Stevie Nicks got emotional remembering her ‘best friend’ Tom Petty during her speech at the pre-Grammys MusiCares event in Manhattan Friday night.
The 69-year-old rock queen thought the Heartbreakers frontman – who passed October 2 at age 66 – should have canceled his 40th Anniversary Tour and gone to the hospital.
‘He was not well. And he fought his way through that tour,’ the eight-time Grammy nominee said onstage Radio City Music Hall – according to People.
RIP: Stevie Nicks got emotional remembering her ‘best friend’ Tom Petty during her speech at the pre-Grammys MusiCares event in Manhattan Friday night
‘He was gonna go down that river. And so, God bless him, he finished his tour at the Hollywood Bowl. Three shows. And one week later he died – but he got down the river. So Tom, I know you’re standing next to me cause you always have been for so many years.’
Stevie (born Stephanie) added: ‘The loss of Tom Petty has just about broken my heart. He was not only a good man to go down the river with, as Johnny Cash said, he was a great father and he was a great friend. He was one of my best friends. My heart will never get over this.’
The three-time Grammy winner collaborated on Nicks’ 1981 single Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around, and the Heartbreakers served as the backing band on several of her other solo tracks.
Passed October 2 at age 66: The 69-year-old rock queen thought the Heartbreakers frontman (R) should have canceled his 40th Anniversary Tour and gone to the hospital (pictured February 10)
The eight-time Grammy nominee said: ‘He was not well. And he fought his way through that tour. He was gonna go down that river. And so, God bless him, he finished his tour at the Hollywood Bowl. Three shows. And one week later he died – but he got down the river. So Tom, I know you’re standing next to me cause you always have been for so many years’
‘My heart will never get over this’: The three-time Grammy winner collaborated on Nicks’ 1981 single Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around, and the Heartbreakers served as the backing band on several of her other solo tracks (pictured in 1981)
‘He went painlessly’: On January 19, the LA County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner announced that Tom died of an ‘accidental overdose of drugs’ prescribed to treat his emphysema, knee difficulties, and hip fracture’
On January 19, the LA County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner announced that Tom died of an ‘accidental overdose of drugs’ prescribed to treat his emphysema, knee difficulties, and hip fracture.
Petty’s family said in a statement: ‘We now know for certain he went painlessly and beautifully exhausted after doing what he loved the most, for one last time, performing live with his unmatchable rock band for his loyal fans on the biggest tour of his 40 plus year career. He was extremely proud of that achievement in the days before he passed.’
The Florida-born musician is survived by his two daughters – Adria, 43; and AnnaKim, 35 – with ex-wife Jane Benyo, as well as second wife Dana York and her son Dylan from a prior marriage.
Congrats! Former POTUS Bill Clinton (L) presented Stevie and her Fleetwood Mac bandmates with MusiCares Person of the Year trophies honoring their five-decade hitmaking career
‘Top 3 favorite song of all time!’ Artists like Lorde, Harry Styles, and Miley Cyrus (L) performed covers of the two-time Grammy winners’ classic chestnuts such as their 1975 song Landslide
Former President Bill Clinton was on hand to present Stevie and her Fleetwood Mac bandmates with MusiCares Person of the Year trophies honoring their five-decade hitmaking career.
Artists like Lorde, Harry Styles, and Miley Cyrus performed covers of the two-time Grammy winners’ classic chestnuts such as their 1975 song Landslide.
Fans of Fleetwood Mac will be happy to hear that SiriusXM is officially launching an exclusive, limited-run channel dedicated to the British-American band on February 1.
Music to their ears: Fans of Fleetwood Mac will be happy to hear that SiriusXM is launching an exclusive, limited-run channel dedicated to the British-American band on February 1