Pick a Day

Featured Timeline : Tom Petty

October 2, 2017 Tom Petty dies at age 66 after going into cardiac arrest the previous evening at his home in Malibu, California. He is found unconscious by his wife, Dana, and is rushed to UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, but cannot be revived. On the night of October 2, after his friends and family gather, Petty is taken off life support.More

September 25, 2017 At the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers play their last concert, as Petty dies a week later. The show is the last stop on their 40th Anniversary tour.

February 10, 2017 Tom Petty is honored as Person of the Year at the MusiCares gala, held two days before the Grammy Awards. "Twenty years ago I'd have been way too cynical to do this, but I'm 66 now and I feel ya," he says in his speech.More

September 21, 2001 The benefit concert America: A Tribute To Heroes airs on most major TV networks, raising over $128 million for victims of the September 11 attacks. Performers include Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Tom Petty and Willie Nelson.

January 15, 1991 On the United Nations deadline for Iraq to remove troops from Kuwait, a new version of "Give Peace A Chance" is released, with contributions from Iggy Pop, Tom Petty, LL Cool J and dozens of others.More

May 17, 1987 Tom Petty's home in Encino, California, burns to the ground. Petty and his family escape unharmed, but are traumatized by the blaze, which is determined to be arson. The perpetrator is never caught.More

June 6, 1982 The "Peace Sunday: We Have a Dream" concert takes place in Los Angeles, featuring Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks, Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne and Stevie Wonder. 85,000 attend the show, which supports nuclear disarmament.

July 29, 1979 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers conclude their "Lawsuit Tour" with a show at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Petty embarked on the tour to raise money for his legal battles with MCA Records.More

May 23, 1979 Responding to a wave of lawsuits after refusing to transfer his contract to MCA Records, Tom Petty files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a bold move that halts the legal proceedings and forces MCA to negotiate.More

June 9, 2016 The 47th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony is held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. The inductees are Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic, Chip Taylor, and the late Marvin Gaye. Lionel Richie also is honored at the event with the organization's prestigious Johnny Mercer Award.