Tom Petty Believed This Short-Lived Band “Changed The World”

As music marched forward, Tom Petty took a different approach. The industry is incredibly collaborative, even with two artists never recording in the same studio. Even as the ’70s approached, Petty stayed loyal to the bands of the British Invasion until The Byrds captivated him with their traditional American folk music, which helped Petty see an all-new way forward.

The Byrds got their start in 1964 and proceeded to go through several lineup changes; the original version of the band was comprised of Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, and Michael Clarke. This lineup was very short-lived but Petty could not emphasize their importance in the brief time this lightning in a bottle graced the airwaves.

Tom Petty played what he liked and he really liked what the Byrds put out

Like many other artists rising to prominence in the ’60s, Petty was enchanted by the sounds of the British Invasion, namely the Beatles and Rolling Stones. But marching very ostensibly against the grain was the Byrds and Petty appreciated their sound too – so much so, that he envisioned music that married the best of both his loves: Byrds folk music and Stones rock.

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So, after an initial wave of Stones-inspired projects, when it came time for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to rise up, Petty took inspiration from both his favorites. “In the beginning, the original blueprint for The Heartbreakers – we wanted to be a mix of The Byrds and The Stones,” he shared. “We figured, ‘What could be cooler than that?'”

It didn’t matter that the Byrds would transform significantly after that original lineup fell apart. They had influenced the landscape of music for Petty and the larger genre, with Petty praising, “The original Byrds really changed the world in that short time they were together.”

The Byrds had a ripple effect across the landscape of music

The Byrds’ influence could be felt in several aspects of the musician’s life – and that of other artists. “They were LA’s whacked-out beatnik rock group. They’re part of what drew me to Los Angeles and made me want to be in a band,” said Petty.

It was easy for artists to be intrigued by what the Byrds were putting out; Far Out magazine calls their early years the most effective answers to the British Invasion. They managed to stand out thanks to the unique background its early members brought to the table, like McGuinn’s experience as a bluegrass player before he ever played electric guitar. The Byrds incorporated country into their music in a way Petty always admired and helped them reimagine songs by Bob Dylan and produce rustic hits like “Mr. Tambourine Man.” But they went even further beyond the borders of America, especially with “Eight Miles High,” with its roots in psychedelic rock and raga rock, featuring a distinctively Indian sound.

What is your favorite song by the Byrds and where do you most hear their influence on Tom Petty?