Highway Companions Club Grand Prize Winner Recounts Her Trip To LA

Last week Tom Petty participated in a Q+A with fans as part of SiriusXM's Ultimate Buried Treasure Contest

One lucky member of the Highway Companions Club was selected to fly to Los Angeles with a guest and participate in the taping by asking Tom a question about his career or Buried Treasure Show, live on the air. The winner also got to meet Tom after the taping.

The winning HCC member was Susan Molls of Turtle Lake, WI and her question for Tom was:

"If Mudcrutch had made a successful first album, back when you started your recording career, and stayed together, do you think you would have made the same music as you did with The Heartbreakers?"

Tom answered this question (and 20 others) on the show which is still streaming for HCC members only here

Susan has written a journal of her experience coming to Los Angeles for the event which you can read below. Many thanks to Susan for joining us and sending us such a fun recap!

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I’ve never won a contest, and I didn’t expect to, so when I got a phone call from a nice lady from TomPetty.com telling me I had won the grand prize in the Buried Treasure contest, it didn’t seem real. It seemed like a dream. But I had to say something into the phone. “This isn’t an April Fools joke, is it?” I asked. It was, after all, the holiday. She assured me it wasn’t a joke. I kept repeating that I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT throughout the conversation, alternately squealing it and whispering it. The TomPetty.com representative asked if I still wanted to accept the prize. Easy answer! Then she swore me to secrecy. I was asked not to post it on the message boards. I didn’t know how I’d keep quiet, but I promised I would.

When I got off the phone, I screamed the good news to my dad. Then I got back on the phone, and called almost everyone I knew! Even though I couldn’t post on the boards, that didn’t mean I couldn’t PM some of my friends and tell them my amazing news! So I swore them all to secrecy too!

The days flew by until my son, Nick, and I were in Los Angeles. A limo was at the airport to pick us up, the driver holding a sign with my name. He showed us points of interest on the way to the hotel, and deposited us at the Roosevelt. The hotel was beautiful, all restored to its former glory. After checking in and seeing our room (boy, the minibar was full of expensive liquor!) we went down to 25 Degrees and had a delicious lunch. The hamburgers were big and tasty, and we split a huge order of fries. Then we went back to our room to get ready for the big event.

Another limo driver picked us up and let us off at EastWest Recording Studio on Sunset Blvd. There was a short line of people going into the building. Inside they checked our IDs and collected our release forms, and they gave us a special Buried Treasure lanyard. They directed us to a big comfortable room full of funky decor and furniture, and a small kitchen full of Pink's hot dogs, fixings, and pop. Nick tried out a hot dog (he wasn't really that impressed - he preferred Chicago dogs) but I was too nervous and excited to eat anything. We talked to the other contest winners, and everyone there was happy to hear that I had won the grand prize and traveled to LA from Wisconsin.

Before long, they started calling names and escorting contest winners and their guests into the studio. We were led into a large room with a platform, table and two chairs, and microphones at the front of the room. Chairs were arranged in four rows in front of the platform. Nick was seated on the end of the front row with me next to him. Meg Griffin, the host, was already seated on the platform and she chit chatted with the audience as we came in. She asked if I was Susan from Turtle Lake, WI, and I excitedly told her I was. The empty chair was about eight feet in front of me, and I knew that was where Tom would be sitting. The glassed-in sound booth was off to the side of the room.

Soon, everyone was in their appointed chair and we waited expectantly for TOM PETTY to appear! Just minutes before the show was to start, in he strolled looking so handsome in a blue-gray suit with an open-at-the-neck white dress shirt. He was wearing aviator sunglasses with amber lenses. I forgot to notice what shoes or boots he was wearing. God, he looked beautiful! He smiled and said hello to us. Almost in unison, we greeted him back. I could feel the excitement in the room! Tom told us that he barely made it across town. On the way over, he heard on the radio that the show would start in 15 minutes, and Tom thought, "Maybe not!" This got a big laugh from the audience.

Then the show began. I certainly can't remember it all. Eventually, I'll probably listen to it enough times to know it by heart! During the musical breaks Tom would leave the room. (A good thing or we would have all sat there speechless staring at the poor guy.) I don't know if Tom had a cigarette on his breaks (I don't know if he still smokes) but during the show, Tom used an electronic cigarette. He had a little table off to the side with a decorative glass ashtray, a lighter, and one of his small bottles of Coke with a glass.

During one break early in the show, Tom looked at me, and I knew he was going to say something to me. He stepped down off the platform, and I stood up. There was Mr. Tom Petty standing right in front of me! He leaned in and said softly, "You look like such a nice person; I just had to come and give you a hug." O....M....G!!!!!!! He hugged me!!! I didn't know if my knees would hold me up. I stammered that he had flown us there, that I was the grand prize winner. "Well I hope they're treating you nice," he drawled. I assured him very enthusiastically that they were!

Then he was gone. I don't remember him leaving the room. I was in another dimension for sure! I sank back into my chair, shaking uncontrollably, and looked around to see if anyone had witnessed what just happened. "Do you know him?" someone asked me. I told them I didn't. I looked at Nick and we both laughed and squealed. We couldn't believe what had just taken place!

Tom returned to his place, and the interview portion of the show resumed. I would be asking question number seven, and my turn was coming up fast. But I had lost my saliva; my mouth was bone dry, and I was still shaking violently. Before I knew it, I was passed the microphone (it was huge) and my turn was next. Meg introduced me, and I stuttered my admiration for Tom while my hand shook the big microphone very obviously. I asked my question. I had written it down on notepaper before the show started so I wouldn't mess it up. The staff said they had copies of our questions if we needed them before the show. I guess Tom answered my question, but for the life of me, I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. I think I was soaring above the room somewhere.

Way too quickly, the show was over. I knew I would never experience anything like this again, and I hated to see it end. Tom left the room and the staff handed out our special colored-vinyl albums. They set up the table and a chair for the meet and greet autographing. The staff told us to line up in order. Again I was number seven. While waiting in line I saw Tony Dimitriades, Tom's manager, and I tripped and almost fell over some cords as I rushed over to say hello.

Soon it was my turn for the meet and greet. I greeted Tom. "Hey Baby," Tom responded. I flushed red from head to toe, I'm sure. Nick and I stood with Tom in the middle, arms around each other, and the photographer snapped away before I even knew what was happening. No time to think about smiling (though I think I was). Just like that the photographer was done. Then Tom sat down to sign our albums. I told him my name was Susan. "To Susan...God Bless...Tom Petty," he wrote. I told him the second album was for Nick. "Thanks Mom" Nick breathed. "To Nick...Tom Petty," he signed. Neither one of us had the presence of mind to say anything intelligent, and our few moments on the platform flew by quickly, and we were whisked off for the next lucky winner in line.

Wow! That's all we could say. Wow! We stood off to the side for a few minutes to catch our breath, and then Nick suggested we leave. The limo would be waiting. I left the room reluctantly, and we found our way out the door and into the waiting car...

Comments (24)

CharlieTWilburyJr - 25 April, 2011 Susan Great, great story. Thanks so much for sharing!

BestOfEverything - 25 April, 2011 :) I love your story! What a great recap! And I assure you that you didn't sound nearly as nervous as you said you were. So happy for you, again! Thanks for sharing!!

ginaking5 - 22 April, 2011 Gina King I am so envious of this great opportunity you had. Meeting Tom and the Band is on my bucket list. I got to meet Lana and enjoyed the concert standing right next to her in Oakland!! Meeting Tom would have the the ultimate!!

rockstar - 22 April, 2011 freakin awesome Susan ! great question Susan, what an experience! its great Tom hugged you ! .omg! yeah, i would have fainted right there on the spot! ! what a real down to earth person Tom is. love it. The recap you wrote is remarkable, ! sounds like they treated you like a rock star out in there in CA ! Rock on - God Bless

bahobabe - 21 April, 2011 Yipeee! What a great recount! Felt like I was there with you. Big smile on my face. I am so glad you won! Thanks!

jrrice - 21 April, 2011 Awesome I've always wanted to meet Tom. I'm glad that you shared your great story Susan! I am infinitely jealous :)

trannex - 21 April, 2011 Lynncphotos I enjoyed reading your story so much. I felt myself getting nervous even reading your experience :) So happy for you and Nick.

tblair - 21 April, 2011 Fantastic Never thought I'd be envious of anyone. But now I am. Sounds like it couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

thewildone1975 - 20 April, 2011 Congrats Sounds like you had an awesome time. So glad a fan got the chance to win! Once again congrats I enjoyed reading all about your experience.

bon - 20 April, 2011 susan - nick - what a great experience! happy for you both! nick - yo owe our mom BIG TIME!!!: )

christel - 20 April, 2011 Love it! What a fantastic tale! Congratulations, Susan. You deserved it and it sounds like you relished every second. :)

taminilynn - 20 April, 2011 What a dream come true! Thanks for sharing your story with us fans. It was like we were there in the room with you! Tom is such a cool person! Maybe someday that dream will happen for me!

transam - 20 April, 2011 Lucky! Cherish every moment of that day!, There are thousands of us fans out there wishing they were in your boots!!

amart - 20 April, 2011 that's my girl! Words can't say how happy I am for you Susan. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I would have been shaking too:) You will always remember this day for the rest of your life!

RoyalPalms - 20 April, 2011 Amazing Experience♥♥♥ CONGRATULATIONS TO (SUSAN) SINGSINFRENCH♥♥♥ WHAT AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE FOR YOU (AND YOUR SON), AND THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS WITH ALL OF US. :)

Chi_chi - 20 April, 2011 running down a dream thanks for sharing your wonderful experience. I hope some day I get lucky too!

cathgal - 20 April, 2011 EXCELLENT Congrats to you and Nick, bet you were floating on cloud 9 you whole time in LA! Can't believe that you forgot to notice what shoes or boots Tom was wearing; I probably would too!

relic - 20 April, 2011 Sweeeeeeeet! Couldn't have happened to a nicer fan!

phreak4tunes - 20 April, 2011 Amazing!! That is just so awesome... I have tears in my eyes reading your journey! It has been a dream of mine for a long time and sounds like it was truly a dream come true! Congrats!!!!

DreamyPettyGirl - 20 April, 2011 You Got Lucky!!! What a story!! You really had an exciting and memorable day and thank you very much for sharing with us. It was a lot of fun just reading it!! Great picture with Tom too!!

Pedalingforpeace - 20 April, 2011 Aloha! Dude, I'm stoked for you! Thanks for livin' the dream for the rest of us=) Congratulations! Aloha Chris Bornstein pedalingforpeace.com

tompettylover - 20 April, 2011 WTG WTG Susan, that is soo freaking awesome..Thanks for sharing the experience with us!!

daytripper - 20 April, 2011 WOW That is soooo cool that you won the competition! Wow I am so jealous! What was your question for Tom? Congratulations!

ouijarepair - 20 April, 2011 Just outstanding What an unforgettable experience for you. Thanks for the excellent account of it.