Commercial success is a signifier of commercial success and it may or may not correlate with artistic achievement. To maintain commercial success, or even viability, over decades is rare and IMO to be applauded. Tom Petty did that and he did it while maintaining the respect of other high quality musicians. What more can you ask of a guitar player boy from Gainesville?
Marty Stuart on Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers:
"I’ve never made any bones about it. I think Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were the greatest Rock & Roll Band the United States Of America has ever produced."
Wow. Better than The Hawks/The Band (though composed of only one American and four Canadians, I consider the U.S.A. responsible for their formation)? Better than NRBQ, and The Byrds? And Los Lobos? As I consider Marty and his band The Fabulous Superlatives the current best band in the world, his opinions carry a lot of weight with me.
Okay, maybe I’ve been wrong about TP & TH. ;-)
Wow. Better than The Hawks/The Band (though composed of only one American and four Canadians, I consider the U.S.A. responsible for their formation)? Better than NRBQ, and The Byrds? And Los Lobos? As I consider Marty and his band The Fabulous Superlatives the current best band in the world, his opinions carry a lot of weight with me.
Okay, maybe I’ve been wrong about TP & TH. ;-)
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- 91 posts total
- 91 posts total