Tom Petty on Johnny Cash - The first time I met John was in 1982. I was with Nick Lowe, who was his son-in-law at the time, and we were in Nashville. John invited us to have a meal at his place out on the lake. We arrived, but we were disappointed, because John had taken ill that morning and had gone to the hospital with pneumonia -- him and June. But the meal was still going to go on. We sat at this long, elaborately set table. Just as the meal was about to begin, someone said, "Tom, John's on the phone and would like to talk to you." So I went to the phone, and we talked for, God, about half an hour. Then after dinner, he and June spoke to every single guest by phone as they left the house and asked if they had a good time.

When John came out to Los Angeles to make Unchained, me and the Heartbreakers kind of became his band. I still view that as the best work we ever did. One of my favorite stories is being at this studio in downtown Hollywood -- which is kind of a weird neighborhood -- when John came in with June. He was laughing, so I said, "Hey, where you been?" He said, "June and I thought it would be fun to just sit on that bus bench across the street for a while. I met the most interesting people over there." I said, "You're kidding me." I was trying to picture the look on these people's faces as they came to wait for the bus, and there's Johnny and June. This guy was friends with presidents, and he was friends with people at the bus stop.

Happy Birthday Ron Blair! - HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Heartbreaker and all around great guy (from all reports I've read) Ron Blair! Ron was born September 16, 1948. 18 years and ONE DAY before me! haha Hope you have a great day! Ron returned to the Heartbreakers as bass player in the summer of '02 after a 20 year vacation.

Concert for George - Billbord - A film chronicling last fall's star-studded George Harrison tribute at London's Royal Albert Hall will open Oct. 3 in select U.S. cities. Filmed in high definition and recorded in 5.1 surround sound, "A Concert for George" will be released worldwide on DVD in November, distributed internationally via ArenaPlex LLC.

Legendary guitarist Eric Clapton served as the music director for the event, which featured appearances by Harrison's surviving Beatles bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as friends Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Joe Brown, Anoushka Shankar and Billy Preston. Among the Harrison songs they performed were "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "I Want To Tell You," "Inner Light," "Give Me Love," "Taxman," "I Need You" and "For You Blue."

"The Concert for George was all I hoped it would be. The glue that held it together was our love for George," his widow Olivia Harrison says in a statement. "I don't think I've ever heard a band play with so much emotion and respect." Adds Clapton, "All I wanted to do was really share our love for George and his music."

The event also saw members of Monty Python re-enacting some of Harrison's favorite skits. Harrison financed and served as an executive producer of the comedy troupe's second feature film, 1979's "Life of Brian."

David Leland ("Wish You Were Here," "Band of Brothers") directed "Concert for George," and utilized footage from more than a dozen camera locations inside Royal Albert Hall. Along with performance clips, several interviews and backstage moments are also included on the DVD.

The movie trailer for the film, as well as assorted photos from the event can be seen at the "Concert for George" Web site.

The theatrical engagement will open in New York, Los Angeles and other select U.S. cities to be determined. All proceeds from the concert, the film and the DVD will benefit the Material World Charitable Foundation, founded by Harrison in 1973.

Happy Anniversary... - to GoneGator.Com! The site turned three years old today. Website years must be close to dog years, 'cause some really great things have happened in the short time this site has been up. Ok, it feels like 21 years. Thanks to all the great fans who make this site worth the work!