On the day of Tom Petty‘s death earlier this month, fellow music and cultural icon Bob Dylan issued a comment to Rolling Stone: “It’s shocking, crushing news. I thought the world of Tom. He was a great performer, full of the light, a friend, and I’ll never forget him.” Though short and sweet, it was more of a comment than Dylan will offer on just about anything these days (even his Nobel Prize acceptance last year was famously delayed).
How Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” Went From A Studio Joke To A Worldwide Smash Hit
Last night, during a performance at 1stBank Center in Broomfield, CO, Dylan actualized his praise for Petty, making a rare update to his live setlist, closing out his three-song encore with one of Tom’s tunes: The Heartbreakers’ “Learning To Fly.”
You can watch Bob Dylan cover Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ “Learning To Fly” at Broomfield Colorado’s 1stBank Center via YouTube user Recreate Magazine:
Tom Petty and Bob Dylan’s extensive musical careers crossed paths on numerous occasions over the years. In the late 80’s, Dylan mounted the “True Confessions Tour,” a stretch of shows backed by Petty and the Heartbreakers. The tour also featured numerous appearances by Fleetwood Mac vocalist and mutual friend Stevie Nicks. The two appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in the summer of 1986 to support the collaborative tour.
Petty and Dylan later joined forces with George Harrison of The Beatles, Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, and Roy Orbison to form supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, who recorded two full-length albums of their own.
Bob Dylan Adds Run Of 5 New York City Shows To 2017 Fall Tour With Mavis Staples
Below, you can see a setlist from Dylan’s Broomfield performance. His Fall tour with Mavis Staples continues on Monday, October 23rd in Omaha, NE. For a full list of upcoming Bob Dylan tour dates, head to his website.
[h/t – Rolling Stone]
[Cover photo – Paul Natkin/WireImage]