Heartbreaking Facts About Tom Petty, Music’s Free-Falling Hitmaker
Tom Petty may have come from the land of sunshine, trailers, and gators, but this rocker was no Florida Man.
While running down his rock ’n’ roll dreams, he found himself on a crash course with heartbreak, addiction, and more than a few shadowy demons.
1. He Was Not What He Seemed
Funny thing about Tom Petty—he might’ve seemed like the ultimate laid-back rock legend, but don’t let the cool exterior fool you. Sure, he was a relentless workhorse, crafting hit after hit, but here’s the twist: While he nailed the “too cool to care” vibe, beneath it all, he was a bubbling cauldron of psychological chaos.
2. He Was Born To Run
You know you’ve made it big when your name becomes a verb (shoutout to Big Boi’s 2012 rap hit), but long before the superstardom, the Traveling Wilburys, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and selling over 80 million albums, Thomas Earl Petty entered the world on October 20, 1950, in Gainesville, Florida.
His mother worked at the local tax office and his father worked at making his life miserable.
3. His Father Was No Role Model
Around the time Father Knows Best hit TV screens, young Tom Petty was learning a harsher truth: His father, Earl, definitely did not know best. Earl was a drinker, a gambler, and had a nasty temper. One day, he came home to find out his son had gotten into trouble with a slingshot—and Petty learned a brutal lesson he’d never forget…
4. His Aim Was Too Good
Boys will be boys and a five-year-old Petty was having fun in the yard with his slingshot when he made a colossally bad choice. Spotting a gleaming 1955 Cadillac cruising down the street, he fired away—whack! It hit the fin and the car stopped immediately. An irate driver stormed up to the house and talked to Petty’s mom.
Afterward, she turned to Petty and said, “This is bad. Your father’s not going to like this”. The slingshot was gone but the boy’s fear was just beginning.
