Lucky attendees of Nashville’s Music City Midnight got to usher in the new decade with this very special performance by rock n’ roll royalty, Stevie Nicks and country superstar, Keith Urban during his New Year’s Eve set. The pair joined forces to deliver a version Nicks’ 1981 hit with Tom Petty, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” which was broadcast on TV. Watch it below:

Keith Urban & Stevie Nicks | “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” [New Year’s Eve, Music City Midnight 2019]

It was the fourth year in a row that Urban played the annual Music City Midnight concert, and he’d been talking up the collaboration in the days leading up to the event. When the time came for Nicks to take the stage, he only had to say: “Here’s Stevie!” to draw a massive cheer from the crowd.  

During her wildly successful ‘24 Karat Gold’ tour, around the time of Petty’s death in 2017, Nicks would tell the audience lengthy stories about how much she wanted to be in Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, discussing the genesis of her debut solo album, Bella Donna and the advice she received from Atlantic Records' then-president Doug Morris while pitching for the 1981 record. Nicks recalled her conversation with Morris: “‘So, listen, what I'd really like to do is be in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' band. He says, 'No. That's not going to happen.'" Nicks smiled, remembering Morris' next comment: "You obviously haven't heard Tom Petty's mantra: 'No girls allowed.'"

Nicks settled for a meeting with Petty's producer, Jimmy Iovine – “‘So I can make, like, a Tom Petty girl album?’ ‘Yes, we can do that.’” With a little persuading from Iovine, Petty agreed to give Nicks "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" and perform it with her on the album. The song peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard singles charts and kickstarted Nicks' solo career.

Stevie Nicks [feat. Tom Petty] | “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around” 

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