At the Hollywood Bowl, California on 25 September 2017 the final song of
the final concert of the Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 40th Anniversary
tour was, almost inevitably, 'American Girl', the classic from the bands
1976 debut album. Seven days later Thomas Earl Petty was dead. When
Petty died, we lost one of the great singer-songwriters of our era. His
songs touch people of all ages and possess a timeless quality which will
ensure they will live on for years to come. Petty's music speaks of
freedom and rebellion, of doing what you want to do, of not compromising
your integrity, and, fundamentally, of speaking the truth. Tom Petty &
The Heartbreakers evolved from a fledgling rock'n'roll band from
Gainesville, Florida into becoming an American music institution, being
incorporated into the Hollywood Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame in March
2002. Most people have heard the big hits; 'Freefallin', 'Refugee', et
al. But there is so much more to enjoy in Petty's extensive back
catalogue. This retrospective delves into every aspect of Petty's
40-year recording career album by album and song by song to uncover the
extraordinary consistency and quality of this much missed musician.