Tom Petty’s family tells Trump to stop using ‘I Won’t Back Down’ on campaign | TribLIVE.com
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Tom Petty’s family tells Trump to stop using ‘I Won’t Back Down’ on campaign

Frank Carnevale
| Sunday, June 21, 2020 2:22 p.m.
AP
In this Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008 file photo, Tom Petty performs during halftime of the Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz.

The family of late singer Tom Petty has told President Donald Trump to not use the song “I Won’t Back Down” on his campaign.

After Trump used the song Saturday night at a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the members of Petty’s family posted a statement to Twitter.

“Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind,” said the statement signed by daughters Adria and Annakim, ex-wife Jane and widow Dana.

“Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind. Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate. He liked to bring people together.

“Tom wrote this song for the underdog, for the common man and for EVERYONE. 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.”

The family said they issued a cease-and-desist notice to the Trump campaign.

The rally in Tulsa was meant to restart Trump’s reelection effort less than five months before the November election.

According to Rolling Stone magazine, in 2000 Petty issued a cease-and-desist notice over George W. Bush rallies playing “I Won’t Back Down.” And in 2011 Petty told Michelle Bachmann to not use “American Girl.”

Petty died in October 2017 at the age of 66.

pic.twitter.com/mxToRoHWNn

— Tom Petty (@tompetty) June 21, 2020


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