politics v music

Tom Petty’s Family Issues Cease and Desist to Trump Campaign

Photo: Andrew Chin/Getty Images for ABA

Tom Petty’s family members released a joint statement today denouncing the use of Petty’s song “I Won’t Back Down” at Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The legendary singer-songwriter, who died in 2017, “wrote this song for the underdog, for the common man and for everyone,” Petty’s family members stated. They continued, “We want to make it clear that we believe everyone is free to vote as they like, think as they like, but the Petty family doesn’t stand for this. We believe in America and we believe in democracy. But Donald Trump is not representing the noble ideals of either. We would hate for fans that are marginalized by this administration to think we were complicit in this usage. Concurrently, we have issued a cease and desist notice to the Trump campaign.” Trump has a long and varied history of musicians — including Neil Young, Adele, and Elton John — rejecting the use of their songs at his campaign events. Trump’s campaign has not yet responded to the Petty family’s statement.

Tom Petty’s Family Issues Cease and Desist to Trump Campaign