Tom Petty - American Boy

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are one of those very few artists that appeal to all ages and people from all backgrounds who like music.  Everyone has at least one Petty record their collection.  The venerable Rock and Roll Hall of Famers hit the road this summer for their Highway Companions tour.

The Band
Though Petty gets the lion’s share of the credit, the Heartbreakers are not a backup band mind you, but a collaborative ensemble.  They have been playing together since 1975 and have understandably become a well-oiled machine not only in the studio, but especially on stage.  Recently though, Petty’s solo efforts have garnered the most attention, with ‘Full Moon Fever’ and ‘Wildflowers’ both going triple platinum.

The Songs
One of Petty’s most beloved tunes, ‘American Girl,’ was never released has a single, but has remained a rock radio staple since the mid 70s.  In fact many early Heartbreakers’ songs like ‘Don’t Do Me Like That,’ ‘Here Comes My Girl,’ and ‘Refugee,’ didn’t receive much attention until long after the release of “Damn the Torpedoes”.  The band enjoyed much success throughout the 80's with hits like ‘Don’t Come Around Here No More,’ 'You Got Lucky,’ and ‘Jammin Me’ (co-written with Bob Dylan).

Busy Guy
In addition to touring with the Heartbreakers, Petty is putting the finishing touches on his third solo album with collaborator and former fellow Traveling Wilbury Jeff Lynne.  He also has a recurring character on the animated Fox show ‘King of the Hill’ and has his own radio show on XM Satellite radio called ‘Tom Petty’s Buried Treasure’.