American rock legend Tom Petty dies at the age of 66 after heart attack
American musician and singer-songwriter Tom Petty has died aged 66.
The singer, whose hits include I Won’t Back Down and Free Fallin’, was found unconscious and not breathing at his home in Malibu, California, on Sunday night and was taken to hospital following what was suspected to be a “full cardiac arrest”.
The 66-year-old was put on life support at UCLA Medical Centre, Santa Monica.
LAPD yesterday issued a statement confirming the rock legend’s death.
Best known for his time with the Heartbreakers, the Traveling Wilburys and his solo work, Tom Petty sold some 80 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Petty had just finished a lengthy tour that finished up at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles last week.
In a statement, Bob Dylan, a close friend of Petty’s, said: “It’s shocking, crushing news. “I thought the world of Tom. “He was great performer, full of the light, a friend, and I’ll never forget him.”
In a tweet, pop singer Cyndi Lauper paid tribute to Petty, saying: “Oh man Tom Petty is gone.
“He was really great. He will be missed. Thoughts and prayers go to his family right now. RIP.”
Tom Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida on 20 October, 1950. He was the son of an insurance salesman.
He left high school at the age of 17 to join the southern rock group Mudcrutch.
The group’s lineup featured two musicians Petty would collaborate with for much of the next 50 years – guitarist Mike Campbell and keythe boardist Benmont Tench. In 1988, Petty joined George Harrison’s group, the Traveling Wilburys, which also included Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne.
The following year, he released Full Moon Fever, which featured hits I Won’t Back Down, Free Fallin’ and Runnin’ Down a Dream. It was nominally his first solo album, although several Heartbreakers and other well-known musicians participated.