Photo by Marc Millman
At his June 19 rally in Tulsa, Okla., President Donald Trump played Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ song “I Won’t Back Down.” This use prompted Petty’s family to release a cease and desist statement. “Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind,” read the note, posted on social media.
The statement was released by Adria, Annakim, Dana and Jane Petty, the late frontman’s children, widow and first wife.
In addition, Benmont Tench III, a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released his own statement, also disapproving of the President’s use of the song. “I in no way approve of Trump even whistling any piece of music associated with our band. I hope that’s clear enough,” he wrote.
Read the full statement and Tench III’s note below.
30 Comments comments associated with this post
D of KC
June 25, 2020 at 3:41 pmAfter dealing with liberals and their hate for 40+ years not surprised one bit of your hateful comments. Will always love my country and those who defend it, but you who openly welcome the destruction of it? Grow up! And yes, Black Lives Matters group openly KILLS Cops, proud of that? 5 in Dallas, 3 in Baton Rouge and on and on….
deadman
June 25, 2020 at 11:07 amAnybody that supports Trump at this point is a moron. Tom Petty was great and would never support an asshole like DT
Lindsey Buckingham
June 24, 2020 at 1:47 amYou got it half right T2.
Yet the half you got wrong is so much more dangerous, and frightening, than the enjoyment and good vibes you got from the half you got right. And ‘that’ sucks, for all of us.
Jthomeskillet
June 23, 2020 at 9:32 pmIgnorance is bliss aint it, all you holier than thou preachin types, addiction is an affliction regardless of how much love is around you, the substance wins unless & until recovery. Isn’t “wrong” if prescribed, not all use proper channels, especially with U.S.s crazy healthcare syndicate. So eat a dick judgemental assholes
MAGA4LIFE
June 23, 2020 at 6:25 pmKeep your dumb ass song, “Estate” of a another Dead Junkie
me
June 24, 2020 at 10:43 amYou are as fucking stupid as D of KC… continue cheering your boy on while he fucks the country up beyond anything ever seen before… all while he mocks losers like you for being so gullible to cheer him on. He can’t stand people like you but there you are with his jizz all over your face… pathetic!
t2unes
June 23, 2020 at 4:39 pmBoth a Petty and Trump fan. Too bad we can’t all get along.
Stevie Nicks
June 23, 2020 at 11:47 pmYou got it half right T2.
Yet the half you got wrong is so much more dangerous, than the enjoyment you got from the half you got right. And ‘that’ sucks, for all of us.
Vote!
June 23, 2020 at 3:06 pmDump Donald Chump
Sparkyandalert
June 23, 2020 at 3:01 pmThey can issue a “cease and desist”, but it’s meaningless. As long as the royalties are paid to the artist, there’s nothing Petty’s estate can do to stop anyone from playing TP’s music.
D of KC
June 23, 2020 at 2:50 pmLove our Prez, love my country, sick of hypocritical “hippies”, been around them for 40 years, truly lazy and very hateful, like most liberals. Continue on, and yes Tom Petty was a junky whose newer pop music sucks balls!
Kenny Wick
June 23, 2020 at 3:00 pmGuy sure worked his ass of over many decades for a junkie. Cant call Tom lazy
And hateful…. put yer comment up to a mirror pal.
Just sayin
me
June 24, 2020 at 10:40 amD of KC… it’s losers like you who suck off the teet of the government, cheer racist scumbag snake oil salesmen and then point fingers at others… how is it you go through life so fucking stupid and can’t even see it?
Theodore Anthony Nugent
June 23, 2020 at 2:06 pmIt’s more like aye, me, moi. I could definitely be in the conversation and short-listed for ‘Most overrated American Artist of all-time.’ Fitting though, that I am basically short-listed for one of the BEST American artists of all time that supports my racist, orange, deranged, mentally-ill fool that is our president. Strange, the irony.
bob p's sitting down
June 23, 2020 at 7:39 amPetty’s estate can easily fix this by giving up the rights to his songs, or is taking a real stance to painful financially.
Tom’s in a better place as his family did not care for him, as witnessed by his addiction to multiple narcotics, yet they stood by and watched him kill himself. They should be charged as accessories to murder.
KB
June 23, 2020 at 11:40 pmYou are the epitome of a dumb fuck.
me
June 22, 2020 at 10:07 pmGood to see that anyone with a brain backs the Petty estate… the orange loser and his tiny hands and fan base should stick to their racist hate music. His next rally will be held in Jr.s barn right before the rally…
Theodore Anthony Nugent
June 23, 2020 at 12:08 pmYou are close ME. Loretta Lynn (the coal miner’s daughter) and I will be performing together on the deerfield beach patio-bar at Hooter’s near Mar-a-Lago then. Stay tuned for an array of special guests. Tickets can be found at Ticketmaster, and Livenation.com for $2,020.00 apiece. (service charges will be reduced in half to $79.95 for this special occasion.)
John Mason
June 23, 2020 at 1:49 pmHEY THEO!!!??!!…Will Mr. Pumpkinhead be doing his stand-up routine as opening act?
Theodore Anthony Nugent
June 23, 2020 at 1:55 pmNo, but dumb-fuck Jr. and his dumber knucklehead brother will be auctioning off some off their rifles, and shotguns and some Lion and Elephant trophy heads for additional campaign funds.
Jthomeskillet
June 23, 2020 at 9:18 pmEat a turd “merchant”, can’t stand freakin brainless & heartless trolls
Arnold Olshan
June 22, 2020 at 7:43 pmThis joke was already made several years ago in season 5 of VEEP, the best HBO show of all time. Also a GD mention in season 6. Get over it Tom Petty family, no one cares…
The Merchant
June 22, 2020 at 6:43 pmTom only cared were his next fix came from. Probably the most over rated American artist of all time.
Carl “The Truth” Williams
June 22, 2020 at 7:22 pmTom Petty May have had his demons but he is clearly a better person than the biggest asshole to ever walk the Earth, Donald J. Trump.
Leon Spinks
June 23, 2020 at 12:01 pm100% the Truth, very concise and “BANG ON”. TP lived among the Wildflowers. DJT Lives among a patch of poison ivy above a massive hill of ‘RED’ Fire ants.
John Mason
June 23, 2020 at 1:46 pmTHE MERCHANT makes a dumbass comment to end (almost ) all dumbass comments and, as such, does not war-
rant a direct reply…that is except to say
STFU!!!…and that does for ARNOLD OLSHAN too (who has my permission to FOAD!).
Michael Spinks
June 23, 2020 at 1:51 pmAgreed, and agreed. LAUGH OUT LOUD “Most overrated Am. artist”. Too fuckin’ funny.
Whoops, I commented on his absurd ignorance.
Kenny Wick
June 23, 2020 at 2:54 pmHey Merchant – enlighten us lowlifes with the music/artists you listen to and admire if you will… send us all some positive vibes if ya can
jean
June 23, 2020 at 3:02 pmYou must be a Trump fan! Sour grapes!
Frank Rizzo
June 23, 2020 at 10:35 pmLove Tom Petty…fuck all u haters and fuck social media. If social media didn’t exist, this world would be a better place and u can bet on that. BTW…I heard Trump is endorsing a new face mask, it’s called a plastic bag to put over your head for the people who don’t want to wear masks.