Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. Formed in 1976,[1] the band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer Stan Lynch and bassist Ron Blair. In 1982, Blair, weary of the touring lifestyle, departed the band. His replacement, Howie Epstein, stayed with the band for the next two decades. In 1991, Scott Thurston joined the band as a multi-instrumentalist—mostly on rhythm guitar and second keyboard. In 1994, Steve Ferrone replaced Lynch on drums. Blair returned to the Heartbreakers in 2002, the year before Epstein's death. The band had a long string of hit singles including "Breakdown", "American Girl", "Refugee", "The Waiting", "Learning to Fly", and "Mary Jane's Last Dance", among many others, that stretched over several decades of work.

For the punk band, see The Heartbreakers.
For the album, see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (album).
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
The Heartbreakers in 1977. From left: Mike Campbell, Ron Blair, Tom Petty, Stan Lynch, and Benmont Tench
The Heartbreakers in 1977. From left: Mike Campbell, Ron Blair, Tom Petty, Stan Lynch, and Benmont Tench
Background information
OriginGainesville, Florida, U.S.
Genres
Years active1976–2017
Labels
Past members
Websitetompetty.com

Although Petty was insistent that the band be referred to as rock and roll,[2] the Heartbreakers' music was characterized as both southern rock[3] and heartland rock,[4] cited alongside artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, and John Mellencamp as progenitors of that genre that arose in the late 1970s and 1980s. While the heartland rock movement waned in the 1990s, the band remained active and popular, touring regularly until Petty's death in 2017, after which the Heartbreakers disbanded. Their final studio album, Hypnotic Eye, was released in 2014.

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, their first year of eligibility. Although most of their material was produced and performed under the name "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers", Petty released three solo albums, the most successful of which was Full Moon Fever (1989). In these releases, some members of the band contributed as collaborators, producing and performing as studio musicians.

History

Early years and first two albums (1974–1978)

Petty's early bands included the Sundowners, the Epics, and Mudcrutch. In 1974, Mudcrutch signed with Shelter Records and re-located to Los Angeles, California. They released one single, "Depot Street", in 1975, which failed to chart; the group consequently disbanded.

In 1976, Petty, with himself as lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, formed "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" with Mike Campbell on lead guitar, Benmont Tench on keyboards, Stan Lynch on drums and Ron Blair on bass.[1] The Heartbreakers began their recording career with a self-titled album, released through the Shelter label. Initially, the Heartbreakers did not gain much traction in the U.S., although they achieved success in the UK playing "Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll" on Top of the Pops.[5] Early singles included "Breakdown" and "American Girl". Recalling the band's first gig in the UK in 1976, Petty states, "The audience just jumped up and charged the stage and were boogieing their brains out. It was such a rush. Wow, we had never seen anything like that, man."[5] "Breakdown" was re-released in the U.S. and became a Top 40 hit in 1978, after word filtered back of the band's massive success in Britain, and perhaps more importantly after it featured on the extremely popular soundtrack to the 1978 film, FM. "American Girl" was covered in 1977 by Roger McGuinn on his "Thunderbyrd" LP.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' second album, You're Gonna Get It! (1978), was their first gold record, and featured the singles "I Need to Know" and "Listen To Her Heart". In 1979, the band was dragged into a legal dispute when ABC Records, Shelter's distributor, was sold to MCA Records. Petty refused to be transferred to another record label and held fast to his principles, which led to his filing for bankruptcy as a tactic against MCA.

Mainstream success (1979–1984)

In 1979, after their legal dispute was settled, the Heartbreakers released their third album Damn the Torpedoes through MCA's Backstreet label. The album rapidly went platinum. It included "Don't Do Me Like That" (#10 U.S., the group's first Top Ten single) and "Refugee" (#15 U.S.), their U.S. breakthrough singles.

Although he was already extremely successful, Petty again ran into record company trouble when he and the Heartbreakers prepared to release Hard Promises (1981), the follow-up album to Damn the Torpedoes. MCA wanted to release the record at the list price of $9.98. This so-called "superstar pricing" was a dollar more than the usual list price of $8.98. Petty voiced his objections to the price hike in the press, and the issue became a popular cause among music fans. Non-delivery of the album or naming it Eight Ninety-Eight were considered, but eventually MCA decided against the price increase. The album became a Top Ten hit, going platinum and spawning the hit single "The Waiting" (#19 U.S.). The album also included the duet "Insider", with Stevie Nicks.

On their fifth album, Long After Dark (1982), bass player Ron Blair was replaced by Howie Epstein (formerly of Del Shannon's backing band), giving the Heartbreakers their lineup until 1991. Long After Dark features the hits "You Got Lucky" (U.S. #20) and "Change of Heart" (U.S. #21), and was to feature a track called "Keeping Me Alive", but producer Jimmy Iovine vetoed it from the album. Petty had expressed that he felt the album would have been more successful if "Keeping Me Alive" had been included.[6]

Southern Accents and Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) (1985–1988)

On the sixth album, Southern Accents (1985), the Heartbreakers picked up where they had left off. The recording was not without problems; Petty became frustrated during the mixing process and broke his left hand when punching a wall. The album included the psychedelic-sounding hit single "Don't Come Around Here No More" (#13 U.S.), which was produced by and co-written with Dave Stewart. The video for the single, which starred Stewart, featured Petty dressed as the Mad Hatter, mocking and chasing Alice from the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, then cutting and eating her as if she were a cake. This caused minor controversy after it was criticized by feminist groups, but the video did win an MTV Video Music Award.

A successful concert tour led to the live album Pack Up the Plantation: Live! (1985). The band's live capabilities were also showcased when Bob Dylan invited the Heartbreakers to join him on his True Confessions Tour through Australia, Japan and the U.S. (1986) and Europe (1987). Petty praised Dylan, saying, "I don't think there is anyone we admire more."

Also in 1987, the group released Let Me Up (I've Had Enough), a studio album made to sound like a live recording, using a technique they borrowed from Dylan. It includes "Jammin' Me" (#18 U.S.), which Petty wrote with Dylan and Campbell. Dylan recorded a version of the Petty composition "Got My Mind Made Up" on his album Knocked Out Loaded, which was credited as being written by Dylan and Petty.

Comeback and return to popularity (1989–2005)

In 1989, Petty released his debut solo album Full Moon Fever, which included five singles ("I Won't Back Down", "Runnin' Down a Dream", "Free Fallin'", "A Face in the Crowd" and "Yer So Bad"), and was accompanied by a tour with The Replacements. Two years later, the Heartbreakers released Into the Great Wide Open, produced by Jeff Lynne, who had worked with Petty in the Traveling Wilburys. Songs included the title track itself and "Learning to Fly". Multi-instrumentalist Scott Thurston joined the band as of the tour for the album.

Hollywood walk of fame star, awarded in 1999

In 1993, Petty released Greatest Hits, which included the hit single "Mary Jane's Last Dance". Stan Lynch had moved to Florida, but was persuaded to return for his last session with the band.

In 1994, Lynch left the band. Drummer Dave Grohl, formerly of the band Nirvana, sat in on a number of performances, but declined to join the band, instead choosing to pursue his own solo work which eventually grew into the band Foo Fighters. The band was now and for the next several years officially a quartet with no permanent drummer, but beginning in 1995 for live shows Steve Ferrone, formerly a session and touring musician who had played with numerous other acts, served as drummer. He had worked with Petty, Campbell, Tench, and Epstein on Petty's solo album Wildflowers.

In 1995, a six-CD box-set titled Playback was released. Approximately half of the tracks were previously available on albums, and the rest were B-sides, demos and live tracks. Two notable tracks are a "solo" version of Petty's 1981 duet with Stevie Nicks, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around", and the song "Waiting for Tonight", which features vocals by the Bangles. The latter song also appeared on the two-CD anthology released in 2000, Anthology: Through the Years.

In 1996, Petty "reunited" with the Heartbreakers and released a soundtrack to the film She's the One starring Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston, titled Songs and Music from "She's the One". Three songs charted from the album: "Walls (Circus)" (featuring Lindsey Buckingham), "Climb that Hill", and a song written by Lucinda Williams, "Changed the Locks". The album also included a cover version of Beck's song "Asshole". Curt Bisquera, not an official member of the group, was the drummer on most of the album, with Ringo Starr substituting on one track and Ferrone playing on two others.

In 1999, Petty and the Heartbreakers released the album Echo, produced by Rick Rubin. The album reached number 10 in the U.S. album charts and featured, amongst other singles, "Room at the Top". The band was still officially a four-piece (Petty, Campbell, Tench and Epstein), augmented by Ferrone on drums and Scott Thurston on various guitars, lap steel and ukulele. Both Ferrone and Thurston were promoted to full band membership after the album was released, and would remain Heartbreakers for the rest of the band's existence.

On April 28, 1999, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard, for their contributions to the recording industry.[7]

In 2002, the group released The Last DJ. Many of the tracks' lyrics contain stinging attacks on the music industry and major record companies. The album reached number 9 in the U.S. charts. Bassist Ron Blair played on two of the tracks. He replaced Epstein, who had previously been Blair's replacement, on the band's 2002 tour as a result of Epstein's deepening personal problems and drug abuse. Epstein died in 2003 at the age of 47.

Final years (2006–2017)
Keyboardist Benmont Tench performs with the band at the Hollywood Bowl in 2010.

In the band's thirtieth anniversary year, 2006, they headlined the fifth annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. In addition to Bonnaroo, Petty was on tour throughout the summer of 2006. The tour started in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 9 and ended in Randall's Island, New York on August 19. Stops included major cities such as New York, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Denver. Supporting acts during the tour included Pearl Jam, the Allman Brothers Band, and Trey Anastasio. Additionally, Stevie Nicks joined the band onstage during the first eight concerts as well as subsequent second-leg dates to perform various songs from the Heartbreakers' catalog. For the Highway Companion Tour, they offered a Highway Companion's Club which allowed fans to receive priority seating, discounts at the Tom Petty Store, a complimentary CD of Highway Companion and a personalized email address.

In 2006, the ABC U.S. television network hired Petty to do the music for its NBA Playoffs coverage.

On September 21, 2006, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers received the keys to the city of Gainesville, Florida, where he and his bandmates either lived or grew up. Petty quipped, when questioned about the key he received from Gainesville's mayor, "It's a lot nicer than the one we got in Chicago."[8]

From July 2006 until 2007, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio featured an exhibit of Tom Petty items. Much of the content was donated by Petty himself from a visit to his home by some of the Rock Hall curatorial staff.

In 2007, the band accepted an invitation to participate in a tribute album to Fats Domino, contributing their version of "I'm Walkin'" to Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard).

The Heartbreakers in August 2017, less than two months before Petty’s death

In 2008, the Heartbreakers were also featured as the Super Bowl XLII halftime show. In April that year, the members of Petty's previous band, Mudcrutch—Petty, Tench, and Campbell, along with Randall Marsh and Tom Leadon—released a Mudcrutch album. In late 2008, they released a live EP.

The band issued The Live Anthology, a collection of live recordings, on November 23, 2009, and announced a new studio album, Mojo, for release in the spring of 2010.[9] The band released Hypnotic Eye on July 29, 2014, and archive recordings from their Playlist box set Nobody's Children and Through the Cracks digitally in 2015.

In 2017, the band embarked on a 40th Anniversary Tour of the United States.[10] The tour began on April 20 in Oklahoma City and ended on September 25 with a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California.[10][11] The Hollywood Bowl concert, which became the Heartbreakers' final show, ended with a performance of "American Girl".[12]

Petty's death and aftermath (2017–present)

Early in the morning on October 2, 2017, Petty was found unconscious in his home, not breathing, and in full cardiac arrest. Following premature media reports of his death, Petty later officially died at the UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, California. He was 66.[13][14]

Though the group did not formally disband, Petty stated in his final interview, with the Los Angeles Times a few days before his death, that the Heartbreakers would probably disband if one of its members died or became too ill to perform.[15]

In April 2018, Campbell, Tench and Ferrone acted as the house band for the Light Up the Blues benefit concert in Los Angeles, backing Beck, Neil Young, Patti Smith, and Stephen Stills, with whom they performed Petty's "I Won't Back Down".[16] That same month, it was announced that Campbell (along with Neil Finn) had joined Fleetwood Mac to replace lead guitarist Lindsey Buckingham.[17]

In September 2023, Campbell, Tench and Ferrone backed Bob Dylan for a surprise performance at Farm Aid.[18]

Session work (1970s–2017)

During the course of the band, the various members did session work for other notable artists. In 1981, Petty and Campbell wrote the lyrics to "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around", which was intended as a Heartbreakers song. However, their producer Jimmy Iovine, who was also producing Stevie Nicks, suggested it be turned into a duet with her, and the band agreed, so the song ended up on her album Bella Donna.[19] All the Heartbreakers except Ron Blair had performed on the track.

In the mid-1980s, former Eagle Don Henley teamed up with Campbell, Tench and Lynch for his 1984 album Building the Perfect Beast. Campbell wrote a demo version of the track "The Boys of Summer" and showed it to Petty, who both felt it did not fit Southern Accents, the album they were working on at the time. Iovine suggested recording it with Henley, with whom they re-recorded it after Henley changed the key.[19] Henley collaborated with Campbell and Lynch for his 1989 album The End of the Innocence, with the two Heartbreakers producing it alongside the likes of Danny Kortchmar and Bruce Hornsby. Campbell again wrote one of the hits from the album, "The Heart of the Matter".

In 1986, Bob Dylan wrote and recorded the track "Band of the Hand" as the theme song for the Paul Michael Glaser film of the same title. On the recording, Dylan is backed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with a group of backing singers including Stevie Nicks, and the track is credited to "Bob Dylan and the Heartbreakers".

Stan Lynch went on to produce Henley's 2000 album Inside Job and 2015 album Cass County. He also contributed to the Eagles' 1994 reunion album, Hell Freezes Over, playing percussion and having a hand in its production.[20]

Lynch and Campbell played alongside Henley on Warren Zevon's 1987 album Sentimental Hygiene.

Mike Campbell played slide guitar on "6th Avenue Heartache", released in 1996 by the Wallflowers. He recorded his guitar part without even meeting the band.

In the mid-1990s, members of the Heartbreakers teamed up to perform on Johnny Cash's American Recordings series of albums. The entire band played on Unchained, save for Lynch, who had left in 1994. For Volume III, only Campbell and Petty contributed, the latter performing a duet with Cash on a cover of "I Won't Back Down". Tench and Campbell then contributed to Volume IV, Volume V, and Volume VI. In March 2014, Cash's son had hinted that four or five more American albums may be released.[21]

Live performances
Mike Campbell (left) and Tom Petty at Bonnaroo in 2013

Petty's solo albums
Tom Petty, the band's primary vocalist and songwriter. He also had a successful solo career and served as a member of the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys

Petty released three solo albums. The first was 1989's Full Moon Fever, which included his signature tune, "Free Fallin'", as well as "I Won't Back Down", later covered by Johnny Cash, and "Runnin' Down a Dream" and Gene Clark's Byrds classic "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better".

The Heartbreakers were dismayed by Petty's decision to go solo. Nevertheless, Campbell played guitar solos on every track, Tench contributed piano to one track, and Epstein provided backing vocals to two tracks.

Petty's second solo album, Wildflowers, included all Heartbreakers members except for Stan Lynch. The album, which featured Steve Ferrone on drums, produced the single "You Don't Know How It Feels".

Petty's final solo album was Highway Companion. As with Full Moon Fever, it was produced by Jeff Lynne. Campbell was the lead guitarist for the album, but no other Heartbreaker participated in the recording, as all instruments and vocals were performed by Petty, Campbell, and Lynne.

Relationship with music industry

Petty fought against his record company on more than one occasion: first in 1979 over transference to another label,[33] and then again in 1981 over the price of his record, which was (at that time) considered expensive.[34] He was also outspoken on the current state of the music industry and modern radio stations, a topic that was a center concept of the lyrics of his 2002 album The Last DJ and its respective limited edition DVD.[35]

In an interview with Billboard magazine, Petty described himself as "not really [being] involved in the business side of music".

Members
  • Tom Petty – lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, bass, harmonica, keyboards (1976–2017; his death)
  • Mike Campbell – lead and rhythm guitar, mandolin, bass (1976–2017)
  • Benmont Tench – piano, organ, keyboards, backing vocals (1976–2017)
  • Stan Lynch – drums, backing vocals (1976–1994)
  • Ron Blair – bass guitar, backing vocals (1976–1982, 2002–2017; studio guest appearances from 1982–1985)
  • Howie Epstein – bass guitar, rhythm guitar, mandolin, backing vocals (1982–2002; died 2003)
  • Scott Thurston – rhythm and lead guitar, keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals (1999–2017; touring and session musician 1991–1999)
  • Steve Ferrone – drums (1999–2017; touring and session musician 1994–1999)

Timeline

Discography
Main article: Tom Petty discography

    See also

    References
    1. Zanes, Warren (2005). Petty: The Biography Paperback. New York: Henry Holt. p. 105. ISBN 0805099689.
    2. Richard Robinson. "Heartbreakers and American Girls: Tom Petty Does It To Have Fun". Hit Parader. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
    3. George-Warren, Holly (2000). "Southern Gallery: Tom Petty". Oxford American: A Magazine of the South. Vol. 34.
    4. "Tom Petty". Ultimate Classic Rock.
    5. "Rock legend Tom Petty dies after suffering heart attack at home". Telegraph. October 3, 2017. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022.
    6. "97.1 The Drive LIVE Stream | Chicago". 97.1 The Drive LIVE Stream | Chicago. Retrieved May 30, 2019.
    7. "Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers". Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
    8. "Tom Petty gets key to Gainesville, Fla". USA Today. September 22, 2006.
    9. McKnight, Connor (February 25, 2010). "Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Announce New Album, Tour". Billboard.
    10. "40th Anniversary Tour Announced!". TomPetty.com Official Website. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
    11. Martinelli, Marissa (October 3, 2017). "Watch Tom Petty's Final Performance at the Hollywood Bowl". Slate. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
    12. Greene, Andy (October 2, 2017). "Watch Tom Petty Play 'American Girl' at His Final Concert". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
    13. "Music legend Tom Petty dies". CNN. October 3, 2017.
    14. Lewis, Randy (October 2, 2017). "Tom Petty, Heartbreakers frontman who sang 'Breakdown,' 'Free Fallin'' and other hits, dies at 66". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
    15. Lewis, Randy (October 4, 2017). "Tom Petty's final interview: There was supposed to have been so much more". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
    16. "Heartbreakers perform for the first time since Tom Petty's death – watch". Stereogum. April 22, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
    17. Aswad, Jem (April 9, 2018). "Fleetwood Mac to Tour With Neil Finn, Mike Campbell as Lindsey Buckingham's Replacements". Variety. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
    18. Greene, Andy (September 24, 2023). "Watch Bob Dylan and the Heartbreakers Play a Surprise Set of Sixties Classics at Farm Aid". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
    19. Wiser, Carl (November 15, 2003). "Mike Campbell: Songwriter Interviews". Songfacts. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
    20. Hell Freezes Over (CD booklet). Eagles. Geffen Records. 1994. 24725.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
    21. Hebblethwaite, Phil (March 26, 2014). "Johnny Cash: 'four or five more albums in the works,' says his son". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
    22. "35 Years Ago: When Live Aid Rocked the Planet". Best Classic Bands. July 13, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
    23. DeRiso, Nick (October 31, 2015). "Revisiting Tom Petty's First Live Album, 'Pack Up the Plantation'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
    24. Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration – Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved May 2, 2021
    25. "The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration". The Official Bob Dylan Site. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
    26. Pitts, Jacob L. (September 21, 2020). "On this day in 2001, stars unte for "America: A Tribute to Heroes"". NYS Music. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
    27. Kreps, Daniel (January 17, 2018). "All-Star George Harrison Tribute Concert Gets Massive Vinyl Reissue". Rolling Stone.
    28. Spears, Steve (October 3, 2017). "Watch entire Tom Petty concert in Gainesville from 2006". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
    29. "NFL Releases Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Raucous 2008 Super Bowl Halftime Show". Relix Media. October 26, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
    30. Anderson, Sarah (June 23, 2012). "Isle of Wight 2012 in photos". NME. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
    31. "Fans delirious as Stevie Nicks joins Tom Petty on stage". BBC News. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
    32. Caruso, Vincent. "Revisiting Tom Petty's Final Concert". Ultimateclassicrock.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
    33. "May 23, 1979: Tom Petty defies his record label and files for bankruptcy". This Day In History. The History Channel. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
    34. Petty, Tom & Zollo, Paul (2005). Conversations with Tom Petty. Omnibus Press. pp. 72. ISBN 1-84449-815-8.
    35. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Last DJ [Bonus DVD]". AllMusic. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
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