Tom Petty

Rock Singer

Thomas Earl Petty was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the late 1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, and had success as a solo artist. Petty had many hit records.

Full Name

Thomas Earl Petty

Birthday

Oct 20, 1950

deathday

Oct 2, 2017

AGE

BORN

United States

BIrth SIGN

Libra

RElationship

Height

5' 9"

Net Worth

$95M

About

Tom Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida on October 20th, 1950. He was born Thomas Earl Petty and his parents were Earl and Kitty Petty. Tom grew up in a musical household, with his mother playing the piano and his father singing Gospel music. His interest in music began at an early age, and he joined his first band when he was 14 years old.

Tom’s career as a musician started to take off in 1976 when he formed the Heartbreakers with Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Ron Blair and Stan Lynch. The band released their self-titled debut album in 1976 which included hits such as “Breakdown” and “American Girl”. Over the next decade they released four more albums including Damn the Torpedoes (1979) and Hard Promises (1981). In 1985 Tom embarked on a solo career with the release of his debut solo album Full Moon Fever which included hits like “I Won’t Back Down” and “Free Fallin’”.

Throughout the 1990s Tom released multiple albums including Wildflowers (1994), She's The One (1996) and Echo (1999). In 2002 Tom reunited with the Heartbreakers for their tenth studio album The Last DJ which was followed by Mojo (2010) and Hypnotic Eye (2014). Throughout his career Tom has sold over 80 million records worldwide and has been inducted into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. He passed away on October 2nd 2017 at the age of 66 due to cardiac arrest.

Life Timeline

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1950</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Tom Petty is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On October 20, 1950, Tom Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1961</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Begins Playing Guitar</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Petty begins playing guitar at the age of 11 and starts to form a band named "The Epics".</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1976</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Signs to Shelter Records</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers sign to Shelter Records and release their debut album.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1985</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">"Don't Come Around Here No More" Released</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">"Don't Come Around Here No More" is released as the third single from Tom Petty and The Heartbreaker's fifth studio album, Southern Accents.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1989</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Full Moon Fever Released</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Tom Petty releases his first solo album, Full Moon Fever, which goes on to become quadruple platinum.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2006</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Tom Petty is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">2017</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Tom Petty Passes Away</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Tom Petty passes away at the age of 66 due to cardiac arrest.</p></div>

Why We Love Them

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> He's an Iconic Musician</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Tom Petty was an iconic musician who produced some of the most memorable and recognizable rock songs in history. His music has been enjoyed by millions of people around the world and continues to influence musicians today.</p></div>

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> He Was a Great Lyricist</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Tom Petty was known for his clever lyrics that often told stories or made observations about the human condition. His lyrics were thoughtful and meaningful, which is why his songs have stood the test of time.</p></div>

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> He Had an Easygoing Style</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Tom Petty had an easygoing style that made him very easy to like. Even when he performed live, he seemed relaxed and confident on stage, making it easy for fans to connect with him.</p></div>

Interesting Facts

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Tom Petty was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, just one year after his death.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Wrote Songs for Movies</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Tom Petty wrote songs for several movies including "Angel Dream" for the soundtrack of "She's the One" and "You Don't Know How It Feels" for the movie "Con Air".</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> First Band to Play at Super Bowl Halftime Show</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were the first rock band to play at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2008.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Grammy Award Winner</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Tom Petty won three Grammy Awards - Best Male Rock Performance ("You Don't Know How It Feels"), Best Long Form Music Video ("Runnin' Down a Dream") and Best Rock Song ("Mary Jane's Last Dance").</p></div>