2000s
The Petty Archives

Tom Petty anticipating Billboard award
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Monday, December 5, 2005

Tom Petty says he's pleased and honored to be receiving this year's prestigious Billboard Century Award for career achievement.

"It always means something when people give you a slap on the back," says Petty, who will accept the honor from Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong at the annual Billboard Music Awards Tuesday in Las Vegas. The show will be broadcast at 8 p.m. EST from Las Vegas.

"I actually presented this award to George Harrison back when he got it a long time ago, and I didn't dream at the time they would ever give it to me. But I figure if they're giving it to me, I may as well enjoy it."

Besides Harrison, previous Century Award winners have included Buddy Guy, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Carlos Santana, Chet Atkins, James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Randy Newman, John Mellencamp, Annie Lennox, Sting and Stevie Wonder.

Petty is currently finishing his third solo album, "Highway Companion." He's also the subject of a new book, "Conversations With Tom Petty," and is working on a documentary to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his band,the Heartbreakers', first album in 2006.