Historical Figure
Tom Petty
1950–2017
American rock musician (1950–2017)
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Biography
Thomas Earl Petty 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.
Timeline
The story of Tom Petty, told in moments.
Fought his record label in court over contract disputes twice. Filed for bankruptcy to get out of one deal. Won both times. Became known as a musician who stood up for artists' rights against the industry.
Released Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' self-titled debut. It flopped in the U.S. but broke big in England, where the band toured relentlessly. American radio caught up. "Breakdown" became their first hit.
Full Moon Fever, his first major solo album, sold five million copies. "Free Fallin'" and "I Won't Back Down" became classic rock staples. He also joined the Traveling Wilburys supergroup with Dylan, Harrison, Orbison, and Lynne.
Died of an accidental drug overdose in Santa Monica at 66. Had just completed a 40th anniversary tour. Cardiac arrest from a mix of painkillers prescribed for a fractured hip.
In Their Own Words (20)
Good love is hard to find.You got lucky, babe.You got lucky, babe, when I found you.
You Got Lucky, written with Mike Campbell, 1982
Well I fought for you;I fought too hard.To do it all again babe,It's gone too far.
Change of Heart, 1982
Oh baby, don't it feel like heaven right now,Don't it feel like something from a dream.
The Waiting, 1981
Somewhere deep in the middle of the night,Lovers hold each other tight.Whisper in their anxious ears,Words of love that disappear.
A Thing About You, 1981
She's a woman in loveAnd he's gonna break her heart to pieces.She don't want to see.She's a woman in love, but it's not me.
A Woman in Love (It's Not Me), written with Mike Campbell, 1981
Artifacts (15)
there is no such thing as the United Nations
minated to the post of United States Ambassador to the United Nations by President George W. Bush. Bolton said previously at a forum that "there is no such thing as the United Nations", and "[i]f the...
view the U.N. as an important component of our diplomacy
ngs === On April 11, 2005, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reviewed Bolton's qualifications. Bolton said he and his colleagues "view the U.N. as an important component of our diplomacy" and...
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