Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty soars to success
The country tribute album Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty released last Friday (June 21st), via Big Machine Records, officially debuted at No. 1 on the All Genre Chart on iTunes to also become the No. 1 Compilation Album in its first week.
The impressive lineup of artists have joined in on the celebration of Petty Country’s release. Last week Ryan Hurd hosted a special weekend-long “take-over” on SiriusXM’s Tom Petty Radio as Brothers Osborne, performed their rendition of “I Won’t Back Down” on ABC’s CMA Fest special on Tuesday. Dolly Parton, Chris Stapleton, and Mike Campbell shared insights to their creative process and personal connections to Petty’s iconic hits with CBS Mornings. The compelling segment offered fans a deeper understanding of what inspired these artists in their interpretations of Petty’s beloved songs.
Collaborators on the album and several members of Petty’s family gathered at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Thursday (June 20th) to celebrate the release as well as the opening of Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Tom Petty: Where I Come From. The special showcase highlights how the late rocker’s southern roots shaped his music and his continued influence on new generations of country music artists, featuring several artifacts seen in Dolly Parton’s “Southern Accents” music video. Additionally, Nashville’s downtown was converted into Petty Country as more than 30 bars and honky tonks around the city’s famous Broadway hosted live performances, sing-a-longs, exclusive giveaways, and more than 36 hours of non-stop Tom Petty music.
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers was one of the most singular and distinctly American bands. Beyond the West Coast rock-folk jangle, San Francisco psychedelia and a blast of British invasion, the South’s influence was a constant throughout Petty’s songwriting in his words, truths and especially his defiance and dignity. Petty Country: A Country Celebration of Tom Petty draws on all the aspects and flavors of the Gainesville-raised icon’s roots and leans into the genre that defines the region, bringing the top talent in country and Americana music together to create a 20-song tribute to Petty’s dynamic musical legacy. Executive produced by BMLG’s Scott Borchetta, George Drakoulias (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Black Crowes) and Randall Poster (Wes Anderson, Skyfall) with the oversite of the late icon’s daughter, Adria Petty, the collection pulls from across various realms and seasons of music to create a full picture of Petty’s impressive catalog. Artists lending their talents to the project include Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Luke Combs, Steve Earle, Wynonna Judd, Lady A, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Carly Pearce, Thomas Rhett, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and many more. True to the originals, true to what those songs could be, Petty Country, like Traveling Wilburys, shows vast the influence and reach of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and highlights the previously unseen breadth and Country reach of Petty’s songs.
