Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Dylan And Petty Revisit 1986 Tour
Coverage from Guitar Player, Flaggin Down The Double E's, and others
Articles
13
Latest Article
03/19
Active Days
14491
Executive Summary
Roger McGuinn and concert retrospectives revisit Dylan and Tom Petty's 1986 tour, from troubled openings to standout covers and key collaborations
- Roger McGuinn recalls Dylan as a Malibu neighbor and Rolling Thunder collaborator
- McGuinn says basketball games helped spark Dylan's circus-like Rolling Thunder idea
- He describes friendships and sessions with the Beatles, Tom Petty, and George Harrison
- The 1986 True Confessions tour opened in Wellington with disrupted travel and a shaky show
- Rehearsals in New Zealand drew resident complaints and a threatened concert permit
- Madison Square Garden shows featured covers, Christian songs, and Ron Wood on stage
- Retrospectives catalog tour covers across New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and North America
Quick Facts
- What: Revisit Dylan-Petty tours and McGuinns music friendships
- Where: New Zealand, Australia, Japan, New York, and Europe
- Why: To assess tour history, performances, and lasting musical ties
- Who: Roger McGuinn, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and collaborators
- When: Mostly 1986, with later recollections in recent interviews
Coverage Timeline: 14491 Days
Featured Article
In a Guitar Player interview, Roger McGuinn discusses experiences with Bob Dylan, the Beatles, and Tom Petty across the United States and Europe.
Additional Articles
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The article revisits Bob Dylan's True Confessions tour opener with Tom Petty at Athletic Park in Wellington, New Zealand, assessing its troubled preparations and mixed reception.
Dylan and Petty performed at Madison Square Garden in New York during mid July 1986 as part of a three-night stand.
An article revisits Bob Dylan's 1986 tours with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, cataloging twenty cover songs performed across New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and North America.
Flagging Down publishes a blog post ranking ten notable performances from Bob Dylan and Tom Petty’s True Confessions tour winter leg in Australia.
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Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty performed Knockin' on Heaven's Door together in Sydney on Feb 12, 1986 during the True Confessions Tour.
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During the 1986 True Confessions tour, Bob Dylan performed with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers across the United States and Europe.
Bob Dylan collaborates with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on Empire Burlesque during the mid 1980s in the United States, with Farm Aid involvement.
Bob Dylan toured Australia in 1986 with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on the True Confessions Tour.
Tom Petty discusses Dylan's influence on his songwriting in Far Out Magazine.
In 2024, Far Out Magazine published an article explaining how Bob Dylan influenced Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' live and studio approach, citing Fillmore performances and Let Me Up sessions.
Leonard Cohen and Tom Petty discussed Bob Dylan's unconventional, loud live performance style and a collaboration that included Farm Aid and Dylan's proposed 1986 Australia tour.
A resurfaced clip shows Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks performing together in Sydney in 1986 during the True Confessions Tour.