Most of us will agree the legend Tom Petty was and his array of iconic songs he created. Whenever one of his hit tracks comes on the radio, you can’t help but turn it up. He was truly one-of-a-kind. Miley Cyrus and dad Billy Ray Cyrus paid their respects to the icon by performing a touching rendition of Tom Petty’s Wildflowers on The Tonight Show. The talented father and daughter duo gave a moving tribute to one of rock music’s greats. You might want to have some tissues nearby for this one.
Billy Ray kicked off the performance with some smooth strumming that really made for a laid-back nostalgic feeling. The moment Miley started singing in her raspy yet soulful voice, you could feel the atmosphere shifting — there was something so magical about how she captured the Wildflowers spirit.
You could see that both of them were cherishing this performance, too. Miley, the queen of vibrant costumes and loud energy, opted for a minimalist set. Letting the lyrics of the song do the talking. And her delivery of them with such genuine, tender emotion. Almost as if she was singing this just for Tom Petty himself. It’s hard not to get choked up listening to the words.
Miley and Billy Ray may have gone their separate ways musically, but whenever they come together the results still manage to be magical. The “Wildflowers” cover was more than just a regular tribute. It felt like they truly paid homage to the light of Tom Petty, preserving his essence. The shining star that Tom was will sparkle forever.