by photojournalist Jeffrey Moellering
Although Mike Campbell’s name may not be instantly recognizable to everyone, his music certainly is. For more than 40 years, Campbell served as lead guitarist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, co-writing many of their most beloved songs. Along the way, he collaborated with a staggering roster of musical legends—Bob Dylan, Don Henley, Warren Zevon, Stevie Nicks, and Johnny Cash among them.
Since Petty’s passing in 2017, Campbell has hardly slowed down. He toured with Fleetwood Mac, penned a memoir, and released three albums with his own band, The Dirty Knobs. Like Petty, Campbell hails from Florida—raised in the Panhandle and Jacksonville—before crossing paths with Petty in the early ’70s and embarking on the Heartbreakers’ journey to become one of America’s most cherished rock bands.
On August 13th, Campbell returned to his home state, taking the stage at Clearwater’s Ruth Eckerd Hall to a hero’s welcome. The near-capacity crowd seemed to channel years of loss and longing into their cheers, embracing Campbell as both a link to the past and a guide forward. This was the second-to-last stop on his tour, arriving just after the release of Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits, the third Dirty Knobs album, featuring guest spots from Graham Nash, Lucinda Williams, and Chris Stapleton.
The evening began with Shannon McNally, a Long Island native whose soulful, earthy delivery could have come straight from the Oklahoma plains. She charmed the audience with road stories, a few heartfelt originals, and covers including a Waylon Jennings number.
When Campbell and The Dirty Knobs finally took the stage, the energy surged. The lineup included longtime Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone, Chris Holt (The Eagles) on guitar and keyboards, and Lance Morrison (Don Henley) on bass. McNally joined in for harmonies and stage chemistry with Campbell, while another guest vocalist added depth to several numbers. It was a stage full of veterans who made mastery look effortless.
Over the course of more than two hours, the band delivered 14 songs—a mix of Dirty Knobs originals and Heartbreakers deep cuts. Highlights included the aching “Love Is a Long Road” and “Don’t Fade on Me.” Campbell, long the “side guy,” reminded the crowd—gently but firmly—that these were songs he co-wrote with Petty, not covers. His aim wasn’t to claim the spotlight, but to honor the shared history he helped create. At one point, Ferrone stepped forward to share his own sweeping Heartbreakers memories while Campbell listened from the drum riser, visibly moved.
The final stretch of the show erupted into pure rock ’n’ roll joy, eight songs of grit, swagger, and unbridled fun that had the crowd dancing and shouting. There was a palpable sense of release in the room. Nearly eight years after Petty’s death, many fans still carried the weight of that loss—but on this night, Campbell seemed to give permission to let go. It was as if he were saying, Come with me. This is what Tom would have wanted.
Campbell will never replace Petty, and he doesn’t try. Instead, he stands in his own light, while honoring the towering legacy they built together. By the night’s end, it felt as though the audience had collectively exhaled—finally at peace, finally home.
