Thomas Earl Petty (20 October 1950 - 2 October 2017) was an American musician, singer, composer and songwriter best known for fronting Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Apart from the band, he released three solo albums: "Full Moon Fever" (1989), "Wildflowers" (1994) and "Highway Companion" (2006). After working with his early bands The Sundowners, The Epics, and Mudcrutch (which also included future Heartbreakers members Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench) he began his recording career with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers when the band broke onto the national music scene with their 1976 self-titled debut album. Still, it took America a full year to catch up to the album.