US rock icon Tom Petty’s passing has been confirmed today. The singer was 66 years-old, and suffered a cardiac arrest.
Rumours of the former Heartbreakers and Travelling Wilburys member’s death initially spread yesterday, upon the initial confirmation of his heart attack. Now, Petty’s death has sadly been confirmed by his longtime manager Tony Dimitriades, on behalf of his family.
“On behalf of the Tom Petty family, we are devastated to announce the untimely death of of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend Tom Petty. He suffered cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu in the early hours of this morning and was taken to UCLA Medical Center but could not be revived. He died peacefully at 8:40 p.m. PT surrounded by family, his bandmates and friends,” Dimitriades wrote.
Petty’s rise came through his work with in Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, forming in 1976. The band released several seminal albums and tracks that are still revered to this day, with songs like ‘American Girl’ and later ‘Free Fallin” proving huge hits both critically and commercially.
The band kept a steady output of albums, even in recent times, with their last album coming in 2014, titled Hypnotic Eye, which was their 13th LP. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers also recently concluded a 40th anniversary tour, the final date of which was played at LA’s Hollywood Bowl on September 22.
As well as his work in the Heartbreakers, Petty also found great success in the late 1980’s, when co-founding one of music’s original supergroups, The Travelling Wilburys, alongside Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison.
The music world has paid tribute to one of it’s modern greats, with Bob Dylan himself lamenting the music world’s loss today. “It’s shocking, crushing news,” Dylan told Rolling Stone in a statement. “I thought the world of Tom. He was a great performer, full of the light, a friend, and I’ll never forget him.”
So saddened to hear of @tompetty passing. He's was such sweet person to us and a once in a lifetime artist.
— Cage The Elephant (@CageTheElephant) October 2, 2017
damn we love you Tom Petty. incredible songwriter. "free fallin" is truly one of the greatest pieces of american art. so perfect & sad
— Ezra Koenig (@arzE) October 2, 2017
no words. just thanks. @tompetty pic.twitter.com/224gn9GNbo
— Cameron Crowe (@CameronCrowe) October 2, 2017
