Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus Remember Tom Petty With ‘Wildflowers' Cover
By Zach Johnson ••
Tom Petty, known for hits such as “Free Fallin’,” “American Girl” and “Into the Great Wide Open,” died Monday. He was 66. Petty sold over 80 million records during his decades in the music business.
Miley Cyrus honored Tom Petty's legacy on 'The Tonight Show' Thursday.
Petty died Monday after going into cardiac arrest. The singer-songwriter was 66 years old. As Cyrus said on "The Howard Stern Show" Wednesday, "It's just really hard for me, watching those people that I grew up with leaving." She sang a cover of "Wildflowers," telling Howard Stern, "The reason why I chose this song is because it's hopeful — it's hopeful rather than mourning."
Cyrus performed the song again on Jimmy Fallon's late-night show, this time backed by her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. "You ready, dad?" Cyrus asked her father before singing the final refrain.
The "Younger Now" singer isn't the only artist to pay tribute to Petty after his death. On Monday, Sheryl Crow dedicated her concert at the espnW Women + Sports Summit to the rocker, and Coldplay brought out R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck to perform one of his classics, "Free Fallin'," in Portland. The following night, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris and Dave Matthews got together to cover Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "Refugee" in Seattle.
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Rock star Tom Petty signs autographs, after his band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, Wednesday, April 28, 1999. Tom Petty and the heartbreakers has sold over 30 million albums, won Grammys and MTV awards and produced over 25 classic hits. Their latest album u201cEchou201d which was released on April 13th debuted this week at number 10 on the Billboard album chart.
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Tom Petty poses for a group portrait with his band, The Heartbreakers, in this photo circa 1970.
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Tom Petty signs autographs, after his band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, Wednesday, April 28, 1999. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers has sold over 30 million albums, won Grammys and MTV awards and produced over 25 classic hits.
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Tom Petty performs in this photo circa 1970.
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Tom Petty poses for a portrait in this photo circa 1970.
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Rock group Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers pose for a portrait on July 15, 1976, in Los Angeles, California.
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Tom Petty poses for a photo in this 1977 portrait taken by photographer Michael Putland.
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Rocker Tom Petty celebrates with the Everly Brothers and their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Oct. 2, 1986.
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Bob Dylan is joined by other artists during the grand finale of his concert at Madison Square Garden in New York, Oct. 17, 1992. Joining Dylan on stage to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of his first Columbia album are fellow rockers George Harrison, left, Roger McGuinn, back to camera, Dylan and Tom Petty, third from right.
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Tom Petty makes a peace sign after winning the award for Best Male Video during the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York Thursday, Sept. 7, 1995.
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Mike Campbell, Howie Epstein, Tom Petty and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers pose for a photo, as they are honored April 28, 1999, with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
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Members of the music group Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers attend the 17th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, March 18, 2002, in New York.
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Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" at NBC studios on Oct. 1, 2003, in Burbank, California.
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Tom Petty of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performs during first day of the 2006 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on June 16, 2006, in Manchester, Tennessee.
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Musician Tom Petty performs at the Bridgestone halftime show during Super Bowl XLII between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots on Feb. 3, 2008, at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
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Musician Tom Petty performs at the Bridgestone halftime show during Super Bowl XLII between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots on Feb. 3, 2008, at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
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Sir Paul McCartney and Olivia Harrison, the widow of George Harrison, center, pose with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Jim Keltner, Joe Walsh and Dhani Harrison at the ceremony honoring George Harrison of The Beatles with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 14, 2009, in Hollywood, California.
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Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers kick off their summer 2014 tour in support of their latest album 'HypnoticnEye' at Viejas Arena on Aug. 3, 2014, in San Diego, California.
The Los Angeles County coroner's office completed Petty's autopsy Tuesday, but his cause of death will require further examination. According to reports, he had not seen a doctor in six months. Foul play is not suspected, and toxicology results will not be ready for several weeks.
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Jimmy Fallon plays Casey, who chats with Miley Cyrus as Cassie in a new TV show called "No Big Deal."
