Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actor. He was the lead singer of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch. He was also a member of the late 1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys.
Petty recorded a number of hit singles with the Heartbreakers and as a solo artist. In his career, he sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Petty died at the age of 66, of an accidental overuse of prescription drugs, one week after the completion of the Heartbreakers’ 40th anniversary tour.
This week on the Sounds of The 80s we feature music from: Tom Petty, Steely Dan, Toto, Huey Lewis and The News, Steve Perry, Styx, Billy Idol, Stars On 45, Traveling Wilburys, Michael Jackson, George Harrison and many more . . .
Radio Special featuring Tom Petty and Mudcrutch from 2008. August 17, 2008
Consider The Best of Everything a companion piece to An American Treasure, the first posthumous Tom Petty compilation. Weighing in at four CDs, An American Treasure was designed as a gift to the devoted who were still in mourning. In contrast, The Best of Everything is aimed at the fan who didn’t dig quite so deep, or perhaps to listeners who always liked Petty but never bothered to purchase an album. The Best of Everything relies on the hits that were largely absent on the box set but it takes a similar non-chronological approach to sequencing, a move that emphasizes Petty’s consistency as both a songwriter and recording artist. This distinguishes The Best of Everything from 2000’s Anthology: Through the Years, which also spanned two discs and contained four fewer songs than this 2019 set. Apart from that notable aesthetic choice, there is a considerable amount of overlap between the two double-disc collections — namely, all the hits Petty had with and without the Heartbreakers between 1976 and 1993, when he switched from his longtime home of MCA to Warner. The Best of Everything trumps Anthology in that it also includes hits Petty had for Warner — “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” “You Wreck Me,” and “Walls” — and extends to his strong last decade as a recording artist, adding two unreleased cuts for good measure (an alternate take of the title track which was heard in a shorter version on An American Treasure, the unheard “For Real,” which is laid-back and nifty). All this adds up to the best overall overview of — and perhaps introduction to — Tom Petty assembled to date. — AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Wildflowers is the second solo studio album by American musician Tom Petty, released on November 1, 1994. The album was the first released by Petty after signing a contract with Warner Bros. Records (where he had recorded as part of the Traveling Wilburys) and the first of three albums produced by Rick Rubin. The album was certified 3x platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Full Moon Fever is the debut solo studio album by Tom Petty, released on April 24, 1989 by MCA Records. It features contributions from members of his backing band the Heartbreakers, notably Mike Campbell, along with Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison (who died prior to its release), and George Harrison of the Traveling Wilburys. The record shows Petty exploring his musical roots with nods to his influences. The songwriting is mainly collaborations between Petty and Lynne, who was also a producer on the album. The album became a commercial and critical success peaking at No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and being certified 5× platinum in the United States and 6× platinum in Canada.
Into the Great Wide Open is the eighth studio album by American rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, first released in 1991. The album was the band’s last with MCA Records. The album was the second Petty produced with Jeff Lynne after the success of Full Moon Fever.
Southern Accents is the sixth album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released on March 26, 1985, through MCA Records.
Long After Dark is the fifth album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released in November 1982 on Backstreet Records. Notable for the major MTV hit “You Got Lucky”, the album was also the first to feature the late Howie Epstein on bass and harmony vocals. Epstein’s vocals are evident throughout the album, most notably on “Change of Heart”. From this point on Epstein’s vocals became an integral part of the Heartbreakers’ sound.
Hard Promises is the fourth album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released in May, 1981.
Thomas Earl Petty(October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist and record producer. He was best known as the lead singer of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but was also a member and co-founder of the late 1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, and his early band Mudcrutch.
Today Labor Day 2016 we feature Live tracks all day from great artists all day then a special Vinyl Resting Place Labor Day at 5pm with Willie B. Today you will hear Live tracks from Joni Mitchell, Kelly Clarkson, Cyndi Lauper, Journey, Bob Seger, Elton John, Steve Miller Band, Genesis, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Kiss, Nils Lofgren, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Madonna, Vixen, Tom Petty, Lisa Marie Presley, John Fogerty and many more.
