Newly empowered, Petty stood his ground when MCA planned to raise the price of their follow-up for the label from the then-standard $8.98 to $9.98, threatening to either withhold the recordings or title it Eight Ninety-Eight in protest. The label ultimately relented, and Hard Promises was released in 1981. 15), which firmly established Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as rock superstars. Packed with quality songs from beginning to end, among its more recognizable tracks were the enduring singles “Don’t Do Me Like That” (No. 2 on the charts on its way to selling more than 3 million copies. More Hits- 'Refugee' and 'The Waiting'ĭespite this acrimonious start with MCA, the group signed with its subsidiary Backstreet Records and began work on their next album, Damn the Torpedoes. 23 on the charts and producing the popular singles “Listen to Her Heart” and “I Need to Know.” However, their momentum was momentarily threatened when Shelter was bought by MCA, and Petty’s attempts to renegotiate their contract led to lengthy legal proceedings that left him bankrupt and bitter. Undeterred, the group returned to the studio to record their second album, 1978’s You’re Gonna Get It!, which fared far better than its predecessor, reaching No. Released in November 1976, their self-titled debut established the blueprint for success that would follow on much of their subsequent work, combining a hard-edged, rock-and-roll foundation with the pop sensibilities of 1960s groups such as the Beatles and the Byrds, and featuring Petty’s distinctive voice and gift for succinct storytelling.

Shortly thereafter, they restructured Petty’s deal with Shelter, signed a contract as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and set to work on a new record. Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersĪfter trying for a while to put together a new backing band, Petty eventually reconnected with his former Mudcrutch bandmates Mike Campbell (guitar) and Benmont Tench (keyboards), who were playing with bassist Ron Blair and drummer Stan Lynch. Within a few years, their confidence in him would be duly rewarded. However, the label recognized Petty’s talent and offered him a solo contract. There, Petty and Benyo had their second daughter, AnnaKim, and Mudcrutch signed to Shelter Records, but when their lone single went largely unnoticed, the group disbanded. The year 1974 proved a pivotal one for Petty, who married his girlfriend, Jane Benyo (with whom he already had a daughter, Adria), before moving to Los Angeles with Mudcrutch in the hopes of reaching a wider audience.

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