MOTUnation.com

Another chapter of rock history is complete.

Tom Petty
1950-2017

RIP

One of my heroes. He wrote songs that were never self-important, but also never trivial. Just had a way, that guy.

stubbsonic wrote:He wrote songs that were never self-important, but also never trivial. Just had a way, that guy.

Hear, hear!

This one has hit me hard like Hendrix. Have to read his book again after this has sunk in.

My rock cover band does five of his songs. It will be hard to play them at next rehearsal without tearing up.

Petty was one of my heroes, and a bridge between two musical generations.

I was very sad to hear this! He wrote some great tunes..... Rest In Peace Tom!

What can be said? I remember posting on here a while back that I watched an Austin City Limits show featuring Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and was just amazed because I'd forgotten the sheer volume of hits Tom Petty had written. Each song was like "Oh wow! I forgot about THAT one! He wrote that too?!" I think songwriting is really one of the most important skills one can develop. I know many, many musicians who are very proficient technically but don't seem to have the knack for writing great songs, and without that... well what do you have?

Since Tom passed away, I think I've watched the video for Free Fallin' no less than 10 times. That song always connected with me. There are so many ways to interpret the lyrics, which is good as it connects with so many people that way. Also, after listening to it so many times, you could recognize really cool things he did with the arrangement and certain elements that come in, go out, and then all combine at the end. Just extremely well constructed and carefully thought out.

He was really a master and an enormous talent. Don't know if the pop/rock world has anybody on the bench that's up to the task of coming into the game and picking up the slack. I kind of doubt it.