Tom Petty Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Tom Petty
Tom Petty, portrait, New York, 1977. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
Tom Petty
Tom Petty was an American musician, known for his solo work and as the leader of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Petty also formed the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, George Harrison, and Jeff Lynne. Famous Tom Petty songs include "Free Fallin'," "American Girl," and "I Won't Back Down." The musician died in 2017 at the age of 66.
Entertainment
1 year ago
Where Are Tom Petty’s Kids Now?
Entertainment
12 months ago
Tom Petty Felt Duped When He First Heard His Duet With Stevie Nicks on ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’
Entertainment
1 year ago
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Documentaries to Watch if You Love the Band
Entertainment
12 months ago
Tom Petty Once Revealed Why He Never Talked About Being Friends with The Beatles: ‘I Don’t Like to Bring it Up’
Entertainment
9 months ago
Tom Petty Called 1 Elvis Presley Song ‘High Art’

classic rock

Ringo Starr sits in front of a green wall and holds a cigarette in his mouth. There is a lighter in his hand.

Music

Ringo Starr Said He Copied a Beatles Song to Create a Solo Hit

Ringo Starr was very proud of one Beatles song. He liked it so much that he borrowed from it while working on a solo hit.

by Emma McKee

Published on April 25, 2024

3 min read

A black and white picture of The Beatles' John Lennon playing guitar and singing into a microphone.

Music

John Lennon Said The Beatles Set a Violent Trend Long Before The Who Made It Famous

John Lennon and The Beatles played chaotic shows before fame. He said this led to them behaving like The Who would years later.

by Emma McKee

Music

Michael Jackson Was a Better Entertainer Than The Beatles

The Beatles were the best rock band ever but there was one way in which Michael Jackson surpassed them. He was simply a better entertainer than the Fab Four.

by Matthew Trzcinski

Lindsey Buckingham Said Fleetwood Mac Would’ve Been a Mess if He and Stevie Nicks Hadn’t Split

Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks' break up led to years of drama in Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham said it could have been worse between them.

by Emma McKee

Published on April 21, 2024

3 min read

Stevie Nicks performs at the Los Angeles Convention Center in 2017

Music

Stevie Nicks Called This Paul McCartney Classic a ‘Perfect Song’

Stevie Nicks showed love to her fellow songwriter Paul McCartney when she called this Beatles song written by him ‘perfect’

by Ross Tanenbaum

A black and white picture of Stevie Nicks sitting in front of a microphone.

Celebrity

Stevie Nicks Said She Wanted to ‘Go Down’ Like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin

Stevie Nicks admired Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin and saw her life taking a similar path. She explained why she glamorized this.

by Emma McKee

Bob Dylan Says 1 Beatles Song Is Like ‘an Out-of-Body Experience’

During an interview about great songs, Bob Dylan discussed the effects that two Beatles songs had on him. He said one makes him feel like he's levitating.

by Matthew Trzcinski

Published on April 3, 2024

2 min read

Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, holding a guitar case and a suitcase, in NYC

Celebrity

Monica Barbaro Transforms Into Joan Baez for New Bob Dylan Biopic

Timothée Chalamet will play Dylan in the upcoming movie 'A Complete Unknown,' which is currently filming in New York City.

by Megan Elliott

Music

John Lennon Felt Bob Dylan Didn’t Live Up to This Song Lyric

John Lennon and Bob Dylan had some major similarities as artists. However, they had widely differing views on religion, specifically Christianity.

by Matthew Trzcinski

Tom Petty Got Back at Stevie Nicks by Stealing 1 of Her Songs

Stevie Nicks planned to release a song but Tom Petty snatched it from her. Here's why this was payback from something she previously did.

by Emma McKee

Music

Tom Petty Felt Duped When He First Heard His Duet With Stevie Nicks on ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’

Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty collaborated on "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." the song wasn't what Petty expected, and he felt duped.

by Emma McKee

Tom Petty, Sir Paul McCartney, and others attend George Harrison's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2009

Music

Tom Petty Once Revealed Why He Never Talked About Being Friends with The Beatles: ‘I Don’t Like to Bring it Up’

Tom Petty had a close relationship with The Beatles -- and a lengthy friendship with Beatles member George Harrison. Interestingly, though, he doesn't like to talk about it.

by Julia Mullaney

Celebrity

Where Are Tom Petty’s Kids Now?

Tom Petty had two children in his first marriage and became a stepfather in his second. Here's what his adult children are doing now.

by Emma McKee

Celebrity

7 Musicians’ Reactions to Tom Petty’s Death: ‘My Heart Will Never Get Over This’

Tom Petty's death in 2017 devastated the music community. Here are seven musicians who reacted to his sudden death, whether they knew him or not.

by Emma McKee

What to Watch

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Documentaries to Watch if You Love the Band

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have been featured in several documentaries over the years. Here are 4 that fans of the group should watch.

by Emma McKee

Tom Petty performs during the 'A Very Special Christmas' TV special in 2000. Petty hid an easter egg on his holiday song 'Christmas All Over Again' with help from a friend.

Music

Tom Petty Hid an Easter Egg on His Holiday Song ‘Christmas All Over Again’

Tom Petty gave keen-eared listeners an easter egg on 'Christmas All Over Again' with the help of one of his longtime collaborators.

by Jason Rossi

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers original members

Music

The 5 Original Members of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Here are details about the original members of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and various lineup changes over the years.

by Rose Burke

Celebrity

Tom Petty Said Ringo Starr Was an ‘Incredibly Creative Drummer’

Tom Petty and Ringo Starr became friends. Petty said that Starr was a creative drummer who would always be welcome to play with him.

by Emma McKee

Celebrity

Tom Petty Wanted to Release a ‘Worst Of’ Album

Tom Petty was a successful musician for decades. He had many hits, but some songs that were never released. He wanted to compile them on an album.

by Emma McKee

Celebrity

Stevie Nicks Considered Changing an Album Name, but Tom Petty Called the Title Song ‘an Epic’

Stevie Nicks would have changed her solo album's title if the title song wasn't good enough. She decided to keep it after a compliment from Tom Petty.

by Emma McKee

Celebrity

Tom Petty Was Worried About Romanticizing Drug Use in His Biography

Tom Petty was concerned about romanticizing drug use in his biography. He didn't want to release the book if it did.

by Emma McKee

Celebrity

Bob Dylan’s Son Didn’t Think He Was the Right Person to Induct Tom Petty Into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Bob Dylan's son needed to be convinced to induct Tom Petty into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, even though he had always admired Petty.

by Emma McKee

Celebrity

Tom Petty Forgot the Words to 1 of His Most Famous Songs in Front of an Audience

Tom Petty was singing one of his popular songs for the first time in years. He explained that he completely forgot the words very quickly into the song.

by Emma McKee

Celebrity

The Eagles’ Don Felder Gave a Teenage Tom Petty Guitar Lessons

A teenage Tom Petty didn't want to be a bass player, so he turned to Don Felder for help. Felder taught him to play guitar.

by Emma McKee

Celebrity

Tom Petty Changed His Name When He Became Famous

Tom Petty decided to alter his name when he became famous. He realized that what he usually went by would look bad on his albums.

by Emma McKee

Musician Tom Petty sits on a chair while smoking a cigarette at his home in 1985

Celebrity

Tom Petty’s House Suffered Wildly Destructive Parties, a SWAT Raid, Arson, and More

Over the years, Tom Petty's house suffered an unfortunate series of events including a fire, wild parties, and even a SWAT raid.

by Amanda Landwehr

Music

Tom Petty Had a Bizarre Job Before Becoming Famous

Tom Petty might be one of the most well-known musicians of his time, but he made ends meet in a bizarre way before becoming famous.

by Julia Mullaney