Anecdote: When I went to college in Gainesville, FL in 1981, I rented a room from a retired realtor named Ms. Wray.

When I found out she used to teach English at Gainesville high School, I asked her if she had ever taught a student named Tom Petty.

“Oh I remember Tommy Petty,” she said. “He would never write a paper, but he would write songs. I would let him play one in front of the class instead of writing a paper. He would play the most awful music.”

PS. I loved Tom Petty. He seemed to have a career that satisfied his every wish. He played with all his heroes, was actual friends with icons, and was a true treasure.