Tom Petty
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- October 20, 1950
- Died
- October 2, 2017 (aged 66)
- Birthplace
- Gainesville, Florida, USA
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
Filmography
Tom Petty - Mojo Tour 2010
Movie
Life, Death and Money
TV · as self - archival footage · 1 ep
Fame and Fentanyl
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Heartbreakers Beach Party
Movie · as Self
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts
Movie · as Self
Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free
Movie · as Himself (archive footage)
Echo in the Canyon
Movie · as Self
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Defiant Ones
TV · as Self · 4 eps
Night Flight: Born Again
Movie · as Self
Soundbreaking
TV · as Self · 3 eps
$aving Dat Money
Movie · as Self
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
Movie · as Self
Sound City
Movie · as Self
Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO
Movie · as Self
Mike Campbell: The Guitars
Movie · as Self
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Classic Albums: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes
Movie · as Self
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Live from Gatorville
Movie
The Best Of Sound Stage
Movie
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream
Movie · as Self
The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys
Movie · as Self
Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks
Movie
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: 30th Anniversary Concert
Movie · as himself
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
Movie · as Self
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers - Free Fallin'
Movie · as Lead Vocals / Guitar
Live Aid
Movie · as Self
Concert for George
Movie · as Self
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers: Live in Concert
Movie · as vocals, guitar
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Live at the Olympic (The Last DJ)
Movie · as Singer, Guitar
Soundstage
TV · as Self - vocals, guitar · 2 eps
America: A Tribute to Heroes
Movie · as Self - Performer
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - High Grass Dogs - Live from the Fillmore
Movie · as Himself
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at the Docks, Hamburg
Movie · as himself
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: VH1 Storytellers
Movie · as Self
The Postman
Movie · as Bridge City Mayor
Wired for Sound: A Guitar Odyssey
Movie · as Self
King of the Hill
TV · as Lucky (voice), Lucky / Mud Dobber (voice) · 28 eps
Classic Albums
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Behind the Music
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: Playback
Movie · as Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: 400 Days
Movie · as Self
Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
Movie · as Self
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
TV · as Self · 11 eps
Tom Petty: Going Home
Movie · as Self
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
Movie · as Self
Late Show with David Letterman
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 1 ep
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Take the Highway Live
Movie · as Self
The Larry Sanders Show
TV · as Tom Petty · 2 eps
Later... with Jools Holland
TV · 1 ep
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - A Bunch Of Videos And Some Other Stuff
Movie · as Self
The Simpsons
TV · as Tom Petty (voice) · 1 ep
Made in Heaven
Movie · as Stanky
Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert
Movie · as Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up the Plantation - Live!
Movie
Bridge School Benefit Concert 1986
Movie · as Self
It's Garry Shandling's Show
TV · as Tom Petty · 2 eps
Live Aid
Movie · as Self
The Everly Brothers: Songs of Innocence and Experience
Movie · as Self
The Everly Brothers' Rock 'n' Roll Odyssey
Movie · as Self
MTV Video Music Awards
TV · as Self · 2 eps
No Nukes
Movie · as Self
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Rock Goes to College
Movie · as Performer
Fridays
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 1 ep
FM
Movie · as Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Old Grey Whistle Test
Movie
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self - Musical Guest · 7 eps
Rockpalast
TV · 1 ep
The Old Grey Whistle Test
TV · 1 ep