Tom Petty, the vocalist, and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was an artist full of primal love for the art. His demise was a big shock to the world as he was out on the stage performing just fine before it. The world of Rock n’ Roll was shaken as the devoted fans now had to find comfort in his death.
Tom always had a crowd of screaming fans in his show and he had those familiar fans in Los Angeles too. With his death, some people grieved and some people held on to that sadness but even after 5 years, the legacy he left behind has yet to crack.
What was the Last Song Tom Petty Performed?
Just one week before his death, Petty was alongside the troupe of Heartbreakers and performed his very last concert at The Hollywood Bowl. The show was the final one of his band’s reunion tour and they had executed their classic song, ‘American Girl.’ It was the last song he performed before his death.
Also, he revealed to Far Out Magazine how he wrote the song ‘American Girl.’ He had commented, ”
“I wrote that in a little apartment I had in Encino. It was right next to the freeway and the cars sometimes sounded like waves from the ocean, which is why there’s the line about the waves crashing on the beach.” He added,
“The words just came tumbling out very quickly — and it was the start of writing about people who are longing for something else in life, something better than they have,”
The Last Song Tom Petty Recorded
The very last thing he worked on was ‘Bidin’ My Time.’ He worked with another founding member of the band Chris Hillman. While Chris had no intention of releasing another record, Tom inspired him to create another record. He didn’t want to work on another record after ‘The Other Side’ but Tom convinced Chris on doing otherwise.
Tom helping Chris was a very important thing in Chris’ career. He said that he was one of the most kind-hearted rockstars in the world. The personality and heart he possessed made him miss him. Chris stated to Billboard, “I loved Tom so much. He was such a blessing in my life, Tom touched everyone with his beautiful music.” Chris got emotional saying those words.
They both had no idea that this would be their last collaboration and it would be the last of Heartbreakers’ singer. Tom Petty played harmonica in ‘Given All I Can See’ and guitar in ‘Here She Comes Again.’ The album ‘Bidin’ My Time’ would go on to be his last record as Tom passed away from drug intoxication on October 2, 2017, only a few days after the release of the album.
