website associated_acts years_active children alias birth_place label image_size article_title background birth_date instrument genre image spouse birth_name occupation
notable_instruments = -lcb- -lcb- unbulleted list epics , traveling wilburys , stevie nicks , bob dylan , , jeff lynne , george harrison , grateful dead , roy mudcrutch orbison , bonnie raitt , sam smith , dwight twilley , tom petty and the heartbreakers 1969 -- present adria , kimberly violette , dylan charlie t. wilbury jr. , muddy wilbury gainesville , florida , us shelter american , reprise , backstreet , mca , warner bros. , 250px tom petty
 solo_singer 20 october 1950 vocals , guitar rock heartland rock , blues rock , rock and roll , roots rock , tom petty 2.jpg jane benyo -lrb- divorced -rrb- , dana york thomas earl petty musician actor , singer , songwriter , record producer ,
tom petty

thomas earl `` tom '' petty -lrb- born october 20 , 1950 -rrb- is an american musician , singer , songwriter , multi-instrumentalist and record producer .
he is best known as the lead singer of tom petty and the heartbreakers , but is also known as a member and co-founder of the late 1980s supergroup the traveling wilburys -lrb- under the pseudonyms of charlie t. wilbury , jr. and muddy wilbury -rrb- and mudcrutch .
he has recorded a number of hit singles with the heartbreakers and as a solo artist , many of which remain heavily played on adult contemporary and classic rock radio .
his music has been classified as rock and roll , heartland rock and even stoner rock .
his music , and notably his hits , have become popular among younger generations as he continues to host sold-out shows .
throughout his career , petty has sold more than 80 million records worldwide , making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time .
in 2002 , he was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame .
