Everybody remembers Tom Petty in different ways for different reasons, but when I read this article from Billboard about Gary Clark Jr.’s experience, it was too good to not share with you.
He once opened for Tom Petty in Austin, and he asked to make an appearance on stage with him.
From Billboard:
“He’s like, ‘Yeah, you’re gonna come up here. You’re gonna sing with me too,’ and I’m like, ‘No, I’m gonna hold back. It’s your thing, man. People want to hear you sing it.”
“He calls me up and he starts into the lyric, and then the second verse he backs up from the microphone and looks at me and kind of puts me on the spot. It’s like, ‘It’s not the time to hold back or be shy. You got an opportunity, you gotta go and make the most of it and get your shine on and get your light on.’ That’s what I felt he was telling me without saying anything. So I took that as a lesson that, ‘Man, when it’s your turn to go, you give 135 percent and don’t hold back, don’t be apologetic.’ That really meant a lot to me.”
“[Our friendship] was just getting kind of rolling. We’d have conversations and I felt like he’s something I really wanted to get to know and build a relationship with. I’m forever grateful to him and his crew for having us and sharing their world with us. That type of stuff is really major. It means a lot, so God bless him, rest in peace.”
Hang onto those memories forever, Gary!! read the rest of the story from Billboard here.