Tom Petty
Latest about Tom Petty

Tom Petty on the song that defined him as a new kind of guitar-slinging American rocker
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The tune went on to challenge the norms for music videos with a storytelling approach that was unique for the time

Roger McGuinn on Bob Dylan’s big breakthrough, meeting the Beatles — and his question after hearing Tom Petty for the first time
By Andrew Daly last updated
The folk-rocker peels back the curtain on his friendships with a host of fellow music icons

Tom Petty played with George Harrison and Bob Dylan. But Crosby, Stills & Nash was the one act that left him literally shaking
By Christopher Scapelliti last updated
Petty's high regard for Stephen Stills dated back to their days as musicians on the Gainesville, Florida rock scene

Mike Campbell on the time he broke his guitar in two onstage with Bob Dylan with just one wrong move
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The guitarist bought the 1962 Gibson SG with another guitar for just $120 and famously played it for his guitar solo on Tom Petty's "Runnin' Down a Dream"

Tom Petty's throwaway guitar riff turned out to be one of the Heartbreakers' biggest hits — thanks to Rick Rubin
By Christopher Scapelliti published
Producer Rick Rubin discovered the tossed-off riff on a cassette of demos Petty gave him and thought it was the better than anything else on the tape

Tom Petty on how he almost didn’t record his first solo hit — and how George Harrison helped save the day
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The song came out of one of Petty's greatest tragedies but proved almost too personal for him to record

Mike Campbell on the Tom Petty song that stunned him at every performance
By Christopher Scapelliti published
The guitarist also shared details behind the hit song that gave the Heartbreakers their greatest challenge in the studio

Don Felder on his early years with Petty, Stephen Stills, Duane Allman and Florida's burgeoning rock scene
By Christopher Scapelliti published
“I can’t tell it was something that was in the water or something in what we were smoking," the former Eagles guitarist remarked of Northern Central Florida's impact on rock
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!