"I have turned down a lot of money for things that would have made me feel cheesy"

This quote by Tom Petty speaks to his dedication to his art and his integrity. He is saying that he has refused to compromise his creative vision for cash. He has picked to deny offers that would have made him a great deal of money, however he felt that it would have been selling out and would have made him feel "cheesy". This quote shows that Tom Petty was a guy of concept and wanted to sacrifice monetary gain in order to stay true to himself and his art. He was not ready to jeopardize his values and beliefs for money, and this quote is a testimony to his dedication to his craft.