Today is Tom Petty's birthday. I've been a big fan of Tom Petty since I first heard "Refugee" and "Don't Do Me Like That" on the radio as a nine-year-old kid. My Appreciation for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers has only grown over the years as I've come to understand the power of Tom's empathy for the underdog in his storytelling and the band's dynamic chemistry in their musical arrangements and performances. I was lucky enough to work with Tom on several projects before he passed, and I was honored when Adria Petty reached out to me to illustrate a portrait of her dad for the cover of the "Tom Petty: An American Treasure" box set. With this year marking 50 years since the release of the first Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album, Adria approached me again to create an early career portrait of Tom as a young man hungry to break through with his music and voice. I made this portrait of Tom to capture the intensity, attitude, and vigor of his early career. Those traits persisted and were eventually widely recognized as a tenacious working-class ethic, but the Heartbreakers' debut album wasn't an immediate hit, despite featuring the now-classic "American Girl" and "Breakdown." I've always admired independence, determination, and vision, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had all those things in spades. Through this collaboration with Tom Petty's estate, we are proud to support ACLU in their efforts to ensure that every eligible voter has the information and the right to cast their ballot and have their vote counted. Thanks, Tom, for 50 years of music and mojo, and for never backing down!
PRINT DETAILS: Tom Petty: I Won't Back Down. 32" H x 24" W. Screen print on 100% Cotton Custom Archival Paper with hand-deckled edges. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 150. Obey publishing chop in lower left corner. $225.
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