Tom Petty, a rock ‘n roll bard who wrote and sang several hit songs with his band Tom Petty and the Heatbreakers, died Monday from a heart attack. He would’ve turned 67 this month.
Celebrity news source TMZ first reported that EMTs rushed Petty to the hospital Sunday evening after he was discovered unconscious and in cardiac arrest in his Malibu home. TMZ’s sources later updated that because Petty showed no sign of brain activity after arriving at the hospital, he was removed from life support. LAPD confirmed that Petty had died Monday afternoon.
Born and raised in Gainesville, Florida, Petty started the Heartbreakers in 1976 after his previous band, Mudcrutch broke up. The Heartbreakers would go on to release 13 albums, five of which went platinum. Petty also released three solo albums, two of which went multi-platinum.
Among the hits Petty penned over his 41-year career were “Refugee,” “Free Fallin’” and “Last Dance With Mary Jane.”
His band also won a Grammy for playing on Johnny Cash’s Unchainded album in 1996.
The band recently finished their 40th Anniversary Tour, which concluded with a show at the Hollywood Bowl. One of Petty’s last performances was at UC Berkeley’s Greek Theater.
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