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Calgary Herald

Mike Campbell's legacy as part of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is secure, but he is forging new path with the Dirty Knobs

Mike Campbell's music will inevitably be compared to that of his friend and former musical partner, the late Tom Petty. Article content As part of the Heartbreakers, Campbell was Petty's guitarist and frequent co-writer for decades, but he was also a chief architect in creating Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' signature sounds. He co-wrote many of the hits, including Here Comes My Girl, Refugee and Runnin' Down a Dream. He co-produced some of the band's classic albums, such as Southern Accents and Into the Great Wide Open. He even co-produced all of Petty's solo albums: Full Moon Fever, Wildflowers and Highway Companion. Article content Article content But the connection goes back to their shared roots. Article content Article content 'Tom and I had the same influences, grew up in the same part of the country and had the same type of relatives and this and that,' says Campbell, in an interview with Postmedia. 'So we were kind of cut from the same cloth.' Article content So while Campbell's singing voice may have been influenced by other singers – there is some Graham Parker and Bob Dylan in there – there is invariably some overlap with Petty in both the voice and songwriting. Article content 'It's a compliment, but my intention is to find my own voice, which I have,' he says. 'I have a lot of the same inflections and cadences as Tom because we grew up in the same part of Florida. I consciously made an effort to not sound like him the best I can. Sometimes I do anyway, but mostly I sound like myself now.' Article content While Campbell's journey with Petty – outlined in his recent book Heartbreaker: A Memoir – is what he is best known for, it's hardly the entire story. Campbell also worked with Don Henley, co-writing The Heart of the Matter and Boys of Summer; worked extensively with Stevie Nicks, co-writing her hit Stop Draggin' My Heart Around with Petty; and played on Bob Dylan records such as Empire Burlesque and Knocked Out Loaded. Article content Article content In 2018, Campbell and Crowded House leader Neil Finn replaced Lindsey Buckingham in Fleetwood Mac for a world tour. Article content It's an impressive resume, of course, but Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs placed the veteran is a relatively new role. The band has been around for quite some time, beginning as a side project that would play gigs around Los Angeles while Campbell was still with the Heartbreakers. It wasn't until after Petty died in 2017 that Campbell began recording with the band. Their debut, Wreckless Abandon, came out in 2020 and was followed by 2022's External Combustion and 2024's Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits. Article content A new album is already finished, but Campbell is still touring behind Vagabonds, which brings him to Calgary's Bella Concert Hall on June 19. Article content 'With the Dirty Knobs, I'm the leader,' Campbell says. 'I have to be at the microphone, I have to sing, I have to remember lyrics, I have to sing on pitch, I have to lead the band, I have to do all my guitar stuff. There are a lot more moving parts up there being in the band, but I really enjoy it.'