<P> In 1976 , Petty , with himself as lead singer and guitarist , formed `` Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers '' with Mike Campbell ( lead guitarist ) , Ron Blair ( bass ) , Stan Lynch ( drums ) , and Benmont Tench ( keyboards ) . The Heartbreakers began their recording career with a self - titled album , released through the Shelter label . Initially , the Heartbreakers did not gain much traction in the US , although they achieved success in the UK playing `` Anything That 's Rock ' n ' Roll '' on Top of the Pops . Early singles included `` Breakdown '' and `` American Girl '' . Recalling the band 's first gig in the UK in 1976 , Petty states , `` The audience just jumped up and charged the stage and were boogieing their brains out . It was such a rush . Wow , we had never seen anything like that , man . '' `` Breakdown '' was re-released in the U.S. and became a Top 40 hit in 1978 , after word filtered back of the band 's massive success in the UK . `` American Girl '' was covered in 1977 by Roger McGuinn on his `` Thunderbyrd '' LP . </P>
<P> In 1976 , Petty , with himself as lead singer and guitarist , formed `` Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers '' with Mike Campbell ( lead guitarist ) , Ron Blair ( bass ) , Stan Lynch ( drums ) , and Benmont Tench ( keyboards ) . The Heartbreakers began their recording career with a self - titled album , released through the Shelter label . Initially , the Heartbreakers did not gain much traction in the US , although they achieved success in the UK playing `` Anything That 's Rock ' n ' Roll '' on Top of the Pops . Early singles included `` Breakdown '' and `` American Girl '' . Recalling the band 's first gig in the UK in 1976 , Petty states , `` The audience just jumped up and charged the stage and were boogieing their brains out . It was such a rush . Wow , we had never seen anything like that , man . '' `` Breakdown '' was re-released in the U.S. and became a Top 40 hit in 1978 , after word filtered back of the band 's massive success in the UK . `` American Girl '' was covered in 1977 by Roger McGuinn on his `` Thunderbyrd '' LP . </P>
when was tom petty and the heartbreakers formed
when was tom petty and the heartbreakers formed
1976
1976