
At that point, Campbell was an exceptionally talented guitarist raised by a single parent, striving desperately to break free from poverty through professional music. When he crossed paths with Petty, he was juggling dismal minimum-wage jobs and contemplating enlisting in the military. “I wanted to play guitar to dodge getting a real job or joining the Air Force,” Campbell recalls. “As long as someone was willing to pay me a dollar for it, that’s what I was going to do.” Campbell also penned songs, but they were good, not exceptional. Petty, on the other hand, wrote effectively and swiftly. Before either of them had tasted any success with the Heartbreakers, Campbell made up his mind to work diligently and shrewdly: Petty was a remarkable talent, and Campbell would stick by him.