Gender Identities "We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including Fentanyl patches.". According to Petty, his father found it difficult to accept that Petty was "a mild-mannered kid who was interested in the arts" and subjected him to verbal and physical abuse on a regular basis.