Almost two decades after his place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and more than four years after his death, rock icon Tom Petty received an honorary doctorate. from the University of Florida.
The school’s board of trustees unanimously voted to award Thomas Earl Petty a posthumous PhD in music during a session Friday.
A nomination form presented to the trustees stated that Petty’s “presence continues to matter after his death in 2017”. “On the UF campus, Petty’s famous ‘I Won’t Back Down’ has become a mantra at sporting events,” the document said.
Born and raised in Gainesville, Petty once worked as a groundskeeper for UF while trying to break into the music industry, but he was never enrolled.
His “I Won’t Back Down” is a characteristic gathering point at UF sporting events.
Petty died of an accidental drug overdose in October 2017.
Florida Intelligence Agency information was used in this report.
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