It has now been a month since we lost the frontman of my favorite American rock band.
When I learned that Tom Petty had gone into cardiac arrest, I was absolutely inconsolable. But I didn’t take it like losing a celebrity. I took it like losing a close friend or a family member. Being a member of the amazing Tom Petty Nation! on Facebook (which he was VERY aware of) helped me really get to know Tom. I originally joined a week before my only concert of his, just to find out what to expect as for merchandise, setlists, etc. Long story short, I decided not to leave. Moving on.
Though I never met him, Tom had a personality unlike any other. A breathtaking, but sometimes questionable, sense of storytelling and songwriting got me through some rough times in my life. His often times twisted sense of humor on his SiriusXM show made me see the best in him and really feel close to him. Though he most likely never knew of my personal existence, (unless he saw a photo of Tiny Tom) he knew that all of us were out there. He just loved his fans with a passion.
I hate to say it, but because of his chain smoking, I knew from the beginning that we would lose Tom in the not too distant future. However, never in a million years did I think that he would pass a week after wrapping up the biggest tour of his career.
Mike, Benmont, Ron, Scott, Steve.. Hard as it is, I really hope you keep your fearless leader’s music alive for the rest of time. While we don’t know for sure what the future holds for The Heartbreakers, nobody is pushing anything right now. I’m still numb from this loss myself. Everybody needs to take their time. Whether your favorite song is Free Fallin’ or Crawling Back To You, whether you’re a fan or a Heartbreaker, we’re all in this together.
– Josh Dezern, 11/2/2017
Josh Bradley Live 