Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum Reveals Tom Petty Display

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Photo: Courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has unveiled “Tom Petty: Where I Come From,” a display highlighting the legendary artist’s southern roots and continued influence on today’s country artists.

Petty’s music bridged the gap between his southern upbringing and his life in southern California, where he cites country-rock bands The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and other Los Angeles groups as inspiration for his sound. The display works to complement the museum’s current exhibit, “Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock,” presented by City National Bank.

The Tom Petty exhibit features various artifacts from his career, including a Gretsch Roundup guitar, a jacket worn during the 1985 Live Aid concert and the Southern Accents Tour and stage wear from Mudcrutch reunion tours. Also on display are the handwritten lyrics for “Southern Accents,” the title track of his 1985 album, recently covered by Dolly Parton.

Over his career, Petty collaborated with several Country Music Hall of Fame members such as Parton, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, George Strait and Marty Stuart. The artist’s influence on today’s country music is evident by the upcoming tribute album, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, which includes performances by stars Luke Combs, Rhiannon Giddens, Chris Stapleton and others.

The display is included with museum admission and runs through summer 2025.

John Nix Arledge
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