Tom Petty’s estate is remembering Jim Ladd after the DJ’s sudden passing on Saturday. Ladd was Petty’s friend and also the inspiration for the song “The Last DJ.”
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As detailed in the estate’s X (formerly Twitter) post, the singer and DJ had a strong bond. Petty felt inspired to create the song based off Ladd after recognizing Ladd’s thoughtfulness and creativity when it came to song selection. The song became a criticism of the evolution of the radio industry and how it was pushing that aside.
The post read, “Tom respected and admired Jim Ladd and considered him a friend. He inspired the song ‘The Last DJ’ and his insights into rock and roll were priceless. Jim’s voice will be missed on the airwaves. Our family joins his in mourning his loss.”
Petty was one to always come to Ladd’s defense. When Ladd had been fired from a DJing job, Petty played the song at Cal State Northridge in defiance. At the time of the firing, Petty also said, “Jim Ladd was fired this week for having an imagination.”
Jim Ladd’s Career in Music
Besides Petty, Ladd was also good friends with Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters and regularly rubbed shoulders with many musicians in the industry. He got his start in the radio industry in 1969 as a disc jockey. He would work for KNAC, 95.5 KLOS, and then KMET-FM.
“As I have always done throughout my career, I will be choosing all my own music,” Ladd said, according to Deadline. “I will be playing everything I want — from Pink Floyd to Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, from the Doors to Moby Grape — freely and with no playlists.”
At the time of his death, Ladd was hosting SiriusXM Deep Tracks with a national reach. After Ladd passed from a heart attack on Saturday, his wife asked DJ Meg Griffin to break the news to his fans. Griffin appeared on Ladd’s show in his usual place and used the show to share the tragedy.
“I am so sorry for the shock that just hit you as you are listening right now,” Griffin said during the broadcast. She added, “He never stopped caring. He delivered the truth. He lived for the music, and I am blessed to have worked with him.”
[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]
