"HEARTBROKEN FOR TOM"

This week we as a music loving society has lost yet another musical icon. Mr. Tom Petty. Tom started his music career with a band called The Epics which evolved into the band Mudcrutch and to this day bares his signature sound all over it. After attending a shoot of the Elvis Presley film "Follow That Dream" with his uncle he was starstruck by the young Elvis and when he returned to his home he as the story was told traded a friend a sling shot for a handful of Elvis 45 RPM records. As a young person in the music business Tom had been sold on being a musician, after viewing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. In 1976 Tom with his former band mates from The Epics Mike Campbell & Benmont Tench released his first album entitled Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. With sales not what expected Tom & the Heartbreakers attempted to release a sophomore album in 1978 entitled You're Gonna Get it with this album brought them a little attention which garnered them a single ""I Need To Know" and "Listen To her Heart"" which had a cult following and proved Tom had the writing abilities to make a good song in which his fans and others could enjoy. This album marked Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers a spot on the Top 40 Charts. With the release of their 3rd album "Damn the Torpedoes" went platinum and sold 2 million records and gained more top 40 singles and airplay with songs "Don't Do Me like That", "Here Comes My Girl" And "Refugee". In 1981 tom & the Heartbreakers release the 4th album called Hard Promises to a very receptive fan base and a radio field with open arms. This album spawned the radio hit singles "The Waiting" and his 1st duet with long time friend Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac Fame. As the Heartbreakers embarked on the next project called "Long After Dark" which blended right in with the music video generation of the MTV's and VH1's of the 80's. The songs "You Got Lucky" & "Change of Heart" were staples of the new found music videos of the new generation of music listeners. Three Short years had passed when Tom Petty a long time history buff and an appreciative person of American History released "Southern Accents", which in my opinion is one of the best music albums of all time. With this release once again gained the music video television a reason to exist where The song "Don't Come Around Here No More" was the example of how the music video was to be seen and showed expressive elements of the song through creative videos. In 1987 with the video generation trading in it's video watching habits to reality TV Tom Petty & the Heartbrakers found themselves relying on their writing talents rather than videos to sell their music, In 1987 Tom Petty & The heartbreakers release the album called "Let Me Up, I've Had Enough" which had true loyal fans purchasing, but losing some of the video followers in earlier times. At this point Tom made the decision to release a solo project called "Full Moon Fever" produced by Mike Campbell & music legend Jeff Lynne of the Electric Light Orchestra. With this at the same time Tom was producing his own flavor of music with the super group The Traveling Wilburys with a superb line up of all star musicans Jeff Lynne, the late Roy Orbison, The late George Harrison and himself, which proved music has a purpose. With the next release in 1991 called "Into the Great Wide Open" which brought them back to the airwaves with he top 40 song "Learning To Fly" & "Mary Janes Last Dance". In 1996 Tom offered up his song writings to a movie called "She's The One" and was written and produced by Tom himself , and featured all Tom Petty songs on the whole soundtrack. Soon to follow in 1999 "the album "Echo" was released and in my opinion was a prolific album and was enjoyed by Tom's cult following just because of being a Tom Petty record. In 2002 Tom & the Heartbreakers release their 11th studio album called The last DJ, which was a sort of tribute to the DJ's that actually remained and loyal and steadfast to playing Tom Petty records on the air & Tom's always wishing to be a DJ. in 2010 "Mojo" was released and once again had the following of his loyal fans. I think the kind of feeling that Tom needed some "Mojo" to gain more listeners and fans but seemed he didn't have, and to keep and grow his fan base out there where another generation never really knew who Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers were. With the final release called "Hypnotic Eye' Tom Petty showed and as you listened to this album he had became of sorts a profound music writer and with his music lyrics reflecting his feelings and emotion throughout this album. I will, as a music reviewer miss the hearing of a "New" Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers album because I have been a true loyal fan since his inception into my music memory in 1978 til his last days with us.It is time for you journey to end here on earth, but don't forget to "Pack up the Plantation" for your next journey. I am truly a fan and may you always rest in peace my brother Tom.

Steven F. Adams

music reviewer owner SoundWaveOne

c 2017 used by permission