Tom Petty 1950-2017

Tom Petty, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the Heartbreakers, died earlier today at Santa Monica Hospital, a day after suffering a heart attack at his home in Malibu.  He was 66.

Thomas Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida on October 20, 1950.  At the age of 17, he dropped out of school and formed the band Mudcrutch, which also included Tom Leadon (brother of Bernie Leadon of the Eagles) on guitar and vocals, Michael Campbell on lead guitar, and Benmont Tench on keyboards.  Petty became the band's bassist, but he also learned guitar from teachers such as Don Felder, who later joined the Eagles.  After Mudcrutch broke up in 1975, Petty, Campbell and Tench formed the Heartbreakers with bassist Ron Blair and drummer Stan Lynch, with Petty moving to rhythm guitar and becoming the lead singer.  Blair left the band in 1982 and returned in 2002, to replace the bassist who had replaced him, Howie Epstein.  In 1994, Lynch left and was replaced by Steve Ferrone.  In 1991, the band added Scott Thurston, who plays guitar and keyboards.

The Heartbreakers would become successful, having a string of hits including Breakdown, Don't Do Me Like That, Refugee, The Waiting, Don't Come Around Here No More, and Jammin' Me.  During the late 1980's, Petty formed the supergroup Traveling Wilburys with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, George Harrison and Jeff Lynne.  He also recorded three solo albums, the first of which, Full Moon Fever, included contributions by Orbison, Lynne, Harrison, and most of the Heartbreakers.  In 2008, Petty, Campbell and Tench reunited Mudcrutch, along with Tom Leadon and drummer Randall Marsh.

Petty was married twice, first to Jane Benyo, and later to Dana York Epperson.  With Benyo, he had two daughters, Adria and AnnaKim.

Read more at CBS News, the Chicago Sun-Times, Billboard, Rolling Stone and USA Today.

The Heartbreakers' 1976 eponymous debut album included the song American Girl.  According to a story I once heard, when Roger McGuinn of the Byrds heard this one, it reminded him so much of the Byrds' music that he joked, "When did I write that one?"  The thumbnail shows, from left to right, Campbell, Tench, Petty, Blair and Lynch.