Tom Petty
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.
Filmography · 65
The Simpsons
1989 · Tom Petty (voice)
Late Show with David Letterman
1993 · Self - Musical Guest
King of the Hill
1997 · Lucky (voice)
Saturday Night Live
1975 · Self - Musical Guest
MTV Video Music Awards
1984 · Self
The Larry Sanders Show
1992 · Tom Petty
The Old Grey Whistle Test
1971
Rockpalast
1974
Behind the Music
1997 · Self
Classic Albums
1997 · Self
It's Garry Shandling's Show
1986 · Tom Petty
The Postman
1997 · Bridge City Mayor
Fridays
1980 · Self - Musical Guest
Soundstage
2003 · Self - vocals, guitar
Soundbreaking
2016 · Self
The Defiant Ones
2017 · Self
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
2011 · Self
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
2018 · Self
Live Aid
1985 · Self
Made in Heaven
1987 · Stanky
Concert for George
2003 · Self
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
1995 · Self
America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001 · Self - Performer
Echo in the Canyon
2019 · Self
Life, Death and Money
— · self - archival footag...
Sound City
2013 · Self
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
2005 · Self
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
2018
FM
1978 · Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream
2007 · Self
$aving Dat Money
2015 · Self
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
1993 · Self
No Nukes
1980 · Self
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC
2015 · Self (archive footage)
Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO
2012 · Self
Bridge School Benefit Concert 1986
1986 · Self
Heartbreakers Beach Party
2024 · Self
Night Flight: Born Again
2016 · Self
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Live at the Olympic (The Last DJ)
2003 · Singer, Guitar
The Best Of Sound Stage
2008
Live Aid
2004 · Self
Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
2014 · Self
Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free
2021 · Himself (archive foota...
Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
1995 · Self
The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys
2007 · Self
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at the Docks, Hamburg
1999 · himself
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: 30th Anniversary Concert
2006 · himself
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts
2021 · Self
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers: Live in Concert
2003 · vocals, guitar
Wired for Sound: A Guitar Odyssey
1997 · Self
Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert
1986 · Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Take the Highway Live
1992 · Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up the Plantation - Live!
1986
Classic Albums: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes
2010 · Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: 400 Days
1995 · Self
The Everly Brothers: Songs of Innocence and Experience
1984 · Self
Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks
2007
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Rock Goes to College
1980 · Performer
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: Playback
1995 · Self
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - High Grass Dogs - Live from the Fillmore
1999 · Himself
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: VH1 Storytellers
1999 · Self
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Old Grey Whistle Test
1978
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Live from Gatorville
2008
Tom Petty - Mojo Tour 2010
—
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - A Bunch Of Videos And Some Other Stuff
1989 · Self