Rock Icon Tom Petty Dead at 66

The music world lost a legend on Oct. 2, 2017, with the passing of Tom Petty. A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, band leader and producer, Petty sold more than 80 million records worldwide in a career that spanned nearly five decades.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers formed in 1976, containing two members from Petty's former band, Mudcrutch. The group released a popular debut album, with a follow-up in 1978 which landed them in the top 40. The third album, Damn the Torpedoes, containing "Don't Do Me Like That," "Here Comes My Girl" and "Refugee," was certified platinum and went on to sell over two million copies. The group would do a total of 10 studio albums to critical and commercial success. In 1988, Petty joined and recorded two albums with George Harrison's supergroup, the Traveling Wilburys, which also included Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne.

During his career, Tom Petty won three Grammy awards and was nominated 18 times. Petty was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, and received the Billboard Century Award for lifetime achievement in 2005.