But IвЂ™m such a nice guy I never sued anybody. вЂњAnd I donвЂ™t have to tell you who they are. Petty was asked if he ever feels his music has been вЂњborrowedвЂќ by other acts.

Of the latter, his erstwhile Traveling Wilburys bandmate, he said, вЂњHe was a lovely guy, and I miss him very much.вЂќ Recalling rehearsals for the 2002 Concert for George benefit in London, Petty said, вЂњThereвЂ™s nothing like working on a Beatles song with Paul McCartney sitting there watching you.вЂќ He got very serious, though, when asked separately about Johnny Cash and George Harrison, one-time idols who became his friends. During the bandвЂ™s Mojo tour, all front-row seats were auctioned off, with the proceeds going to Haiti.) When Griffin suggested they go to a musical break, Petty said: вЂњWhat about that poor girl in Haiti? TheyвЂ™ve had it rough down there.вЂќ (She later called back and repeatedly thanked Petty for his contributions to the quake-relief effort. One listener phoned from Haiti to ask a question, but the call was lost. Griffin said, вЂњThatвЂ™s the coolest thing IвЂ™ve ever heard.вЂќ Petty quickly replied, вЂњWell, IвЂ™m pretty cool.вЂќДЄ later musical break featured вЂњThe SupernaturalвЂќ by John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, then featuring Peter Green, who Petty called вЂњprobably my all-time favorite guitar player.вЂќ But we love Vox!вЂќДЄfter a musical break that featured 1957вЂ™s вЂњLucilleвЂќ - which Petty called вЂњthe greatest rock вЂ™nвЂ™ roll record ever madeвЂќ - he mentioned how Little Richard, an ordained minister, officiated at his 2001 wedding to second wife Dana. After a beat, he added, вЂњUh, I just realized weвЂ™re on the radio. вЂњThose Vox, weвЂ™ve been playing one since the вЂ™70s,вЂќ he said. Petty said the Fender amps were simply better. and got a record deal the first week вЂ“ and it took me years to get out of it.вЂќДЄnother asked why Petty and the Heartbreakers used Fender amps on their most recent tour instead their usual Vox equipment.

Of his move west in search of a recording contract in the 1970s, he said, вЂњI came to L.A. One listener asked how Petty got his вЂњbadass attitude.вЂќ вЂњI got kicked around as a kid, but it was nothing I ever looked for,вЂќ he said. But Petty - he of the easy, laid-back, slightly snarky demeanor - answered them sincerely, sometimes with humor but with genuine thoughtfulness. The contest winnersвЂ™ questions ranged from obvious to insightful, rambling to concise, and often were prefaced by understandable gee-whiz praise and adulation. вЂњWhat I did plant certainly wasnвЂ™t at the University of Florida.вЂќ вЂњI donвЂ™t remember planting anything,вЂќ he said with a grin.

ThereвЂ™s a tree on campus dubbed the вЂњTom Petty TreeвЂќ that, according to legend, he planted back then. He talked about his briefly held early jobs as a gravedigger вЂ“ вЂњYou didnвЂ™t have to look too sharp,вЂќ Petty deadpanned - and a later stint at the University of Florida. How did he get money to buy discs back then? вЂњCashing in Coke bottles,вЂќ the Gainesville, Fla., native said. вЂњIt was a great time for music, and IвЂ™m lucky to be born when I was born.вЂќ He said the first record he ever bought was вЂњPlayboy,вЂќ the 1962 pop and R&B hit by the Marvelettes. When Griffin asked about his musical influences, Petty didnвЂ™t hesitate. When she noted that his show launched on XM before Bob DylanвЂ™s вЂњTheme Time Radio HourвЂќ did, Petty replied, вЂњYeah, he copies me.вЂќ Throughout the two-hour event, she offered setups that Petty, blessed with an uncanny comedic timing, rolled with.

The Q&A was hosted by Meg Griffin, a 35-year radio veteran - the past 11 on satellite - who broke into the business in 1975 at a small station in southeastern New York alongside a young jock named Howard Stern. Twenty-one were chosen from more than 3,000 entries. Listeners submitted questions for Petty about his show and/or career, and winners were invited to ask their questions in person. The contest, dubbed Tom PettyвЂ™s Ultimate Buried Treasure, was conducted over two weeks in March. Petty said the shows are вЂњvery much what you would have heard at my house the night before.вЂќ Playlists are heavy with but hardly limited to early rock вЂ™nвЂ™ roll, the British Invasion, garage bands, blues greats, country rock and R&B. The hourlong show is an eclectic mix of music - вЂњthe best in rock, rhythm, and blues,вЂќ Petty likes to say - interspersed with jokey, freestyling banter and knowledge from the longtime rock insider. The satellite radio company staged the April 14 event to celebrate the sixth season of вЂњBuried Treasure,вЂќ which launched in December 2004. It was the first of many laughs the 60-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer got from the small crowd of about 70 - contest winners, their guests and a couple dozen others.

Tom petty sirius xm studios