A star-studded livestreamed event featuring a number of performances and tributes by late Tom Petty's friends and fans has been held to celebrate what would have been his 70th birthday.
- Oct 25, 2020
AceShowbiz - Jackson Browne, Adam Sandler, Brandi Carlile, and George Harrison's son Dhani were among the stars who celebrated Tom Petty's 70th birthday as part of a livestreamed 'festival' on Friday night (23Oct20).
The birthday bash on tompetty.com featured new and archive performances, lost interviews, footage of Petty in the recording studio, and tributes and testimonials from the late rocker's famous friends and fans.
Highlights included Beck's take on "Don't Come Around Here No More", Browne's "The Waiting", and Lukas Nelson and Margo Price's cover of Petty and Stevie Nicks' "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around".
Stevie also offered up a moving tribute to her late pal, stating, "My world's just darker since he's been gone," while Lenny Kravitz thanked Tom for "taking a chance on a young kid in 1989" and asking the "Let Love Rule" star to open for him and his band The Heartbreakers on tour. He added, "Your music is magical and will live on forever."
There were also tributes from Jakob Dylan, Chris Stapleton, Tom's brother Bruce and his daughter Adria, Kiefer Sutherland, music mogul Jimmy Iovine, and Post Malone, who offered, "Your music has affected me in so many different ways. It has inspired me to be a better musician."
Meanwhile, Dave Stewart, who covered Petty's "It's Good to be King" for the virtual celebration, recalled building a house around the corner from Tom's pad and scaling the late star's security gate so he could join his pal for breakfast, unannounced.
And George Harrison's widow, Olivia, recalled the night Petty and her late husband celebrated creating supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, after recruiting Roy Orbison, with a meal at a Norm's restaurant on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles.
"It was an honour and a joy to know you, my friend...," she said. "I love you Tommy and we all miss you."
The gig ended with Petty's The Heartbreakers bandmates Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench performing three songs, including a mellow version of the group's hit "American Girl".
The virtual event replaced the annual Tom Petty Birthday Bash in his hometown, Gainesville, Florida, which was cancelled this year due to COVID restrictions.
Petty, who would have turned 70 on Tuesday, died in October 2017.
