Cate loves Tom Petty
In the final letters between Cate and Joe in Dear Pen Pal, she lets it known that she is a Tom Petty fan. She even wants Joe to look like Tom Petty in her fantasies.
Who is Tom Petty?
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were/are a popular American band from Florida. They started their recording career in the early 1980s and continue today.
In the early 1980’s they would play the No Nukes concert, make great videos on Mtv, and tour constantly.
About the time, that Cate is a Tom Petty fan, Petty would collaborate with other musicians and do some exciting work. Earlier in the 1980's, Petty would record with Stevie Nicks. In 1985, he toured with The Del Fuegos, an indie college favored band that were poised to become big but never did. This tour was to support an album called Southern Accents. This album would have the hits, Don’t Come Around Here No More and Rebels.
After this tour, he would tour with Bob Dylan. This would later bring him to the Traveling Wilburys and influence his album Let Me Up (I’ve Had Enough).
This year of touring will produce the live album, Pack Up the Plantation.
In 1986, Petty didn’t have big Top 10 pop songs, but he was a consummate performer and he gained a lot of respect in the music industry. If you were a fan of guitar, bass, drum and piano rock in the 1980s, Tom Petty was probably on your mix tape.
Here's a link to Rebels from youtube:
Here is a link to Don't Come Around Here No More:
Here is the link to Dear Pen Pal were you can read how this relationship progresses: