20 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Listen To

Tom Petty's lineage has always come back to the American South in one way or another. Originally influenced by the British Invasion bands of the '60s, Petty's work with the Heartbreakers has always had one foot trailing back into country music, from the southern imagery they put in their songs to the earnest stories that Petty loves to write. Even though the Heartbreakers have had plenty of country leaning songs, the moment when Petty finally went all in didn't even feature his trademark band.

Reassembling his old band from high school, Mudcrutch is one of the most nostalgic offerings that Petty has ever put out, with songs that felt like they were kept in the vault for years. Don't let that dissuade you from the album though, as most of these songs could go toe-to-toe with cuts Petty made in his prime, from Scary Easy to the mammoth jam Crystal River.

It's not like the high school members are set dressing either, with Tom Leadon giving it his all on the traditional Shady Grove and even showing some bluegrass chops on the instrumental June Apple. Compared to the Petty-driven affairs rockers have been used to, this is a peek behind the curtain to see what the original version of Petty's rock and roll dream would have been like. It's definitely country...it's just got a little bit of dirt under its boots.