![]() "He was known to me as a fellow who wiggled," Tom recalled. "I remember this vividly," said Petty, who at that point primarily knew Elvis as a character who had "caused some controversy," likely due to those swivelling hips when Tom had been about 5 or 6 years old. So when Jernigan's wife, Tom's Aunt Evelyn, rolled into the driveway and asked her nephew if he'd like to "go and see Elvis Presley," he was licking his chops at what would in a few hours become the adventure of his young life. Petty's uncle, Earl Jernigan, owned a local film-developing business and worked on location shoots whenever filmmakers came to the area (Uncle Earl's proof included one item that had already gained young Tom's fascination: the rubber suit worn by the creature in "Return of the Creature from the Black Lagoon," which had been shot in Silver Springs). On that day, as young Tom sat under a pine tree in the front yard of his Gainesville home, Presley was filming, appropriately enough, a movie called "Follow That Dream," with location shooting in Ocala, Tampa, Crystal River and other locations. ![]() "And Tommy told us as a family that he was going to be a rock star." "He was completely, completely enthralled," said Darnell, who today is also sheriff of Alachua County. Sadie Darnell, Tom's cousin who accompanied him to see Elvis that day, told The Sun that the meeting between The King and Gainesville's future rock 'n' roll son was a "life-altering moment" for young Tom. And I'd never thought much about rock 'n' roll until that moment." "That's what kicked off my love of music. ![]() "I caught the fever that day and I never got rid of it," Petty later said in Paul Zollo's book, "Conversations With Tom Petty." For, by the end of the day, the young Petty would encounter none other than Elvis Presley, the swivel-hipped sensation who had already been crowned "The King of Rock 'n' Roll." And by that evening, the Gainesville youngster would be forever fascinated - and hooked - on rock 'n' roll. The difference made by that afternoon added another notch to rock 'n' roll history, and a tantalizing addition to Florida lore. By the end of the afternoon, he knew how he would spend his life. One summer morning in 1961, an 11-year-old Tom Petty sat on pine straw in his front yard, wondering how he was going to spend his day. He told Rolling Stone that he thought this would be the group's last tour together. Petty's final concert was last week at the Hollywood Bowl concluding their 40th anniversary tour. They continued to perform over the past four decades, and played a sold-out show at BST Hyde Park in London this year. The album went triple Platinum, producing two US top 20 hits with “Refugee” and “Don't Do Me Like That". It was the band's third album, 1979's Damn the Torpedoes! which saw the band enjoy their breakthrough to mainstream success. The band's self-titled album dropped in 1976, eventually going Gold and with two classic rock anthems, “Breakdown” and “American Girl”. He would later rise to fame with his band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in the 1970s. Aged 17, he dropped out of school to play in a band. He lived in poverty with an abusive, alcoholic father.Īn encounter with Elvis Presley in the '50s saw him gain an interest in rock music. Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida on Oct. The iconic artist had suffered a full cardiac arrest in his Malibu home Sunday night and was found unconscious and not breathing. The singer, aged 66, was rushed to hospital unconscious. OctoTom Petty has Died aged 66: Tom Petty has died after suffering a cardiac arrest. Had already been crowned "The King of Rock 'n' Roll." ![]() For, by the end of the day, the young Petty would encounter none other than Elvis Presley, the swivel-hipped sensation who Elvis changed Petty's life when one summer morning in 1961, an 11-year-old Tom Petty sat on pine straw in his front yard, wondering howīy the end of the afternoon, he knew how he would spend his life. Since 1981 Tom Petty has been honoured with 17 Grammy Award nominations and in 2002 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Petty has been supported by his band The Heartbreakers for the majority of his career. Tom Petty is a well-known US singer and guitarist who has produced numerous hit singles such as 'American Girl', the #7 hit 'Free Fallin', the #12 hit 'I Won't Back Down', and a 1981 #3 with Stevie Nicks on 'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around.'
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