Tom Petty Research Papers

Tom Petty is a talented man who has achieved immense success due to the events that occurred in his early years. He experienced barriers that taught him determination to push through difficulties, and triumphs that drove him further. Likewise, he had friends and family that kept him grounded. Everything that Petty went through shaped him and the music that he and his friends made. Tom Petty’s early life impacted his music and career.

Tom Petty was one of Earl and Katherine Petty’s two sons (Zollo “Tom” 1). Petty’s mother was loving, but it was his relationship with his father that drove him to go his own way. His father, a Floridian salesman (Macnie 1), was an abusive drunk with a gambling problem, who regularly ran his car into ditches

Then the school dance rolled around, and a cute girl asked Petty if his group could perform (Zollo “Tom” 2). He agreed whole-heartedly, and the two boys enlisted the help of Richie Henson and Robert Crawford –fellow guitar players –and the night of their first gig, the group played four songs over and over again (Zollo “Tom” 2). The group was a hit in their hometown of Gainesville, FL, and after the dance, they were asked to play at a fraternity party, and the boys agreed (Zollo “Tom” 2). Afterwards, the group decided to call themselves The Sundowners and the band signed up for a “Battle of the Bands” at the local Moose Club, where if they won, The Sundowners would receive a summer long contract to play on Friday nights (Zollo “Tom” 2). The Sundowners ended up winning the contest and were paid $100 for every night that they played at the club, but Petty was only 14 at the time, so he had to ride with his parents or a friend (Zollo “Tom” 2). At the end of the summer, Petty put his share of the remaining money into buying an amp for the band, while his father bought him a Gibson Bass (Zollo “Tom” 2). Petty taught himself how to play the bass guitar and he became The Sundowners’ bassist (Zollo “Tom” 2). The group became increasingly busy with gigs after playing at The Moose Club, but while Petty was in The Sundowners he would also fill in as bassist for another band

The group hung up posters around town and found other bands to put on the bill to make an event out of it and to draw in more crowds (Zollo “Tom” 4). Petty and his band put up two more shows, but they were still playing at Dub’s and they felt stuck because the bar’s crowd only wanted covers (Zollo “Tom” 4). Marsh and Campbell were soon evicted from their apartment for the noise in the field, and the group knew it was time to move on (Zollo “Tom” 4). Mudcrutch decided to travel to LA to make their mark (Zollo “Conversations”