Tom Petty
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Oct 20, 1950
- Died
- Oct 2, 2017 (aged 66)
- Place of birth
- Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Credits
- 70
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
The Simpsons
1989TV
Tom Petty (voice)
The Postman
1997Movie
Bridge City Mayor
King of the Hill
1997TV
Lucky (voice), Lucky / Mud Dobber (voice)
Saturday Night Live
1975TV
Self - Musical Guest
Sound City
2013Movie
Self
Late Show with David Letterman
1993TV
Self - Musical Guest
Filmography
Fame and Fentanyl
2025Movie
Self (archive footage)
Heartbreakers Beach Party
2024Movie
Self
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts
2021Movie
Self
Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free
2021Movie
Himself (archive footage)
Echo in the Canyon
2019Movie
Self
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
2018TV
Self
The Defiant Ones
2017TV
Self
Soundbreaking
2016TV
Self
Night Flight: Born Again
2016Movie
Self
$aving Dat Money
2015Movie
Self
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC
2015Movie
Self (archive footage)
Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
2014Movie
Self
Sound City
2013Movie
Self
Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO
2012Movie
Self
Mike Campbell: The Guitars
2012Movie
Self
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
2011TV
Self
Classic Albums: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes
2010Movie
Self
The Best Of Sound Stage
2008Movie
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Live from Gatorville
2008Movie
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream
2007Movie
Self
The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys
2007Movie
Self
Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks
2007Movie
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: 30th Anniversary Concert
2006Movie
himself
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
2005Movie
Self
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers - Free Fallin'
2005Movie
Lead Vocals / Guitar
Live Aid
2004Movie
Self
Concert for George
2003Movie
Self
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Live at the Olympic (The Last DJ)
2003Movie
Singer, Guitar
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers: Live in Concert
2003Movie
vocals, guitar
Soundstage
2003TV
Self - vocals, guitar
America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001Movie
Self - Performer
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - High Grass Dogs - Live from the Fillmore
1999Movie
Himself
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: VH1 Storytellers
1999Movie
Self
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at the Docks, Hamburg
1999Movie
himself
The Postman
1997Movie
Bridge City Mayor
Wired for Sound: A Guitar Odyssey
1997Movie
Self
Behind the Music
1997TV
Self
Classic Albums
1997TV
Self
King of the Hill
1997TV
Lucky (voice), Lucky / Mud Dobber (voice)
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: Playback
1995Movie
Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: 400 Days
1995Movie
Self
Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
1995Movie
Self
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
1995TV
Self
Tom Petty: Going Home
1994Movie
Self
Late Show with David Letterman
1993TV
Self - Musical Guest
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
1993Movie
Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Take the Highway Live
1992Movie
Self
Later... with Jools Holland
1992TV
The Larry Sanders Show
1992TV
Tom Petty
The Simpsons
1989TV
Tom Petty (voice)
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - A Bunch Of Videos And Some Other Stuff
1989Movie
Self
Made in Heaven
1987Movie
Stanky
It's Garry Shandling's Show
1986TV
Tom Petty
Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert
1986Movie
Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up the Plantation - Live!
1986Movie
Bridge School Benefit Concert 1986
1986Movie
Self
Live Aid
1985Movie
Self
The Everly Brothers: Songs of Innocence and Experience
1984Movie
Self
MTV Video Music Awards
1984TV
Self
The Everly Brothers' Rock 'n' Roll Odyssey
1984Movie
Self
No Nukes
1980Movie
Self
Fridays
1980TV
Self - Musical Guest
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Rock Goes to College
1980Movie
Performer
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Old Grey Whistle Test
1978Movie
FM
1978Movie
Self
Saturday Night Live
1975TV
Self - Musical Guest
Rockpalast
1974TV
The Old Grey Whistle Test
1971TV
Life, Death and Money
TV
self - archival footage
Tom Petty - Mojo Tour 2010
Movie