This is a tough one. One of my favorite singer-writers. He died one week after the last date of his 40th anniversary tour, a concert at the Hollywood Bowl filled with many "thank yous" from Petty and his fans. Petty said that it was probably his last big tour.
Along with Paul McCartney and Neil Young, he was one of my three favorite singer-writers. He was a master rock, pop, blues, country writer with catchy melodies, rhythms and lyrics filled with interesting characters, situations and emotions. He said it was "mystical" how the songs came to him. It didn't hurt that he had The Heartbreakers, especially Mike Campbell adding worthy licks, riffs and solos to take his songs to an even higher level.
I was introduced to his music by a friend that had the Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers' debut untitled album with Breakdown and American Girl:
Placing it on his turntable, he told me, "this band is great. They're going to be big". He was so right, and I liked it but had my doubts. I was wrong to doubt that. I got several of his ensuing albums, but he didn't rise to the top of my likings until his Jeff Lynne produced albums: Into The Great Wide Open, Full Moon Fever and Wildflowers, with their breezier more acoustic sounds. I like everything he did: All the albums, right on through his last one, his only number one, Hypnotic Eyes in 2014, his videos, The Travelling Wilburys, Super Bowl halftime 2008, reformed Mudcrutch, Lucky on King Of The Hill, and challenging DJs and the rest of the music industry.
I only saw The Heartbreakers' terrific show three times: 1989 at The Coliseum with The Replacements. 1994 at the Gorge with The Jayhawks. 2002 at the Tacoma Dome with Jackson Browne. I guess I should have gone to his show at Safeco Field in August. How many bands are worthy of playing there?
The last two songs performed by Tom Petty. You Wreck Me and American Girl - Sep 25, 2017:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WNHB8vROg4 He looks like he's tired, resting on the piano and mic stand. Maybe it's just his hip bothering him.