TOM PETTY

The music icon was the leader of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, who brought us numerous hits such as American Girl, Learning to Fly, and Mary Jane’s Last Dance. Tom has been hailed as one of the best-selling musical artists of all time with over 80 million records sold worldwide. Did you know that as a young boy, his interest in rock and roll was inspired by Elvis Presley? In another interview, Tom also gives credit to the Beatles for inspiring him to form a band.

Thomas Earl Petty dropped out of school at 17 years old to pursue his dream. However, his father was against it and it affected their relationship. Despite having countless awards and honors, Tom seemed to be unlucky in the romantic relationship department. As they said, you really couldn’t have it all. Anyhow, he found love in his second wife, Dana York. Tom passed away on October 2, 2017, at the age of 66 years old.