amy-rigby-tom-petty-karaoke

Amy Rigby channels J. Mascis for new Tom Petty tribute song (listen)

Amy Rigby as J Mascis singing Tom Petty karaoke
Amy Rigby as J Mascis singing Tom Petty karaoke

We lost Tom Petty a little over a year ago (October 2, 2017) and many are still feeling the shock. New York songwriter Amy Rigby is one of those, who notes that October is unofficial Tom Petty Month (between the anniversary of his death, and his birthday being 10/20), and in celebration of his memory she has written a great tribute song titled “Tom Petty Karaoke” that was partly inspired by a viral video of Dinosaur Jr’s J. Mascis. We’ll let Amy tell the story:

Tom Petty is a guardian angel for me, like he was and is for many musicians. I’ve written about him on my blog a lot because any time I’m on the road it’s like Tom is there on my shoulder, saying “that’s cool” or “you can do better.” This was true when he was alive and even more now that he’s gone. After another week of discord and divisiveness in the news, I saw a video of J Mascis singing “Don’t Do Me Like That” in a nearly-empty karaoke bar. I’d sung “American Girl” with Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express the night before and felt the power of that song reach out and lift people up. Mascis’ karaoke performance was the opposite, it was internal, like prayer. He wasn’t doing it for an audience, he was doing it for himself. I imagined I was J, strummed some “American Girl” chords and wrote this song.

Amy’s song is pretty terrific, dropping Petty references both musical and lyrical but making it her own. It was produced by Wreckless Eric (to whom she’s married) and the song premieres in this post. Check it out below.

Amy released her latest album, The Old Guys, earlier this year and that’s worth a listen, too. (You can do so below). She’s also got tour dates coming up, including a few midwest house shows and then a UK tour in November. All dates are listed below.


Amy Rigby – 2018 Tour Dates
Thu Oct 18 Chicago IL Burlington Bar
Fri Oct 19 Rockford IL house concert
Sat Oct 20 Minneapolis MN house concert w/ Dylan Hicks
Mon Oct 22 Winnipeg CAN StuDome house concert
Thu – Sun Nov 1 – 4 Harbor Springs MI Springfed Arts songwriting retreat
Sat 10 Nov Cromer UK Community Center
Wed 14 Nov Manchester UK Gullivers
Thu 15 Nov Glasgow UK The Hug & Pint
Fri 16 Nov Edinburgh UK Speakeasy at the Voodoo Rooms
Sat 17 Nov Durham UK Old Cinema Launderette
Sun 18 Nov Hull UK St. John’s Hotel
Thu 22 Nov Worcester UK Marrs Bar
Fri 23 Nov London UK Betsey Trotwood
Sat 24 Nov Chichester UK Emsworth Sport & Social Club
Sun 25 Nov Folkestone UK Lime Bar Cafe