Tom Petty knew a cardinal rule of being in a band: never back down from a challenge. Competing with giants in the music industry can be intimidating, but the most remarkable artists don’t shy away; they watch what others are doing and ask, “Can we do it even better?”
Ironically, despite writing a song titled “I Won’t Back Down,” Petty once admitted that a veteran blues legend left him and his Heartbreakers in awe, outshining them even at their peak.
Petty and the Heartbreakers had honed their sound by the 1990s, transforming from a garage rock group into a tightly knit, polished band. Steve Ferrone’s powerhouse drumming brought their live performances to another level, giving their shows an energy that couldn’t be missed.
Though their music had mellowed by the time of Wildflowers, the fire in their playing was undimmed. Songs like “Honey Bee” may have read like a classic blues rock tune, but in the hands of the Heartbreakers—especially with Mike Campbell’s fierce opening riff—the song turned into a blistering, visceral experience, like stepping into a smoky blues club where the music seeps into the walls.
Though Petty held his band to high standards, he learned even more about musical spontaneity when working with Bob Dylan. In the 1980s, Dylan teamed up with the Heartbreakers, reshaping his live shows into dynamic performances where songs could veer in different directions on a whim. To keep up, Petty and his band had to develop sharp instincts, able to switch to a new rhythm or feel at a moment’s notice.
However, for Petty, this kind of improvisation seemed effortless when watching blues icon John Lee Hooker. Hooker’s style broke the mold of blues legends like Muddy Waters or B.B. King. Instead of a back-and-forth with his band, Hooker’s music was raw and primal, laying the groundwork for future rock guitarists like Chuck Berry to develop rock ‘n’ roll.
Petty recalled his awe when Hooker joined him and Dylan onstage, saying, “Bob came over, saying, ‘Come on back. John Lee Hooker is here, and he’s going to play.’ And then, Hooker came out and kicked our asses. He was just transcendental.
I remember Bob walking across the back telling us, ‘Don’t change chords with John Lee Hooker. He doesn’t change chords.’ And Bob fell over. That was some night.”
Witnessing Hooker’s power was humbling for Petty, showing him the depth of mastery it took to embody the blues. Inspired, he started diving deeper into blues music, aiming to expand his own style. In later albums like Mojo, Petty channeled the energy he had admired in Hooker, adopting a rawer, more unfiltered sound.
Petty’s goal was never to be limited by genre. He wanted to be the best musician he could, studying styles that piqued his interest and building on each new influence. For Tom Petty, the blues was not just a genre—it was a journey to understanding true musical greatness.
