Tom Petty Biography

Summary

"Thomas Earl 'Tom' Petty" (born October 20,1950) is a singer and guitarist. A prolific songwriter, he has had numerous hit singles such as 'Don't Do Me Like That', 'Refugee', 'The Waiting', 'Don't Come Around Here No More', 'I Won't Back Down', 'Free Fallin'', 'Mary Jane's Last Dance' and 'You Don't Know How It Feels', most of which remain heavily played on Adult Contemporary and Classic Rock radio. Petty is also a vocal critic of the modern recording industry and the disintegration of independent radio stations (e.g. "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. However, 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. In addition, Petty has had the same manager, Tony Dimitriades, since 1976.

Early life

Tom Petty, known in his early years as 'Tommy', was born and raised in Gainesville, Florida. Petty graduated from Gainesville High School in 1968. Petty did not have any musical aspirations until Elvis Presley came to Ocala, Florida, 40 miles south of Petty's hometown, to work on the 1962 film, 'Follow That Dream'. Petty went down to watch him and was inspired.

Career

After working with his early bands The Sundowners, The Epics and Mudcrutch (the latter with drummer Randall Marsh and future Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench) he began his recording career with "Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers", the band's 1976 debut album. The album didn't receive a great deal of attention at first. The single 'Breakdown' was re-released in 1977 and peaked at #40 in early 1978. This was after word filtered back to the States that the band was creating a firestorm in the UK. The debut album was released by Shelter Records, which at that time was distributed by ABC Records.

Their second album "You're Gonna Get It!" in 1978 proved the debut album's intensity was no fluke. Marking the band's first gold album, it featured the singles 'I Need To Know' and 'Listen To Her Heart'.

In early 1979, Petty 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 in May 1979. Under terms of the settlement Petty was signed to the new MCA subsidiary Backstreet Records.

In September 1979, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers performed at one of the MUSE concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York. Their rendition of 'Cry To Me' was featured on the No Nukes album but Petty declined to appear in the concert film of the event due to what he felt was a sub-par performance.

After the dispute was settled, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers released their third album "Damn the Torpedoes" (1979) which quickly went platinum. It includes 'Don't Do Me Like That' and 'Refugee', their breakthrough U.S. singles. No sooner had the supporting tour started when Petty came down with tonsillitis which caused a few concerts to be cancelled. In February 1980, he had the tonsils removed and the band was back on the road a few weeks later.

Petty was appealing to a wide range of musical tastes, as New Wave, Punk and Rock and Roll fans alike were taking notice.

In early 1981 the upcoming Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album was slated to be the next MCA release with the new list price of $9.98, following Steely Dan's "Gaucho" and the Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra "Xanadu" soundtrack. This so-called 'superstar pricing' was $1.00 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.

When eventually released, "Hard Promises" became a Top Ten hit, going platinum and spawning the hit single 'The Waiting.' Tom also recorded his first duet 'Insider,' with Stevie Nicks.

On their fifth album "Long After Dark" (1982) bass player Ron Blair quit the group and was replaced by Howie Epstein, giving The Heartbreakers their line-up until 1994. However, Petty had problems coping with the stress of success and decided to slow things down.

On their comeback album, "Southern Accents" (1985), Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers picked up where they had left off. The recording was not without problems — Petty became frustrated during the mixing of the track 'Rebels' and broke his left hand after punching a wall. The album includes the hit single 'Don't Come Around Here No More,' which was produced by Dave Stewart. The video for the single 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 some controversy after it was criticized by feminist groups.

A successful concert tour led to the live album "Pack Up the Plantation: Live!" (1985). The band's live capabilities were put to the test when Bob Dylan invited Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers to join him on his True Confessions tour in addition to select dates with the Grateful Dead through Australia, Japan and the U.S. (1986) and Europe (1987).

In 1987, Petty took on the corporate world again when he sued tire company B.F. Goodrich for using a song very similar to his song 'Mary's New Car' in a TV commercial. The ad agency that produced the commercial had previously sought permission to use Petty's song but were refused.

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 Bob Dylan. It includes 'Jammin' Me', which Petty wrote with Dylan. Just prior to going on tour to support the new album, an arsonist set fire to Petty's house in Encino, California. The fire caused $1 million in damage but firefighters were able to salvage the basement recording studio and the original tapes stored there.

Petty also appeared in several episodes of "It's Garry Shandling's Show" (1987 - 1990), playing himself as one of Garry Shandling's neighbors. This show appeared on the then-fledgling Fox network.

Going solo

In 1989, Petty released the album "Full Moon Fever". Though nominally a solo project, other Heartbreakers and well-known musicians participated in the album's production. Mike Campbell co-produced the album with Petty and Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra. It was in the Billboard top ten for over 34 weeks and earned triple-platinum status, along the way spawning the hits 'I Won't Back Down', 'Free Fallin'' and 'Runnin' Down A Dream', the video of which was based on several episodes of the classic comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay. It can be seen in the video for 'I Won't Back Down' that backing musicians and singers include Campbell, Lynne and George Harrison. Ringo Starr appears in the video on drums; however, they were actually performed by Phil Jones.

Prior to "Full Moon Fever", Lynne and Petty worked together in the all-star band, The Traveling Wilburys, which also counted Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Roy Orbison as members. The Traveling Wilburys started as a joke in order to record a B-side for a George Harrison single, but the song 'Handle With Care' was such a success that the group decided to record a full album, "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1" (1988). However, Roy Orbison's sudden death cast a shadow on the success of The Traveling Wilburys. A second Wilburys album, called "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3", followed in 1990.

Petty rejoined with the Heartbreakers for his next album, "Into the Great Wide Open" in 1991. It was co-produced by Lynne and included the hit singles 'Learning To Fly' and 'Into The Great Wide Open', the latter featuring Johnny Depp, Gabrielle Anwar, Faye Dunaway, and Matt LeBlanc in the video.

Move to Warner Bros. Records

In 1989, while still under contract to MCA, Petty secretly signed a lucrative deal with Warner Bros. Records. His first album for Warners, "Wildflowers", was released in 1994. It includes the singles 'You Don't Know How It Feels', 'You Wreck Me', 'It's Good to Be King' and 'A Higher Place'. The album, produced by acclaimed producer Rick Rubin, was a huge success selling over 3 million copies in the U.S. The next year, MCA released a six CD box-set entitled "Playback". Approximately half of the tracks were previously available on albums, while the rest were B-sides, demos and live tracks. Two notable tracks are a solo version of Tom's 1981 duet with Stevie Nicks, 'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around' and the song 'Waiting For Tonight,' which features vocals from The Bangles. The latter song also appeared on the two CD Anthology: Through the Years released in 2000.

In 1996, Petty 'reunited' with the Heartbreakers and released a soundtrack to the movie "She's the One", starring Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston (see "Songs and Music from 'She's the One'"). Three singles were released from this album; these were 'Walls (Circus)' (featuring Lindsey Buckingham), 'Climb that Hill' and a song written by Lucinda Williams, 'Change the Locks'. The album also included a cover of a song by Beck, 'Asshole'.

In 1999, Petty and the Heartbreakers released their last album with producer Rick Rubin at the helm, "Echo". Two songs were released as singles in the U.S., 'Room at the Top' and 'Free Girl Now'. The album reached number 10 in the U.S. album charts. The two disc compilation Anthology: Through the Years was released by MCA in 2000, with liner notes by film director Cameron Crowe.

In 2002, Petty and the Heartbreakers released "The Last DJ". Many of the tracks are stinging attacks on the music industry, criticizing the greediness inherent within it, as well as the tendency of record companies to water down popular rock acts and release throwaway pop music made by scantily-clad young girls. The album reached #9 on the U.S. charts.

In July 2006, Petty released a new solo album titled "Highway Companion". It debuted at number 4 on the Billboard charts, becoming Petty's highest chart positioning in the SoundScan era.

Accomplishments

Petty has been honored with 17 Grammy Award nominations since 1981. In that year he received his first nomination for 'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around' in the category of Best Rock Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal. Petty earned a Grammy Award in 1989 for Best Rock Performance By A Duo or Group With Vocal for his work with the Traveling Wilburys. In 1994 he received another two Grammy Awards: Best Male Rock Vocal Performance (for 'You Don't Know How It Feels') and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical). "Wildflowers" also garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album.

Other "Wildflowers" achievements included Best Male Video Award for 'You Don't Know How It Feels' at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers won the same award in 1994 with the video for 'Mary Jane's Last Dance'. At the 1994 ceremony, Petty was also presented with the Video Vanguard Award, citing his longtime contributions to the field. In accepting the award though, while expressing his appreciation to MTV for the award, Petty denied his work was any more important than anyone else's, saying that all artistic expression was equally valid and implicitly validating the work of up-and-coming and aspiring musicians.

As a songwriter, Tom Petty was acknowledged in May 1996 with the prestigious Golden Note Award from ASCAP. In April 1996, Petty received UCLA's George And Ira Gershwin Award For Lifetime Musical Achievement. In 2002, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Other works and recognition

In 1985, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers participated in the world-spanning charity rock concert Live Aid. They also played at the 2001 America: A Tribute to Heroes benefit concert to where he played the song 'I Won't Back Down' as a fitting tribute to the current post 9-11 climate.

In 1994, a tribute album of alternative bands such as Everclear and Silkworm covering Petty songs was released called "You Got Lucky".

In 1996, Johnny Cash released "Unchained" recorded with the accompaniment of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, which won a Grammy for Best Country Album. Cash's following album American III: Solitary Man featured a cover of Petty's 'I Won't Back Down'.

Petty appeared in the 1997 movie, "The Postman", directed by and starring Kevin Costner. This was his 3rd appearance on the silver screen, having had a small part in the 1987 movie "Made In Heaven" and a cameo as himself in the 1978 film "FM".

In 1999 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Blvd., an honor that acknowledges both their musical achievements and their humanitarian involvement with such organizations as Greenpeace, the National Veteran's Foundation, USA Harvest, Rock And Wrap It Up, AmFAR (the American Foundation for AIDS Research), and his anti-nuclear activism.

On the evening of November 29, 2001, Petty received word that ex-Traveling Wilburys guitarist and singer, George Harrison, had died after a long battle against cancer, and he was one of the many people to be devastated about his friend's death. Harrison and Petty had been friends since 1988. Just one year after his death, Petty & The Heartbreakers appeared in Concert For George, alongside Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Dhani Harrison, Ravi Shankar and Jeff Lynne.

In 2002 he appeared on "The Simpsons" in the episode 'How I Spent My Strummer Vacation'. In it, he spoofed himself as a 'tutor' to Homer Simpson on the art of lyric writing, composing a brief song about a sexy girl walking down the street concerned with budget problems in public schools. Later in the episode, he lost a toe during a riot.

In October 2004 'Runnin' Down A Dream' appeared on the popular videogame Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, playing on fictional classic rock station K-DST.

Petty currently has a recurring role as Lucky in "King of the Hill".

In 2005, Tom Petty began hosting his own show 'Buried Treasure' on XM Radio, on which he shares selections from his personal record collection. On December 6, 2005, he received the Billboard Century Award for his lifetime achievements. Later in the month, Petty agreed to sign on with XM Radio for a second season of his show 'Buried Treasure.'

"Conversations with Tom Petty", an oral history/biography comprised of interviews conducted in 2004 and 2005 with Petty by music journalist Paul Zollo, was published in 2005 (ISBN 1-84449-815-8).

Thirty years on

In February 2006 Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers agreed to be the headline act at the fifth annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

Some have claimed that the Red Hot Chili Peppers single 'Dani California', released in May 2006, is very similar to Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance" single. While the songs do sound alike, it is unknown whether 'Dani California' was an intentional copy. The two songs are compared here (... more) . In addition, in 1992 The Jayhawks released a song called 'Waiting For The Sun'. A year later Petty released 'Mary Jane's Last Dance' which sounds very similar to The Jayhawks song. However, it is important to note that 'Mary Jane's Last Dance' was in fact composed in 1989 during sessions for 'Full Moon Fever' with different lyrics but the familiar chord structure in place. At the time, Petty was calling the song 'Indiana Girl' and footage of the session can be seen in various documentaries on the band.

Petty told Rolling Stone, 'I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of rock 'n' roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry. The Strokes took 'American Girl' for their song 'Last Nite', and I saw an interview with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, 'OK, good for you' ... If someone took my song note for note and stole it maliciously, then maybe I'd sue. But I don't believe in lawsuits much. I think there are enough frivolous lawsuits in this country without people fighting over pop songs.'

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. When questioned about the key he received from Gainesville's Mayor, Petty quipped, 'It's a lot nicer than the one we got in Chicago.'

From July 2006 until 2007 The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio will feature 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.

Present Day

Currently Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers are taking a break from touring. However, Peter Bogdanovich's film entitled "Runnin' Down A Dream" about Tom and the band premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 14th. It will also be broadcast on The Sundance Channel on October 29th and at 3 PM ET on November 3rd and is available for DVD release only at Best Buy.

During the summer of 2007, Tom Petty reunited with his old bandmates Tom Leadon and Randall Marsh along with Heartbreakers Benmont Tench & Mike Campbell to reform his pre-Heartbreakers band Mudcrutch. The fivesome recorded a new album together scheduled for release during the first quarter of 2008. The disc will contain 18 old and new tracks. 'We would play and then we would just talk about the old days,' says Tom Leadon.

Personal life

His first marriage, to Jane Benyo, lasted 22 years. 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, whom he first met years earlier when she came to one of his concerts.

The Heartbreakers

Current members:

Former members:

Quotes

'I want to give the radio back to the kids. That's one thing I'd like to see. I remember a time when you could turn on the AM radio and just set there all day and listen. Now I keep punching the button and hope something will come on that's worth listening to. There's nothing. They don't play the young bands. Boston is just MOR as far as I'm concerned. There's no threat there. And disco just ain't right.' - Los Angeles Times 1977

'I just want us to stay honest, and keep making honest records. To me, an honest record is one that you feel the artist believes in, one in which the artist actually means what he's singing. A lot of people have an image that isn't really them. But I think kids know when that happens. They can tell when it's jive. I don't want to start slagging people and naming names, but everybody knows that rock and roll got very boring the last few years.' - Chicago Tribune 1978

I've got nothing personally against MCA - except they tried to buy me without asking. When we negotiated the deal with ABC, we put in a clause that they couldn't sell the contract without my consent. I don't think the fact that you've got $35 million means you should be able to buy my business or my music or my life. So I decided to fight to the wall even though it's important to have another record out there now.' - Los Angeles Times 1979

'It's just not fair to the kids who buy records. It all comes down to greed - MCA doesn't need a new Tower. And if we don't take a stand, one of these days records are going to be $20.' - Los Angeles Times 1981

'I'll endeavor to deserve it and may I remind you that this ain't the end. I can still kick some ass.' - "Billboard Century Award acceptance speech."

'This is an emergency crisis we're in. The entertainment media is affecting everything on the planet in a very negative way. I'm only interested in rock 'n' roll. Rock 'n' roll is a music that represents truth. Your TV channel has taken the word 'rock' and knocked the 'roll' off the end. You made rock this umbrella term for everything. That's wrong. Shakira isn't rock. These country artists with fur coats aren't rock - or country. I offered a video to VH1 of my band playing in the studio and they don't want to air it because it had musicians playing in it. They want some babe walking on the beach or whatever. I got turned onto this music by watching the Beatles and the Rolling Stones actually on TV playing their guitars. It completely took me over. When you can't see musicians playing any more, I'm not interested any more.' (... more) - To VH1

External links

(Official Site)

(Official Fan Club)

(Mudcrutch Farm) - Fan Community

(Gigography) - Tour History 1976 -1990

(Tom Petty at Myspace)

(Tom Petty at YouTube)

Credit

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Tom Petty.

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