Stevie Nicks Reveals What ‘Messed Up’ Her Friendship With Tom Petty
Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty were close friends for a long time, but the Fleetwood Mac star said something “messed up” her relationship with the “Learning to Fly” singer. Here’s what Nicks said affected her friendship with Petty years before his death.
Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty were close friends and collaborators
Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks had a famous friendship and musical connection, and the Fleetwood Mac singer often said that she loved Petty before she even met him.
“Every once in a while, whenever I could, I would go to Tom’s house, and we’d record stuff, and write stuff and just sing – which was my favorite thing in the world,” Nicks said onstage in December 2016 (per Ultimate Classic Rock).
Although he was initially hesitant to accept Nicks’ friendship, the “Free Fallin’” singer grew to love the Fleetwood Mac star in return.
In 2014, the Toronto Sun asked Petty to summarize his relationship with Nicks. “Have you got a couple of hours?” he responded. “She’s a good friend. I’ve known her since 1978 and she’s insisted on being in my life. Some of my best musical memories of her are sitting on the couch and just playing the guitar while she sings.”
Stevie Nicks revealed what ‘messed up’ her friendship with Tom Petty
Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks remained friends until his death, but there was a time when Nicks said the press “messed up” their relationship. Petty was dating his then-girlfriend (and future wife) Dana York, who had seen tabloid rumors saying Petty and Nicks were an item.
“He’s my best guy friend… Tom and I have been really good friends since he gave me ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,’” Nicks reportedly said in the Rolling Stone 772 Writers Notes (per In Her Own Words). “A hundred years ago, the press really kind of messed up our friendship [so when] Tom did all those shows up in San Francisco, he really didn’t want me to come up. Because of the press.”
She continued, “And I was very hurt because of this. That is what the press does. So the press did manage to get in and destroy my ability to go and see my favorite rock star play at my favorite place, The Fillmore. I didn’t get to go because of the press.”
The Fleetwood Mac singer said she will ‘never get over’ her friend’s death
Despite the gossip surrounding their friendship, Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty remained close until his death. He died at age 66 in 2017 of an accidental overdose.
While accepting the 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year Award with Fleetwood Mac, Nicks spoke of her friendship with the “I Won’t Back Down” singer.
“The loss of Tom Petty has just about broken my heart,” she said (per Ultimate Classic Rock). “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, and he was one of my best friends. My heart will never get over this.”
