Legendary American rock musician Tom Petty died Monday of a heart attack, family sources have confirmed. He was 66.
Petty suffered cardiac arrest early morning inside his Malibu, California, home and was taken to the UCLA Medical Center but could not be revived, Tony Dimitriades, longtime manager of his famous band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, said in a statement posted on Petty's Twitter account. It was retweeted more than 33,000 times.
Petty died peacefully, Dimitriades said, surrounded by family, his bandmates, and friends.
Tributes poured in after Petty's death from fans, musicians and celebrities.
“I’m shocked and saddened by the news of Tom’s passing, he’s such a huge part of our musical history, there’ll never be another like him," world-renowned rock musician Eric Clapton said in a statement.
“It is so rare to find someone who commands such universal respect in the business. He was a rock n roll lifer with music in his blood. This man delivered a wealth of great songs to his fans and to the world and that is something to celebrate,” rocker Alice Cooper wrote on Twitter.
“Devastating news about #TomPetty A profound loss. Sad sad day today. RIP,” celebrated guitarist Slash wrote on Instagram.
Petty rose to fame in the 1970s with Tom Pettyand the Heartbreakers, and later went on to have a successful solo career that produced a number of hit singles, including Free Fallin’, “Running Down a Dream,” and “I Won’t Back Down”. He sold more than 80 million records globally, making him one of the top-selling musicians in history.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Petty and his band played their last show a week ago at the Hollywood Bowl amphitheater in Los Angeles, marking the end of the group’s 40th anniversary tour that included 53 shows in 24 states, according to their website.
Petty told Rolling Stone magazine he thought it would be the band's last tour together.
“It's very likely we'll keep playing, but will we take on 50 shows in one tour? I don't think so. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was thinking this might be the last big one. We're all on the backside of our sixties. I have a granddaughter now I'd like to see as much as I can. I don't want to spend my life on the road. This tour will take me away for four months. With a little kid, that's a lot of time.”
He tweeted Friday: “Thanks to everyone for supporting us for the last 40 years! Without YOU, there'd be no US! #TPHB40.”
Petty was also a part of the 1980s supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys with Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and George Harrison.
