Jon Scott – The Promotion Man

How did Jon know Tom Petty?

Jon’s career started in Memphis as a DJ and then moved to being a promotion man in the 1970s and 80s for MCA and ABC Records.                    His career is a fantasy to anyone who loved Rock n’ Roll in the 1970s. When Lynyrd Skynyrd was the opening act for The Who in the early ‘70s, Jon was there with Pete Townshend and saw the early jaw-dropping reaction to FreeBird. He witnessed some of Keith Moon’s legendary antics                 Jon was one of Tom Petty’s best friends. Jon was so proud of Tom and the Heartbreakers, and they loved him.                                                              After Tom passed, Jon decided to write a book, “Tom Petty and Me”. It is about his career and his relationship with Tom.

Tom Petty and John Mellencamp

John Mellencamp and Tom Petty are forever grateful to Jon for helping to jumpstart their careers and getting their music on the radio.      Mellencamp personally wrote in the Foreword section in Jon’s book, saying that there will never be another guy like him. Tom Petty even thanked him in front of 20,000 people at the last concert he ever did at the Hollywood Bowl.

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