Tom Petty
Biography
Thomas Earl Petty was an American singer, songwriter, and musician born on October 20, 1950, in Gainesville, Florida. His interest in rock and roll sparked at age ten when he met Elvis Presley. After seeing The Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show," he knew he wanted to be in a band. He started his first band, the Epics, which later evolved into Mudcrutch, with future Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
After Mudcrutch broke up, Petty, along with Campbell and Tench, teamed up with Ron Blair and Stan Lynch to form Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1976. Their self-titled debut album was released the same year and found more success in Britain initially. The singles "American Girl" and "Breakdown" became hits in the US after the band toured the UK. The band's third album, "Damn the Torpedoes" (1979), was a commercial success, reaching platinum status and featuring hits like "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Refugee". Throughout their career, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released numerous successful albums, including "Hard Promises" (1981), "Long After Dark" (1982), and "Hypnotic Eye" (2014), which became their first and only No. 1 album. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Solo Career and Traveling Wilburys
In addition to his work with the Heartbreakers, Petty had a successful solo career. His 1989 solo debut, "Full Moon Fever," included the hit singles "Free Fallin'," "I Won't Back Down," and "Runnin' Down a Dream." He released two other solo albums, "Wildflowers" (1994) and "Highway Companion" (2006). In the late 1980s, Petty joined the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, alongside George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne. The group released two albums.
Later Years and Death
In 2017, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers embarked on a 40th Anniversary Tour, which concluded a week before his death. Petty died on October 2, 2017, at the age of 66, from an accidental overdose of prescribed medications. His family stated that he had been suffering from several health issues, including a fractured hip, which worsened during the tour. Petty is remembered as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold more than 80 million records worldwide.