Taylor Swift Reflects On Tom Petty as a Songwriter

Many artists have been reflecting on Tom Petty and his passing over the past several hours. Taylor Swift is one of them.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Swift took time to reflect on Tom Petty as an artist and songwriter. His ability to blend a guitar with catchy hooks and craft a song was something he was known for, and the songstress took notice of that from the very start.

“To me, Tom Petty represented a kind of songwriting I idolized: complex simplicity. It said so much in the lyrics, the concepts, the stories, the message, the nuances … but always brought you back to a hook that got stuck in everyone’s head,” Swift said to Rolling Stone. “He motivated thousands of guitarists to learn to play just because they wanted to be able to play ‘Free Fallin’.’ Count me as one of them.”

While Swift hasn’t released her own rendition of “Free Fallin’,” years ago, she did cover his song “American Girl,” a catchy but different version from Petty’s. It’s a rendition that focuses more on Swift’s voice than the instrumentation. She showcases the track well and we think Petty would be proud.

It’s evident in her crafty songs and musicianship that Swift is inspired by Petty. Are we shocked? Petty has had an incredible influence on many artists in the industry and Swift one among many. Her musicianship has grown into something that could be compared to Petty’s masterful work.

We hope that Swift will come out from hiding to showcase her brilliant rendition of “Free Fallin'” that we are all dying to hear. There is no doubt that Swift is following in Petty’s footsteps becoming a legendary artist just like Petty as she fits into her country-pop crossover success that she has mastered perfectly.