Steve Earle’s reimagined version of Tom Petty’s “Yer So Bad” is out today. You can listen to and share the new single HERE. This track is from the highly-anticipated tribute album, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, set for release on June 21. Pre-order or pre-save the album HERE.
Named one of Petty’s 50 best songs by Rolling Stone, “Yer So Bad” was the fifth and final single from Petty’s first solo album, Full Moon Fever. This album also featured other instant classics such as “Free Fallin’” and “I Won’t Back Down.” At its peak, the song climbed to #5 on Billboard’s Album Rock Tracks chart. Rolling Stone describes it as one of Petty’s best-told lyrical stories, finding him “at his most caustically hilarious.”
Earle’s version debuted yesterday on Tom Petty Radio. He will join David Fricke on his Tom Petty Radio show, “The Friday Night Affair,” next Friday, May 17, to discuss the track and album. “Yer So Bad” precedes Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, a country tribute album curated by some of Petty’s closest friends and collaborators, and released via Big Machine Records in partnership with the Tom Petty Estate.
Ahead of the project, Chris Stapleton’s rendition of Tom Petty’s “I Should Have Known It” debuted as the #1 most-added track at Triple A radio. It follows “Southern Accents,” reimagined by Petty’s friend and fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Dolly Parton. Dierks Bentley’s version of the Petty classic “American Girl” is also featured on the album. This track premiered earlier this year as Bentley’s highest-charting single upon launch and is currently climbing through the Top 35 on Country radio. You can watch Bentley perform “American Girl” on Good Morning America HERE.
Executive produced by Petty’s close confidant, 2x Grammy award-winner George Drakoulias, along with 2x Grammy award-winner Randall Poster and Scott Borchetta of Big Machine, Petty Country features some of the most lauded voices in country music. These artists explore the extensive Petty catalog and add their personal touches to some of his greatest hits. Highlights include contributions from Petty’s longtime friends and collaborators such as George Strait, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson with Lukas Nelson, bluegrass pioneer Marty Stuart, and The Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench. Contemporary country superstars like Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Wynonna Judd, Carly Pearce, Lady A, Margo Price, Rhiannon Giddens—who recently played banjo and viola on Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em”—Thomas Rhett, and Lainey Wilson also pay tribute to the late musician with their own renditions of fan favorites. A complete track list for Petty Country is available below.
Tom Petty, widely known for his rocker grit and California anthems, is often credited as contemporary country music’s biggest rock influence. A Gainesville, Florida native, Petty balanced his time between the American coasts, leaving his native Florida for his adopted home of Los Angeles while keeping one foot firmly rooted in the south. The region’s influence is evident throughout Petty’s discography, with lyrics about growing up in the south paired with his famous airtight melodies and rough vocal character that defines today’s state of country music.
Petty’s deep roots in country music included collaborations and friendships with some of the genre’s greatest artists, such as Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash, Marty Stuart, John Prine, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, George Strait, Hank Williams Jr., and Willie Nelson. Today, country songwriters consistently express their admiration for Petty and note how his influence has shaped their own sound.
Over his 40-year career, Tom Petty became one of the biggest cultural icons in the world. His discography includes 13 studio albums with the Heartbreakers, three solo albums, including the acclaimed Full Moon Fever and Wildflowers, and membership in the supergroup Traveling Wilburys and the pre-Heartbreakers band, Mudcrutch. Among his list of achievements are multiple Grammy Awards, over 80 million records sold, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Tom Petty passed away in 2017 shortly after completing his 40th anniversary tour, but his music continues to reach fans, both new and old, around the world today.
PETTY COUNTRY—TRACKLIST
1. “I Should Have Known It” by Chris Stapleton
2. “Wildflowers” by Thomas Rhett
3. “Runnin’ Down A Dream” by Luke Combs
4. “Southern Accents” by Dolly Parton
5. “Here Comes My Girl” by Justin Moore
6. “American Girl” by Dierks Bentley
7. “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by Lady A
8. “I Forgive It All” by Jamey Johnson
9. “I Won’t Back Down” by Brothers Osborne
10. “Refugee” by Wynonna Judd & Lainey Wilson
11. “Angel Dream No. 2” by Willie Nelson & Lukas Nelson
12. “Learning To Fly” by Eli Young Band
13. “Breakdown” by Ryan Hurd feat. Carly Pearce
14. “Yer So Bad” by Steve Earle
15. “Ways To Be Wicked” by Margo Price feat. Mike Campbell
16. “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” by Midland
17. “Free Fallin’” by The Cadillac Three feat. Breland
18. “I Need To Know” by Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives
19. “Don’t Come Around Here No More” by
Rhiannon Giddens feat. Silkroad Ensemble and Benmont Tench
20. “You Wreck Me (Live)” by George Strait
