Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall has teamed up with iconic Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready and Thunderpussy drummer Leah Julius to cover the Tom Petty classic, “I Won’t Back Down,” according to Rolling Stone. In a press release, the group said the cover was meant to honor Tom Petty but also as a “shout of support to all the people across the globe standing up for justice and equality, and demanding a better world.”
The depth and melody of Tunstall’s voice coupled with McCready’s adept guitar work re-focuses the strategically powerful and nuanced original into a more forceful anthem. The accompanying video features protests across the globe and a message from the group that reads, “Power to the people!”
Tunstall has recorded five studio albums including Eye to the Telescope, Drastic Fantastic, Tiger Suit, Invisible Empire//Crescent Moon and Kiln. She played nearly all of the instrument on the cover—acoustic guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, and percussion—while McCready provided the quintessential Petty hook.
In a 2016 interview with Pledge Music, Tunstall spoke about her love of a good hook, “Ah, the hooks! I love the hunt for them. There’s a part of my brain that is dedicated to knowing whether a melody is a good enough hook or not; there’s a rubbish chute that opens if it’s not, and a party popper that goes off if it is!”
Check out the cover and Petty’s original below. All proceeds will benefit Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy Foundation.
Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz
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