Thomas Earl Petty was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and a member of Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T. Wilbury, Jr. and Muddy Wilbury.He recorded a number of hit singles with The Heartbreakers and as a solo artist, many of which remain heavily played on adult contemporary and classic rock radio. Likewise, his music, most notably his hits, have become increasingly popular among younger generations as he continued to host sold out shows through September 2017.In 2002, Petty was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock singer/guitarist, recording and performing solo as well as leader of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1975-2017).
Had two daughters: Adria Petty and Anna Kim Petty.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers ).
Teamed up with Bob Dylan , Beatle George Harrison , Jeff Lynne from Electric Light Orchestra and Roy Orbison in the group The Traveling Wilburys.
His birthday (October 20) is also the anniversary of the deaths of Lynyrd Skynyrd singer Ronnie Van Zant , bandmate Steve Gaines and sister Cassie Gaines in a plane crash.
Shared a birthday with Viggo Mortensen and Snoop Dogg.
He was the only blonde member of The Traveling Wilburys.
Had said that he regarded his and the Heartbreakers best work was when they collaborated with Johnny Cash on the legends album "Unchained". The Heartbreakers would perform on Cashs next two albums after that (which would be his last), but due to other engagements, Petty was less involved with those.
Ranked #43 on VH1s 100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on April 28, 1999.
He and his band recorded several platinum selling albums at Cherokee Recording Studios, including "Damn the Torpedoes" and "Hard Promises". He also collaborated with Stevie Nicks at Cherokee on the platinum recording "Stop Dragging My Heart Around".
In May 1987, an arsonist set fire to Pettys house in Encino, California. Firefighters were able to salvage the basement recording studio and the original tapes stored there, as well his Gibson Dove acoustic guitar. However, his signature gray top hat was destroyed. Petty later rebuilt the house with fire-resistant materials.
On July 9, 2017, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers headlined the final night of the British Summer Tour festival in Hyde Park in London, supported by Stevie Nicks , who joined them on stage for the performance of "Stop Draggin My Heart Around".
Early in the morning of October 2, 2017, Petty was found unconscious at his home, not breathing and in full cardiac arrest. He was taken to the UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, California, where he died at 8:40 pm PDT that evening. He died less than three weeks from what would have been his 67th birthday on October 20.
On July 13, 1985, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers appeared at the world-spanning charity rock concert Live Aid which was broadcast on MTV uninterrupted from Philadelphia and London.
On October 16, 2017, he was interred at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
Excuse me if I have/some place in my mind/where I go time to time.
The music business looks like, you know, innocent schoolboys compared to the TV business. They care about nothing but profit.
I developed a problem with authority. Any time that authority was what I interpreted as being unjust, I stood up to it, and that became my personality.
The great thing about the Wilburys was that none of us had to take the heat by ourselves. I was just a member of the band. Nobody felt like he was above anybody else. We had such a good time.
I have turned down a lot of money for things that would have made me feel cheesy.
