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Updated 5.49am
ICONIC MUSICIAN AND singer Tom Petty has died.
He was 66.
After initially being reported by US media as having died, before later reports said he was “clinging to life”, the news that Petty had died following a cardiac arrest was confirmed in the early hours this morning.
“He died peacefully at 20:40 Pacific time (03:40 GMT Tuesday) surrounded by family, his bandmates and friends,” said his long-time manager Tony Dimitriades.
The Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers frontman was rushed to hospital on Sunday, after he was found unresponsive and in full cardiac arrest.
News of Petty’s death was first reported by CBS News, which quoted the Los Angeles Police Department.
The news was also reported by Variety, quoting an unnamed source.
The LAPD then, however, tweeted that this information was “inadvertently provided to some media sources”.
An ambulance rushed to his home in Malibu, California, and he was taken to UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, TMZ reports. That outlet also reported that he had been taken off life support.
Petty had just finished up a 40th anniversary tour with his band last month, playing three concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. Variety reported that he had been due to play two dates in New York this November, while a number of shows had been called off due to laryngitis.
He told Rolling Stone that the tour would be his “last trip around the country”, but said that he was unlikely to quit performing altogether.
Born in Florida on 20 October 1950, Petty got an international audience when his band the Heartbreakers made it big with their 1979 album Damn The Torpedoes.
The group would eventually go on to have eight top-10 albums over their career, with their 1993 Greatest Hits album selling in excess of 10 million copies.
In 2002, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Petty also was a co-founder of supergroup the Travelling Wilburys alongside George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne and Bob Dylan.
Over the course of his career, Petty sold millions of albums and became iconic for hits such as Won’t Back Down, Free Fallin’ and You Don’t Know How It Feels.
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“Into The Great Wide Open”
This type of news usually doesn’t bother me but it’s Tom Petty
Thats exactly what I was thinking. A true great.
@Guill Ire: A legend that took on the music industry too. Watch Damn the Torpedoes, great doc. Sad news.
Aww man, what a legend we’ve lost. Was only listening to him in the car with my dad the other day and saying how incredibly good the Heartbreakers were as a band. No tricks, nothing fancy, just bloody good songs. Gutted about this.
Heartbreaker
Think he’s gone. Legend Tom
CNN reporting his passing….R.I.P.
Saw them in Wembly 1988……fantastic concert…….brilliant night….what a performer…..my personal fave was “last dance with Mary jane” but I LOVE all his work,
R.I.P.
@Frank Dubogovik: My favourite as well. Saw him live twice. Great concerts.
CNN retracted and say he’s on life support, apologising for earlier saying he had passed.
Super musician. Hope he makes full recovery.
@w5lol: a full recovery from death?
@Jack Ryan: yea I was thinkin the same. The main headline said “he’s died”. That dusnt mean his dead now then !!!!!!
@Deirdre D’Arcy Murphy: The story was updated after the people commented on the original story. It’s not flipping hard to understand now is it?
@Deirdre D’Arcy Murphy: they’ve updated an earlier report which said he had been taken to hospital.
@Brendan Phelan: do people not realise that the article has been updated before replying with such fuc31ng w@nk?!
@w5lol: I take that back, latest reports say he is alive
The Travellimg Wburrys looking increasingly unlikely to reform. Had only just gotten into them too!
@Ne: two of them are dead already
@Dermot Lane: That’s a rather defeated attitude.
@Ne: well 3 gone now 2 left. They could form a duo, i suppose. Jeff Lynne and Bob Dylan? On second thoughts maybe not.
@Dermot Lane: three now
@Celtic Spirit: you should watch tom petty when Prince guest appeared …while my guitar gently weeps..all the legends on stage. We are losing this magic music daily. They don’t make music like that today.
@jenni: True. Tom was an excellent musician. All the Wilburys died reasonably young. Even Del Shannon was young. He never got to perform with them. They covered the song Runaway in tribute to him.
@jenni: yes jenni, Jeff Lynn was also on that with George Harrison’s son Dhanni. I think it was a tribute concert for George. Prince did a fantastic guitar solo towards the end of that song. Well worth a look on YouTube for music fans who haven’t already seen it before. RIP Tom Petty. His music will go on.
No!!!!!!
A wonderful artist. Rest now Tom. Xx
What a talent!
@Rachel Durack Murray: And so it’s confirmed. Someone hide Bruce there please and thanks. May Tom RIP :-(
@Rachel Durack Murray: Wer literally is f*cked if Bruce goes!!
@Jeremiah A Craic: Agreed! These past couple of years have annihilated many great musical talents. Tom Petty – free fallin’ no more.
We are running out of music legends. He was a brilliant musician. RIP Tom. Thank you for the music.
One of the all time greats rip tom petty
Room at the top,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,freefalling
He’s passed away now. RIP
@JIMBO BUCKLEY: No he hasn’t.
Reports are coming through he’s passed away
Make it better,
Hopefully he’s ok, I always liked his song “it’s not unusual”
@John O’Shea: well john
@John O’Shea:you keep on smoking the dubbies
@John O’Shea: do some of your friends tell you that you are funny ?
@John O’Shea: OMG – nobody ever pretends to mix people up after they die!! Do your Neil/Lance Armstrong gag next – it’s so hilarious & fresh!
UK independent are reporting his death I’m afraid. Another legend gone.
Just passed away. RIP
Proof from rolling stones https://twitter.com/RollingStone
they dont make them like they used to
It’s being reported that he’s died. Please be wrong.
Won’t come around here no more …
RIP
One of the greats. Saw him in Forrest Hills in July. What a shame…. RIP
And I didn’t even get to marry him
@Sarah Murphy: Oh yeah? Alright… Take it easy baby
@Robert T Pooner: “make it last all night, she was…an American Girl” One of my favourite Tom Petty songs.
Tom Petty RIP.
Heart breakers
Not dead……despite the internets best efforts
Everyone hold your horses….
There seems to be a bit of ‘lazirus’ going on…??????????
Reports coming in that LAPD CANNOT CONFIRM REPORTS OF HIS PASSING
Charlie Wilbury has come to The End of The Line
https://youtu.be/cwqhdRs4jyA
In more disturbing news, the dead are coming back to life.
Wasn’t he also on the Travelling Wilbury’s cd?
@Shelley Keary: yeah he was
Farewell Charlie Wilbury
Great musician. One of my oul favs
Always thought of him as an artist who done songwriting as an aside to whatever else he wanted to do. The more i came across the brilliant songs he was involved in…well however he made it work he was one of the best. His way worked for him
Awful news. The memories of working in a music shop and constantly having Tom Petty on the store speakers. The manager would be going spare! A more carefree day, RIP Tom Petty x
RIP Tom Petty, Have a Good Journey to The Great Wide Open.
He’s not dead… he’s on life support,RTÉ news just reported it.
Aww loved his music. RIP.
Into the great wide open. Only young, feck. Was hoping to see him at the Point again. RIP Tom.
Gutted, been a fan since the early days. A true legend.
That’s so sad. RIP Tom. Another great one gone.
Absolutely gutted. Loved his music so much .
Rest in peace and Thank you for the music.x
in the blink of an eye
Legendary performer and writer with a unique voice. Godspeed Mr Petty and thanks for the memories, thankfully the songs will forever.
Has anybody any theory on the demise of all the rockers….it is nearly a daily occurrence now….hope Bono is OK…
@Rachel Didleu: BONO is not in the same leauge ,bono,s in bed by 9pm everynight ,
@Rachel Didleu: the legends are getting to that age, it’s as simple as that. It’s not a healthy lifestyle
Damn love Tom Petty.
What a bummer… great artist. RIP
Rest in Peace Tom. You ain’t Freefallin’ no more.
It’s heartbreaking. How could they have made this mistake.heads should roll.
Tom is STILL alive thank God.
Rip tom petty ..great musician
Thank you for all the great music.
Anothet rock icon gone on his way to link up with George and Roy to rejoin the passing Wilberies
And he said he wouldn’t back down
I was blessed to see him this year at the bst on hyde park, another fantastic artist gone :(prioritywest@gmail.com prioritywest@gmail.com
Rock In Paradise Tom. Thanks for all the great songs. You will be missed.
Full Moon Fever, great album. “You can stand me up against the gates of Hell but I won’t back down, No I’ll stand my ground”
Death you are a son of a B!tch
Bad journalism when the guy is dead for the last two hours who runs this shite site
The end of the line, R.I.P.
One of the anthems to my youth, very few have stepped up to the mark, too much ‘commercial’ rubbish out there! Will be sadly missed…RIP
He probably just learning to fly again
His voice an Melody’s were ageless, r.i.p. the great Tom petty, into the great wide open.
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