On this day in Los Angeles, Tom Petty performed his final concert just weeks before his passing.
The frontman of the Heartbreakers, who collaborated with artists such as Bob Dylan and George Harrison, passed away in 2017 at the age of 66. His death was determined to be an “accidental overdose” by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. A statement from Petty‘s wife and daughter on his website disclosed that he suffered from multiple health issues, including emphysema, knee problems, and “most notably a fractured hip,” for which he was using pain medication. A year after his death, Petty’s widow, Dana York, mentioned that he had delayed undergoing suggested hip surgery. He was described as “proud of himself” after his last three performances in Los Angeles.
York stated: “He was aware it was his last tour, and he felt indebted to his long-time crew, some of whom he’d known for decades, as well as his fans. He had those three shows in L.A. Never had he been so proud of himself, so happy, so eager for the future—and then he’s gone.” Petty’s last show featured an eighteen-song set at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. The complete setlist is provided below.
- Rockin’ Around (With You)
- Mary Jane’s Last Dance
- You Don’t Know How It Feels
- Forgotten Man
- I Won’t Back Down
- Free Fallin’
- Breakdown
- Don’t Come Around Here No More
- It’s Good to Be King
- Crawling Back to You
- Wildflowers
- Learning to Fly
- Yer So Bad
- I Should Have Known It
- Refugee
- Runnin’ Down a Dream
- You Wreck Me
- American Girl
This concert marked the conclusion of Petty’s fortieth anniversary tour. He performed just one show in the UK on July 9, 2017, which would be his final performance there. A complete setlist from his Hyde Park concert in London is detailed below.
- Rockin’ Around (With You)
- Mary Jane’s Last Dance
- You Don’t Know How It Feels
- Forgotten Man
- I Won’t Back Down
- Free Fallin’
- Walls (Circus)
- Don’t Come Around Here No More
- Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (Stevie Nicks cover)
- It’s Good to Be King
- Crawling Back to You
- Wildflowers
- Learning to Fly
- Yer So Bad
- I Should Have Known It
- Refugee
- Runnin’ Down a Dream
- You Wreck Me
- American Girl
Throughout his career, Petty played three shows in Canada and forty-nine in the United States. His death occurred merely a week after completing his fortieth anniversary tour. The legendary artist released his final album three years prior to his death. Hypnotic Eye was launched in 2014 and marked the last release with The Heartbreakers. The album 2 with Mudcrutch followed in 2016.
