Tom Petty was reportedly starstruck by rock-and-roll pioneer Carl Perkins while recording ‘Cabin Down Below’ for his 1994 album Wildflowers. The episode matters because it illustrates Petty’s admiration for an earlier generation of musicians, despite his own status and collaborations with major figures including Bob Dylan and George Harrison.

Perkins, known for writing ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, contributed vocals and lead guitar to the track, produced by Rick Rubin. A Sound City studio account says Petty reacted excitedly after Perkins left the room, and the two later performed together at The Fillmore; the article also notes Petty’s view that Perkins had received less recognition than some contemporaries.