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Tom Petty Opens Up About Abusive Father

TTom Pettyom Petty has come clean about his upbringing and says he still has nightmares about his violent father. According to Petty, his old man didn't understand his love of the arts and thought he was homosexual because he had no interest in playing football or baseball. Petty also says he loathed joining his dad, an outdoorsman, on hunting trips.

"(My father) was scary and violent," Petty said in the new issue of Rolling Stone. "He beat the living hell out of me, and there was constant verbal abuse."

"Looking back on it, he probably was disappointed that I was so drawn to the arts," the rocker added. "He probably thought I was gay. I wasn't interested in sports. I didn't know the names of any baseball players. I liked films and books and records."

"He liked to fish and hunt," Petty explained. "He'd drag me on these trips, and it was a nightmare. Shooting something repelled me."

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JD

thank god for tom petty. ive seen him 14 times. hes a genius with story telling songs

May 24 2011 at 11:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Pat

So, do I have all the facts correct? Tom's father is Jerry Lee Lewis, the "Great Balls Of Fire" guy?

December 29 2009 at 11:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Social Melon

Most parents are guilty of some form of abuse and/or neglect, but because they don't know the true definitions of these words, they don't believe that what they are doing is abusive. Too many people believe that if they can hold their feet in the air or ejaculate that they are qualified to be parents. This is why there is so much crime and mental illness.

December 12 2009 at 7:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lisi

I´m sorry Tom, but don´t worry baby, we love you and that´s what really matters!!!!!!!!!!!

December 12 2009 at 11:19 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lisa

To cannotbelievethis: You validated my point exactly. When I used the example of teachers "swatting" an ill-behaved child, the purpose of that "swatting" is to inflict pain in order to modify their behavior. The level of pain is irrelevant -- you don't have to "wail" on a child to call it abuse. There don't even need to be bruises apparent. The fact is, folks (such as yourself) seem to have their own interpretation of what abuse is. Anytime you lay a hand (or an object) on a child in order to discipline them, it's abuse.

December 03 2009 at 1:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kimberly c

tom petty is one of the best! I never knew my real dad, My mother was abusive and we still have to keep our distance. No excuses for abusing children/and/or animals. I grew up around guns and crazy folks holding them! i don't eat meat PERIOD! sooooo????? What right do I have to murder, gut,skin and slaughter animals???? VEGETABLES and Fruit 4 -ever! I've seen some cruel so-called hunters, yeah.. real macho shooting a mom and her babies! Real sportsmanship...NOT!

December 01 2009 at 5:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
terri

I watched the interview of Tom Petty just Sunday. What a beautiful man humble and true to himself. Thank you Tom for your living dream. I hope to see you in concert some day.

November 30 2009 at 8:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
LINDA

aMEN, TP, HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE ARTIST SINCE 1979!

November 30 2009 at 8:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lironess

I grew up in those times and I too was beaten. The prevailing thought was "It is your kid, do what you see fit". I told everyone what was happening, went to school head to toe bruises and no body did a thing.

Then Joan Crawford's daughter wrote the book "Mommy Dearest" and pulled child abuse out of the closet. People who did not beat their kids finally saw how harmful it is and started to change things. What is sad to me though is that it still goes on today. But at least now there are ways to report it....but then, kids in foster homes are often mistreated too, so what do you do about it?

November 30 2009 at 8:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steve Hill

There are probably a lot of guys out there, both straight and gay, with similar Dads; macho men who think they are John Wayne. Sad.

November 30 2009 at 8:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply