Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Biography

Thomas Earl Petty (born October 20, 1950) is a popular American musician, known for his album-oriented, classicist rock'n'roll. He has also produced numerous hit singles, such as "American Girl", "Free Fallin'", "Into the Great Wide Open" and "Mary Jane's Last Dance", most of which remain heavily played on mainstream radio. Despite this success, Petty is also a vocal critic of the modern recording industry, and the disintegration of independent radio stations (i.e. The Last DJ).

Petty has been supported by his band, The Heartbreakers, for the majority of his career. He has occasionally released solo work, as is the case with his most recent effort, 2006's Highway Companion, on which he performed most of the backing instrumentation himself. Although it should be noted that members of The Heartbreakers have played on each of his solo albums, and the band has always backed him, when touring in support of those albums.

Tom Petty, known in his early years as "Tommy", was born in Gainesville, Florida and grew up in northeast Gainesville. As a teen-aged, amateur musician he often practiced at home with friends and sometimes even in the family fall-out shelter located in his back yard. Petty graduated from Gainesville High School in 1968. Petty did not have any musical aspirations until Elvis Presley came to Ocala, Florida, 25 miles south of Petty's hometown, to work on a film, "Follow That Dream". Petty went down to watch him and was inspired.

After working with his early bands The Sundowners, The Epics, and Mudcrutch with ace drummer Randall Marsh, (which also included future Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench) he began his recording career with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers when the band broke onto the national music scene with their 1976 self-titled debut album. Still, it took America a full year to catch up to the album. "Breakdown" was re-released to radio and became a Top 40 hit in 1977 after word filtered back the band was creating a firestorm in the UK.

Their 1978 second album You're Gonna Get It! proved the debut album's intensity was no fluke. Marking the band's first gold album, it features the singles "Listen To Her Heart" and "I Need To Know". Shortly after its release the band was dragged into a legal dispute when ABC Records was sold to MCA Records. Petty refused to simply be transferred to another record label without his consent. He held fast to his principles for nine long months, which eventually led to him filing for bankruptcy.

Petty's personal life has been remarkably stable, perhaps unsurprising given the honestly of his love songs. His first marriage lasted 22-years, to his Gainesville High School sweetheart, Jane Benyo. He spent most of those years working, on the road or in the studio. He has two daughters by that marriage. Since 2001 he has been married to Dana York, even then described as a "long-time partner."

Current members:

A comprehensive list of Tom Petty's most notable lyrics can be found in Wikiquote: Tom Petty.