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IMDbPro

Tom Petty(1950-2017)

  • Music Artist
  • Actor
  • Composer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl Petty was an American musician and actor who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the late 1980s super-group the Traveling Wilburys, and had success as a solo artist.

Petty had many hit records. Hit singles with the Heartbreakers include "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). 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 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.

In 2017, Petty died of an accidental drug overdose, at the age of 66, one week after the end of the Heartbreakers' 40th Anniversary Tour.
BornOctober 20, 1950
DiedOctober 2, 2017(66)
BornOctober 20, 1950
DiedOctober 2, 2017(66)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Awards
    • 6 wins & 16 nominations

Unforgettable Super Bowl Performances

Unforgettable Super Bowl Performances

Beyoncé, Madonna, and Prince are just a few of the superstars who have revolutionized the Super Bowl halftime show. How many of these performances do you remember?
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Photos

Photos103

Jakob Dylan and Tom Petty in Echo in the Canyon (2018)
Steve Ferrone and Tom Petty in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream (2007)
Tom Petty in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream (2007)
Tom Petty in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream (2007)
Tom Petty in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream (2007)
Tom Petty in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream (2007)
Tom Petty in Dolly (1987)
Tom Petty at an event for Super Bowl XLII (2008)
Tom Petty at an event for Super Bowl XXXVI (2002)
Carrie Fisher, Penny Marshall, and Tom Petty
Mike Campbell, Steve Ferrone, and Tom Petty
Tom Petty

Known for

Kevin Costner in The Postman (1997)
The Postman
6.1
  • Bridge City Mayor
  • 1997
Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom in Elizabethtown (2005)
Elizabethtown
6.3
  • Soundtrack("Jack", "Learning to Fly", "Square One", "It'll All Work Out", "Jack", "Learning to Fly", "Square One")
  • 2005
Marc John Jefferies, Emma Roberts, and Dave Franco in Nerve (2016)
Nerve
6.5
  • Soundtrack("You Got It")
  • 2016
Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire (1996)
Jerry Maguire
7.3
  • Soundtrack("Free Fallin'")
  • 1996

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Crystal River (2019)
    Crystal River
    • Video
    • 2019
  • Kathy Najimy, Breckin Meyer, Brittany Murphy, Ashley Gardner, Beth Grant, Johnny Hardwick, Toby Huss, Jonathan Joss, Mike Judge, Stephen Root, Pamela Adlon, and Lauren Tom in King of the Hill (1997)
    King of the Hill
    • Lucky
    • Mud Dobber (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2004–2009
  • Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)
    The Simpsons
    • Tom Petty (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2002
  • Tom Petty in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Swingin' (1999)
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Swingin'
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1999
  • The Larry Sanders Show (1992)
    The Larry Sanders Show
    • Tom Petty
    • TV Series
    • 1998
  • Kevin Costner in The Postman (1997)
    The Postman
    • Bridge City Mayor
    • 1997
  • Tom Petty in Tom Petty: It's Good to Be King (1995)
    Tom Petty: It's Good to Be King
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1995
  • Tom Petty: You Wreck Me
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1995
  • Tom Petty in Tom Petty: You Don't Know How It Feels (1994)
    Tom Petty: You Don't Know How It Feels
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1994
  • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Mary Jane's Last Dance (1993)
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Mary Jane's Last Dance
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1993
  • Bob Dylan, Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, George Harrison: My Back Pages (Live) (1993)
    Bob Dylan, Roger McGuinn, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, George Harrison: My Back Pages (Live)
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1993
  • Roger McGuinn Feat. Tom Petty: King of the Hill (1991)
    Roger McGuinn Feat. Tom Petty: King of the Hill
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1991
  • Peace Choir: Give Peace a Chance (1991)
    Peace Choir: Give Peace a Chance
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1991
  • Johnny Depp in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Into the Great Wide Open (1991)
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Into the Great Wide Open
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1991
  • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Learning to Fly (1991)
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Learning to Fly
    • Tom Petty
    • Music Video
    • 1991

Composer

  • Crystal River (2019)
    Crystal River
    • Composer
    • Video
    • 2019
  • Anthony Hopkins in Mudcrutch: I Forgive It All (2016)
    Mudcrutch: I Forgive It All
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 2016
  • Sam Smith: Stay with Me (2014)
    Sam Smith: Stay with Me
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 2014
  • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Live at the Olympic - The Last DJ and More (2003)
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Live at the Olympic - The Last DJ and More
    • Composer
    • Video
    • 2003
  • Kinoamater - Milivoj Hubek
    • Composer
    • Video
    • 1998
  • Rod Stewart: Leave Virginia Alone (1995)
    Rod Stewart: Leave Virginia Alone
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1995
  • Tom Petty in Tom Petty: It's Good to Be King (1995)
    Tom Petty: It's Good to Be King
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1995
  • Tom Petty: You Wreck Me
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1995
  • Tom Petty in Tom Petty: You Don't Know How It Feels (1994)
    Tom Petty: You Don't Know How It Feels
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1994
  • Roger McGuinn Feat. Tom Petty: King of the Hill (1991)
    Roger McGuinn Feat. Tom Petty: King of the Hill
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1991
  • Johnny Depp in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Into the Great Wide Open (1991)
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Into the Great Wide Open
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1991
  • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Learning to Fly (1991)
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Learning to Fly
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1991
  • Roy Orbison: California Blue
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1989
  • Tom Petty in Tom Petty: Free Fallin' (1989)
    Tom Petty: Free Fallin'
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1989
  • Roy Orbison: You Got It (1989)
    Roy Orbison: You Got It
    • Composer
    • Music Video
    • 1989

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
    • Twitter
  • Alternative names
    • Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers
  • Height
    • 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
  • Born
    • October 20, 1950
    • Gainesville, Florida, USA
  • Died
    • October 2, 2017
    • Santa Monica, California, USA(accidental overdose)
  • Spouses
      Dana YorkJune 3, 2001 - October 2, 2017 (his death)
  • Children
      Adria Petty
  • Other works
    Album: "Highway Companion", 2006 (American Recordings)
  • Publicity listings
    • 7 Biographical Movies
    • 1 Print Biography
    • 4 Interviews
    • 22 Articles
    • 7 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Teamed up with Bob Dylan, Beatle George Harrison, Jeff Lynne from Electric Light Orchestra and Roy Orbison in the group The Traveling Wilburys.
  • Quotes
    I'm not exactly a guy who makes new friends easily.
  • Trademarks
      World-weary vocals

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