Petty ( center) with the Heartbreakers in 1977 The debut album was released by Shelter Records, which at that time was distributed by ABC Records. The singles " American Girl" and " Breakdown" (re-released in 1977) peaked at No. 40 after the band toured in the United Kingdom in support of Nils Lofgren. Their eponymous debut album gained minute popularity amongst American audiences, achieving greater success in Britain. Eventually, Petty and Campbell collaborated with Tench, Ron Blair and Stan Lynch, forming the first lineup of the Heartbreakers. Tench decided to form his own group, whose sound Petty appreciated. Īfter Mudcrutch split up, Petty reluctantly agreed to pursue a solo career. Their only single, "Depot Street", released in 1975 by Shelter Records, failed to chart. They recorded at The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The band included future Heartbreakers Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench and was popular in Gainesville, but their recordings went unnoticed by a mainstream audience. Shortly after embracing his musical aspirations, Petty started a band known as the Epics, which later evolved into Mudcrutch. Main article: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Career 1976–1987: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Petty was close to his mother and remained close to his brother, Bruce. Petty has described his father as a "wild, gambling drinker guy". According to Petty, his father found it difficult to accept that Petty was "a mild-mannered kid who was interested in the arts" and subjected him to verbal and physical abuse on a regular basis. Petty also overcame a difficult relationship with his father. An Ogeechee lime tree that he purportedly planted while employed at the university is now called the Tom Petty tree (Petty stated that he did not recall planting any trees). As a young man, Petty worked briefly on the grounds crew of the University of Florida, but never attended as a student. Of that meeting with Presley, Petty said, "Elvis glowed." ĭon Felder, a fellow Gainesville resident who later joined the Eagles, claimed in his autobiography that he was one of Petty's first guitar teachers although Petty said that Felder taught him to play piano instead. He instantly became a Presley fan, and when he returned that Saturday, he was greeted by his friend Keith Harben, and soon traded his Wham-O slingshot for a collection of Elvis 45s. In the summer of 1961, his uncle was working on the set of Presley's film Follow That Dream, in nearby Ocala, and invited Petty to watch the shoot. His interest in rock and roll music began at age ten when he met Elvis Presley. After his death, a historical marker was placed in the neighborhood and a nearby park was renamed to Tom Petty Park. Petty grew up in the Northeast Gainesville Residential District, known locally as the Duckpond. His brother Bruce was seven years younger. Petty was born on October 20, 1950, in Gainesville, Florida, the first of two sons of Kitty Petty ( nee Avery), a local tax office worker, and Earl Petty, who was a traveling salesman. Petty died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 66, 18 days before his 67th birthday and one week after the end of the Heartbreakers' 40th Anniversary Tour in 2017. He also had a minor acting career, most notably starring in a recurring role as the voice of Elroy "Lucky" Kleinschmidt in the animated comedy series King of the Hill from 2004 to the show's end in 2009. Petty was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year in February 2017 for his contributions to music and for his philanthropy. Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Solo or with the Heartbreakers, he had hit albums from the 1970s through the 2010s and sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Petty's solo hits include " I Won't Back Down" (1989), " Free Fallin'" (1989), and " You Don't Know How It Feels" (1994). Hit singles with the Heartbreakers include " American Girl" (1976), " Don't Do Me Like That" (1979), " Refugee" (1980), " The Waiting" (1981), " Don't Come Around Here No More" (1985) and " Learning to Fly" (1991). He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the late 1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, and had success as a solo artist. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was an American musician.
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