Tom Petty
Biography
Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was the leader and frontman of the rock bands Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch and a member of the late 1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys. He was also a successful solo artist. Over the course of his career, Petty sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. His 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). Petty's solo hits include "I Won't Back Down" (1989), "Free Fallin'" (1989), and "You Don't Know How It Feels" (1994). Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Petty was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year in February 2017 for his contributions to music and for his philanthropy. He also acted; he had a recurring role as the voice of Lucky Kleinschmidt in the animated comedy series King of the Hill from 2004 to the show's conclusion in 2009. Petty died of an accidental drug overdose in 2017 at the age of 66, one week after the end of the Heartbreakers' 40th Anniversary Tour. On December 4, 2023, Petty's song "Love Is a Long Road" was used in the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI, which is considered one of the most anticipated video games ever made. This trailer gained over 90 million YouTube views within the first 24 hours. Because of this immense bump in popularity, the song itself gained nearly 1 million YouTube views in the same time span, gained a 36,979% increase on Spotify, had almost 250,000 searches on Shazam, and ranked second on the worldwide iTunes chart.
Known For(68 works)
The Simpsons
1989The Simpsons
1989
Late Show with David Letterman
1993Late Show with David Letterman
1993
Saturday Night Live
1975Saturday Night Live
1975
King of the Hill
1997King of the Hill
1997
King of the Hill
1997King of the Hill
1997
King of the Hill
1997King of the Hill
1997
MTV Video Music Awards
1984MTV Video Music Awards
1984
The Larry Sanders Show
1992The Larry Sanders Show
1992
Behind the Music
1997Behind the Music
1997
Classic Albums
1997Classic Albums
1997
It's Garry Shandling's Show
1986It's Garry Shandling's Show
1986
Made in Heaven
1987Made in Heaven
1987
Fridays
1980Fridays
1980
The Old Grey Whistle Test
1971The Old Grey Whistle Test
1971
Soundstage
2003Soundstage
2003
The Defiant Ones
2017The Defiant Ones
2017
Rockpalast
1974Rockpalast
1974
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
2011George Harrison: Living in the Material World
2011
The Postman
1997The Postman
1997
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
2018Elvis Presley: The Searcher
2018
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
1995The History of Rock 'n' Roll
1995
America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001
Soundbreaking
2016Soundbreaking
2016
Live Aid
1985Live Aid
1985
Concert for George
2003Concert for George
2003
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
2005Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
2005
FM
1978FM
1978
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
1993Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
1993
Live Aid
2004Live Aid
2004
Life, Death and Money
Life, Death and Money
Heartbreakers Beach Party
2024Heartbreakers Beach Party
2024
Night Flight: Born Again
2016Night Flight: Born Again
2016
Sound City
2013Sound City
2013
Echo in the Canyon
2019Echo in the Canyon
2019
The Everly Brothers: Songs of Innocence and Experience
1984The Everly Brothers: Songs of Innocence and Experience
1984
$aving Dat Money
2015$aving Dat Money
2015
Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO
2012Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO
2012
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream
2007Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream
2007
Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
1995Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
1995
No Nukes
1980No Nukes
1980
The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys
2007The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys
2007
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC
2015It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC
2015
Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert
1986Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert
1986
The Best Of Sound Stage
2008The Best Of Sound Stage
2008
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts
2021Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts
2021
Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
2014Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
2014
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: 30th Anniversary Concert
2006Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: 30th Anniversary Concert
2006
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
2018Elvis Presley: The Searcher
2018
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Live from Gatorville
2008Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Live from Gatorville
2008
Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks
2007Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks
2007
Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free
2021Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free
2021
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at Rockpalast
1977Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at Rockpalast
1977
Classic Albums: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes
2010Classic Albums: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes
2010
Wired for Sound: A Guitar Odyssey
1997Wired for Sound: A Guitar Odyssey
1997
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Live at the Olympic (The Last DJ)
2003Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Live at the Olympic (The Last DJ)
2003
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Rock Goes to College
1980Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Rock Goes to College
1980
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at the Docks, Hamburg
1999Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at the Docks, Hamburg
1999
Bridge School Benefit Concert 1986
1986Bridge School Benefit Concert 1986
1986
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers: Live in Concert
2003Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers: Live in Concert
2003
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up the Plantation - Live!
1986Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up the Plantation - Live!
1986
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: Playback
1995Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: Playback
1995
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: 400 Days
1995Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: 400 Days
1995
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - High Grass Dogs - Live from the Fillmore
1999Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - High Grass Dogs - Live from the Fillmore
1999
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - A Bunch Of Videos And Some Other Stuff
1989Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - A Bunch Of Videos And Some Other Stuff
1989
Tom Petty - Mojo Tour 2010
Tom Petty - Mojo Tour 2010
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Take the Highway Live
1992Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Take the Highway Live
1992
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: VH1 Storytellers
1999Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: VH1 Storytellers
1999
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Old Grey Whistle Test
1978Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Old Grey Whistle Test
1978