Tom Petty Wiki: Net Sorth, Singer, Death, 'Free Fallin' & Facts To Know

It was a sad moment for rock fans from all over the world in last year October, after learning about the death of the rock star, Tom Petty, who passed on aged 66. Petty died of cardiac arrest, and according to doctors, Petty had accidentally overdosed on drugs. Petty is remembered for his hit songs, some of them being, “Full Moon Fever,” “Free Fallin’,” “I Won’t Back Down,” and “You Don’t Know How It Feels.” Tom Petty was also an actor who made cameo appearances in movies like “The Postman,” and “Made in Heaven.” Petty was a record producer, singer, and actor and was the lead singer of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Petty’s band was formed in 1976 after he left another band known as Mudcrutch. Petty also co-founded the 1980’s Traveling Wilburys. In his career, Petty sold over 80 million records worldwide, increasing his net worth. Moreover, Petty became a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer in 2001. Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida. Petty’s mother, Kitty, was a local tax officer while Petty’s father was Earl Petty who worked in a grocery store. His younger brother is Bruce Petty. Petty developed an interest in rock music after he met Elvis Presley. Petty also stated that he was inspired by some of the songs from the Beatles. The rock singer dropped out of high school to concentrate on playing bass. Petty grew up having issues with his father. The singer’s mother and brother were the only ones close to him.

Tom Petty and his wife Jane divorced in 1996 after their 22 years of marriage and the singer was left heartbroken and devastated. As a result, Petty turned to heroin to deal with the bitter loss as he felt that his life was out of control. In an interview with biographer, Warren Zanes, Petty said that he felt like he was losing his soul and felt like he had lost himself and was hanging with people he won’t be seen with in the coming years, triggering him to want to get out of it. A therapist convinced Petty to get to rehab. Petty got clean and proceeded to release an album, the 1999 “Echo,” which mostly covered the darkness in his life.

Just after his career had taken off, Petty’s mother died. At the time of his mother’s death, Petty was on tour for Damn the Torpedoes in 1980. The singer was being followed by fans and the media in the entire tour, but he took a break to go and visit her for the last time in the hospital. Petty was relieved to find a calmer environment at the hospital that her mother had been admitted at. But sooner had he walked to his mother’s room that it soured up. A nurse who saw Petty thought it was a moment of fame for her and decided to cover Petty’s mother with his magazine clippings. Petty revealed that the surreal gesture hurt him. The fame that helped him make a decent net worth was making him uncomfortable.

Petty and his band released their debut album in 1976, but their song “Breakdown” stayed in the cold for 18 months before it made to the top 40. The song didn’t stay more than a week in the charts. Petty’s band only gained recognition after they released their 1979 album, “Damn the Torpedoes.” It’s from the album that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers gained some recognition through hits like “Don’t Do Me Like That” and “Refugee.” The album hit number two in the majority of the charts and became triple-platinum. Other songs that made Petty and his band famous are, “Full Moon Fever,” “Free Fallin’,” “I Won’t Back Down,” and “You Don’t Know How It Feels.”

In the 1980’s an arsonist, who perhaps had personal issues with the Petty, burnt the singer’s home in California. The fire consumed everything except his basement recording studio. According to the magazine, Ultimate Classic Rock, Petty and his family had just sat down for breakfast when they noticed the scent of smoke. When Petty went to find out where the smoke was coming from, he found that it was his house catching fire. The singer tried to stop the fire, but he never succeeded. Petty lost all his belongings including his hat.

After months of speculations since Petty died in October, it was revealed on January 20, 2018, the cause of the death of the singer was revealed. Initially, it had been ruled out that it was a Cardiac arrest. It was stated that singer and actor in “The Postman” and “Made in Heaven,” took several pain medications that caused his body to malfunction resulting in his death.

Tom Petty had a net worth of $95 million. He made his net worth from performances and record sales.

His fans will miss Petty. The singer was one of those stars who made it big in rock music. Petty’s songs still enjoy airplay. May he rest in peace!