Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers in 2006.
Background information
Origin	Gainesville, Florida, United States
Genres	Rock, heartland rock, blues rock
Years active	1976–present
Labels	Shelter, Backstreet, MCA, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Mudcrutch, Tom Petty, Traveling Wilburys, Stevie Nicks, Jeff Lynne, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Dave Grohl
Members	Tom Petty Mike Campbell Benmont Tench Ron Blair Scott Thurston Steve Ferrone
Past members	Stan Lynch Howie Epstein

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers was a famous American rock band that started in Gainesville, Florida. The band had six members. The main members were Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Ron Blair, Scott Thurston and Steve Ferrone.

The band was very successful. They received a special star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. They also won many Grammy Awards. In 2006, they got the Billboard Century Award for their amazing music.

Meet the Band Members

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers had a group of talented musicians. They played together for many years.

Current Members

These are the musicians who were in the band until it stopped performing:

• Tom Petty – He was the lead singer and played rhythm guitar. He also played the harmonica.
• Mike Campbell – He was the lead guitar player and also played the mandolin.
• Scott Thurston – He played rhythm guitar, harmonica, and synthesizers. He also sang backing vocals.
• Ron Blair – He played the bass guitar and sang backing vocals.
• Benmont Tench – He played the piano, organ, and synthesizers. He also sang backing vocals.
• Steve Ferrone – He played the drums.

Former Members

Some members were part of the band earlier:

• Stan Lynch – He played drums and sang backing vocals from 1976 to 1994.
• Howie Epstein – He played bass, sang backing vocals, and played mandolin from 1982 to 2002.

The Band's Music Albums

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released many albums. An album is a collection of songs. By 2011, they had released 12 studio albums.

Studio Albums

Here are some of their popular albums:

• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1976)
• You're Gonna Get It! (1978)
• Damn the Torpedoes (1979)
• Hard Promises (1981)
• Long After Dark (1982)
• Southern Accents (1985)
• Let Me Up (I've Had Enough) (1987)
• Into the Great Wide Open (1991)
• Wildflowers (1994)
• Songs and Music from "She's the One" (1996)
• Echo (1999)
• The Last DJ (2002)
• Mojo (2010)

Images for kids

• 

  The band in 1977. From left: Mike Campbell, Ron Blair, Tom Petty, Stan Lynch, and Benmont Tench

• 

  Hollywood walk of fame star, awarded in 1999

• 

  Keyboardist Benmont Tench performs with the band at the Hollywood Bowl in 2010.

• 

  Mike Campbell (left) and Tom Petty at Bonnaroo in 2013

• 

  Tom Petty, the band's primary vocalist and songwriter. He also had a successful solo career and was part of the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys.

See also

In Spanish: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers para niños