Caamp Pay Tribute To Tom Petty With "Square One" Cover [Listen]

Caamp paid homage to the late Tom Petty with a cover of “Square One”, released on Friday. The rendition of the track, taken from 2006’s Highway Companion, was originally recorded for SiriusXM‘s Tom Petty Radio’s October 20th, 2020 celebration of what would have been the singer-songwriter’s 70th birthday.

Before the song even begins, the sheer fact of choosing a track from Petty’s 2006 solo album is telling itself. This isn’t a rock radio staple with The Heartbreakers, but rather a vulnerable and bear testament from a celebrated artist who—following decades of success—was free to explore whatever musical territories he felt so inclined.

Caamp’s cover translates Petty’s work into the group’s own voice, as the genteel acoustic arrangement creates the idyllic platform for frontman Taylor Meier‘s raspy midwestern drawl. With light keyboard work behind the acoustic guitar and Meier’s voice, this cover proves that less is more as the simplistic nature of the song shines the beacon of Petty’s far-reaching influence.

“The album Highway Companion just felt like an album Tom had always wanted to make,” banjo player Evan Westfall said in a press release. “It seemed authentic and true to where he’s from and that’s a feeling we’ve been trying to encapsulate in our music. ‘Square One’ is a song that we all connected with instantly on that album. That song/album is a huge inspiration.”

Listen to Caamp’s cover of “Square One” by Tom Petty via the player below or on your preferred streaming platform.

Caamp – “Square One” (Tom Petty)

[Video: CAAMP]