Tom Petty, an American singer and songwriter was born October 20,1950 in Gainesville, Florida,—died October 2, 2017 in Santa Monica, California. Tom Petty dropped out of high school to tour with his first band Mudcrutch in the early 1970s. After arriving in Los Angeles, the band quickly disintegrated, but in 1975 Petty and two former members, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, joined Ron Blair and Stan Lynch to form Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.  Tom Petty was best known as the legendary front man of the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He also enjoyed success as a solo artist with such hit songs as ‘Free Fallin” and ‘Runnin’ Down a Dream. ‘