Tom Petty on his southern roots: 'You really never beat it out of you' | CBC Archives

Tom Petty has died at age 66. In this 1985 interview from the archives, he talks about his southern roots and the creative process that produced hits like Don't Come Around Here No More.
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[@xennial80sxberner]

Love unseen 80s interviews. I'm reeling from the shock of Tom not being with us anymore. Been a fan since 1991 so almost my whole life.

[@evelynbaron2004]

I get what you wrote; this is new to me and I was actually writing about the band's videos so doing due diligence and research; another recent find if you get this 2 yrs later is a self-produced live concert performance video, incredible, lost the plot for a second, google that info it will come up. Great post, I hear you.

[@LaylaSims]

Rest in peace, my Angel. You finally got your wings and can truly Learn To Fly. Forever in my heart.

[@evelynbaron2004]

How's your relationship with his Dad, a true monster? YOUR angel, Get professional help he loved both the women he married.

[@melissagerber7231]

@@evelynbaron2004 she got along with Earl,and, Tom got along with her abusive mother, she's said. Can't prove it by me, though.

[@xScooterAZx]

@@evelynbaron2004 Who the hell are you?

[@wendileona]

Tom empowered with his music, on an everyday man's level. He sung softly yet loudly, he was a gentle giant in a way, I miss him bad. I never fully realized just how significant his music was in my, our lives. I really was heartbroken and didn't realize it until I sat down and really thought, am I heartbroken over his passing? Its strangely great to feel that but I also feel a part of America, a part of the San Fernando, his hometown, went away. There's a missing part now, except when I play his music, Tom is there again, always. We miss him dearly. Wendy & Gary

[@evelynbaron2004]

his home town was Gainsville Florida but I appreciated your heartfelt tribute, Wendy and Gary; you sound like wonderful people.

[@DavidSmith-ss1cg]

"I haven't hit a reporter in WEEKS." Nice one, Tom.

[@hon-n9570]

I got lucky when I found Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers!

[@evelynbaron2004]

You and Stevie Nicks and anyone with a heart and a brain -- best wishes!!!

[@chrissimon8368]

At 33 he, and the Heartbreakers took a break in 83 to make the album "Southern Accents," and I am glad they did.

[@Diane-S-Raven]

Rest Easy Tom....WE will Forever Love You \m/

[@cucknorris6497]

Love this album. Love this man. ✌

[@justsusan8606]

I love Tom Petty! ❤️I’m so glad I saw him in concert! His daughter Kim favors him a lot!

[@tumbling4]

Those glasses are so cool

[@evelynbaron2004]

In his last public speech for MusiCares Tom talks about meeting his heroes and said, those cats were so cool. Absolutely!

[@xScooterAZx]

@@evelynbaron2004 What has that got to do with the sunglasses Tom's wearing hee?

[@mikewazowski350]

Good bye Tom! Thanks for all the music!

[@itech301]

RIP to the first artist I ever loved

[@dixondjallen6620]

One of the greatest songwriters ever...

[@evelynbaron2004]

I was born and raised in Canada; parents European products of WWII; loved them both with all my soul, both left the planet too early; 2 points to be made from this gratuitous sharing -- pretty much all the interviews when Tom Petty spoke seriously and with candour about his work were with Canadian journalists, may be an accident but I like to think we did something right and 2) his southern roots include a revered wonderful mom who died too soon and a monster of a father. In the documentary Runniing Down a Dream he talks about this, and like me he had a great brother which kept him sane. A writer for Rolling Stone magazine commented that these circumstances are the elephant in the room for rock artists who attain that level of profundity and go the distance, and Tom himself said I turned anger into ambition for a while. Later still in a CBC interview he talked about the process of forgiveness, which was brave and moving. (Jian Ghomeshi Tom Petty CBC parts 1 and 2). A man for all seasons and I'm so glad that every generation rediscovers for themself the emotional lucidity of this great songwriter. The one thing I dislike which is going to happen to anyone in the public eye is social media sharing of photos when he was young and beautiful, so sad and misses the point entirely. (sorry for italics)

[@bettietorres6193]

My heart aches for him.

[@melissagerber7231]

Bettie Torres , Mine, too, because we’re human beings with compassion for others, flaws and all, unlike certain trolls I could name.

[@evelynbaron2004]

ok, when he was alive and going through rough times but his life apart from physical injury was happy when he overdosed and at the time you wrote he was dead. So I don't get your well-meaning post.

[@viktoriyagereluk8463]

@@evelynbaron2004 Dude leave the poor people alone and stop being so bitter.

[@gildenstorf]

Funny that the CBC interviewed Tom in 1985 as that tour didn't make it to Toronto or any other Canadian city.

[@evelynbaron2004]

Tx for comment; I was doing research on Tom Petty's videos and this strange phenomenon kept reappearing; except for Peter Bogdanovich and Warren Zane and Paul Zollo, the only people he opened up to were Canadian journalists; and it must be said also, later in life for the most part. CBC Jian Ghomeshi part1 and 2 -- must watch. He was in Toronto July 2017 but the Pettytheft tribute tour stays in the states.

[@DavidSmith-ss1cg]

@@evelynbaron2004 - Tom was a writer, a wordsmith; so the people who he connected with were writers and "word" people. This excludes many journalists, and ALL TV host type people. His better songs will be listened to for a LONG time.

[@eulaliavieni9042]

Amore 💘 ❤ 💚 🧡

[@user-iw3fo1lw3w]

He was a great performer

[@norabarber4289]

Miss you Tom ❤️

[@RoanPonie]

I love Tom,hated the frigging sideburns

[@stephaniemj2018]

Hey Ben Garrett how are you doing

[@kg5521]

I love the sound of his deep when he talks. He's not the best looking but he certainly adorable and sexy

[@PotterSpurn1]

I think he's gorgeous, as well as adorable and sexy. His eyes are stunning, he has a lovely smile.

[@AnthonyBurrito1313]

Great record Bad Idea flying the traitor flag. He regretted it more than anything

[@evelynbaron2004]

|He wrapped himself up in the confederate flag, he was out of his mind. Yes I heard/read same thing; regretted it publicly actually. Also the genesis of the song in Conversations with Tom Petty, Paul Zollo was that he was envisioning a shell-shocked southern war vet back from Afganistan whose life is unravelling and the only thing he has left is his southern identity, so as a performance it was masterful, but yeah he got completely carried away and found himself invited to join the KKK and must have thought wtf have I done. Wonderful man, definitely greater than the sum of his parts!

[@elizabethlatorre5360]

He admitted the mistake

[@DavidSmith-ss1cg]

The CSA Battle Ensign was a thing about Southern Pride when musicians like Gtam Parsons and Lynyrd Skynyrd displayed it on the stage; but the Republicans and the corporate-controlled media jumped on it when Jimmy Carter was president. I can remember a Skynyrd concert in the summer of 1976 and the way that the crowd roared when the "Stars and Bars" unrolled on the back of that Birmingham Alabama stage. Carter wasn't president yet, and the Confederate flag wasn't a cause for riots yet. But when Reagan was president, I had to get rid of my denim jacket with many patches, including the Stars and Bars; and my Mork from Ork suspenders, too. If only there was a Spaceport here on Earth somewhere...

[@suzannereilman4516]

...could these Canaaaadeeeahhns speak weirrdurrh, ya knooo...?

[@ericanton7]

Florida isnt the south.

[@TatersUnited]

eric anton it’s literally as far south as you can go.

[@evelynbaron2004]

which part of florida and his roots were in Georgia

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

His roots were in Gainesville, Florida...don’t spread bs

[@williampollock7890]

It is to people who grew up there

[@williampollock7890]

TatersUnited Hilo Hawaii has that claim

[@thomasmueller837]

Great album, master piece IMO.