The night before the 2015 Grammys, where “Stay with Me” won record and song of the year, Smith received a handwritten letter from Petty.
“He told me that he didn’t want me to worry; he said there’s only so many notes on the piano and he was very, very sweet,” Smith said. “But I was so young and a little bit silly, and I was just so pissed off and so angry when I got his letter that I never actually replied to him. And sadly, a year later, he passed away, and I never ever got a chance to say thank you for being so sweet at that time.
“I know Tom Petty’s music now and I love Tom Petty’s music,” Smith continued as they introduced an elegiac take on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “It’ll All Work Out.” It was a poignant, full-circle moment that reflected where Smith has been – and the beautiful possibilities of all that lies ahead.
Posted from: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2025/10/16/sam-smith-warsaw-brooklyn-residency/86632118007/
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