Watch the Avett Brothers Cover Tom Petty’s ‘You Don’t Know How It Feels’
The Avett Brothers offered up a cover of Tom Petty's "You Don't Know How It Feels" at their concert in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Oct. 5. Readers can press play above to watch the live performance, which includes a Petty-esque turn on the harmonica by Scott Avett.
The Avett Brothers' tribute to Petty came days after the rock legend's death on Oct. 2, dealing music fans another harsh blow. The news broke on the day following the tragic mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Nev. Petty went into cardiac arrest early that morning.
The Avett Brothers' cover of Petty's lead single from his 1994 album Wildflowers is performed in a style very close to the original recording, with gentle vocals and a mellow, mid-tempo beat. The Avetts add a bit of personalization with their trademark harmonies and the third verse rocked in a rare solo by bassist Bob Crawford.
The Avett Brothers' audience met their cover with great enthusiasm. The song quickly became a sing-a-long with the Iowa fans, proving the influence of Petty's music on a wide range of musical styles and genres.
This "You Don't Know How It Feels" cover isn't the first time that the Avett Brothers have covered Petty: At their New Year's Eve show in 2015, they performed a version of Petty's "Don't Do Me Like That" with musical guest Valient Thorr.
The Avett Brothers are among a growing collective of artists who have offered up tributes to the late Petty. In country music, those names include Marty Stuart, Dan + Shay and Kip Moore.
Country Artists Mourn Tom Petty