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This one might be a little long, but it's about Tom Petty, so it's okay.

At this specific end part of Tom's VH1 Storytellers from 1999 that I'm linking below, he's fingerpicking the guitar (granted, he's just going back and forth between two chords) but he's also simultaneously telling a story and joking (there's a dirty spot in there) and then the band breaks into this beautiful song..

I saw this when it came out in 1999, I was 19, and it kind of musically... broke me. I'd been playing about 6 years at that point, and this dude is BEYOND talented. Sure, he was an older adult already and I was 19, but NOW, I've been playing music 30 years this year, and I still can't do this, the fingerpicking, talking, singing, STILL blows my mind. I just watched this, at 43 and it still gives me chills.

https://youtu.be/-9QrbmWol64?t=2427

Side story: I got the chance to see Tom years later, live-- I went by myself, too, because at the time, I couldn't find anyone who wanted to go with me. But it was one of those big places, with the lawn, and general admission SUCKED, of course. The seats, you basically have to watch the huge screens of the artist, like you're watching it on TV, and you can't see much.

But I figured out at the little food area, there was this spot you could stand that was RIGHT next to the side of the stage, and man, I stood there for the WHOLE show. Just SO close to Tom. I could see everything the band was doing up close. Legendary. There haven't been many shows I've seen that were THAT good. Just absolutely effortless performers, every single one of those dudes.

They played EVERY song you could think of, too. Every big hit but Refugee and more. Whew. Chills.

I'm not a religious guy, but if there's a heaven, Tom is there. You can never really tell how decent a person is, or a celebrity, but some things speak a lot. What lead singer/songwriter has their regular backing band agree to play on their solo albums too? Well, Tom did.

RIP, legend.