Tom Petty has recently been posthumously honored with a doctorate in music from the University of Florida located in the classic rock icon’s hometown of Gainesville, Florida.
“Tom Petty is widely considered among the most distinctive and influential musicians over the past 50 years,” university provost Joseph Glover said. “His presence remains significant as seen by abundant radio airplay and the popularity of events such as the Tom Petty birthday bash held in Gainesville. On the U.F. campus, Petty’s famous ‘I Won’t Back Down’ has become a mantra at athletic events – and I personally have heard President Fuchs sing it.”
While Petty never attended the institute, he was once employed as a groundskeeper before embarking on his wildly successful career in music that began in the early 1970s.
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