
Tom Petty
The Life & Music
Gillian G. Gaar(Author)
Motorbooks (Publisher)
Published on 6. November 2025
Book
Hardback
200 pages
978-0-7603-9261-4 (ISBN)
Description
Experience the extraordinary career of beloved rocker Tom Petty with this richly illustrated slipcase edition.
Twenty-eight Billboard Top-10 singles, induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a string of best-selling studio albums ... nearly a decade after his passing, Tom Petty remains one of rock's most beloved figures. In Tom Petty: The Life & Music, veteran rock journalist Gillian G. Gaar reveals this rock icon through 75 career releases, performances, and accolades. This luxuriously produced collectible edition features:
A slipcased hardcover format
Stunning concert and candid offstage photography
Images of memorabilia, including gig posters, vinyl record sleeves, ticket stubs, period ads, and more
Through the decades, Gaar covers it all:
Petty's childhood in Florida and early band, Mudcrutch
All 13 studio albums, including those with The Heartbreakers and as a solo artist such as the breakouts Damn the Torpedoes and Wildflowers
A selection of his greatest singles, like the rock standards "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Free Fallin'"
Relationships with notable rock figures such as Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Johnny Cash, and Stevie Nicks
Legendary gigs, from his first SNL appearance to his 2004 performance with Prince and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his Super Bowl halftime performance
and much more
Beginning with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 1976 self-titled debut LP and continuing right through the band's final release, Hypnotic Eye in 2014, Tom Petty is one of the most beloved performers and musicians in rock 'n' roll history, influencing countless acts for decades.
This book is your unprecedented retrospective of Petty's life and art, from teenage Florida rock 'n' roll enthusiast to international star and celebrity.
Twenty-eight Billboard Top-10 singles, induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a string of best-selling studio albums ... nearly a decade after his passing, Tom Petty remains one of rock's most beloved figures. In Tom Petty: The Life & Music, veteran rock journalist Gillian G. Gaar reveals this rock icon through 75 career releases, performances, and accolades. This luxuriously produced collectible edition features:
A slipcased hardcover format
Stunning concert and candid offstage photography
Images of memorabilia, including gig posters, vinyl record sleeves, ticket stubs, period ads, and more
Through the decades, Gaar covers it all:
Petty's childhood in Florida and early band, Mudcrutch
All 13 studio albums, including those with The Heartbreakers and as a solo artist such as the breakouts Damn the Torpedoes and Wildflowers
A selection of his greatest singles, like the rock standards "Don't Do Me Like That" and "Free Fallin'"
Relationships with notable rock figures such as Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Johnny Cash, and Stevie Nicks
Legendary gigs, from his first SNL appearance to his 2004 performance with Prince and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his Super Bowl halftime performance
and much more
Beginning with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 1976 self-titled debut LP and continuing right through the band's final release, Hypnotic Eye in 2014, Tom Petty is one of the most beloved performers and musicians in rock 'n' roll history, influencing countless acts for decades.
This book is your unprecedented retrospective of Petty's life and art, from teenage Florida rock 'n' roll enthusiast to international star and celebrity.
Reviews / Votes
"A handsome, hardcover tome housed in a slipcase, printed on quality paper, and chock full of visuals including everything from rare concert and unposed pics to record covers, memorabilia, ephemera, and a fold out timeline...it is always concise, precise, and includes factoids to surprise even the most diehard fan." -- Bob Ruggiero * Houston Press *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc
Illustrations
300 color & b-w photos
Dimensions
Height: 290 mm
Width: 249 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
1700 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7603-9261-4 (9780760392614)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Person
Gillian G. Gaar has written for numerous publications, including Mojo, Rolling Stone, and Goldmine. Previous books include She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll; Entertain Us: The Rise of Nirvana; Return of the King: Elvis Presley's Great Comeback; Elton John at 75; and Bruce Springsteen at 75. She lives in Seattle.
Content
Introduction
PART 1: RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM, 1950-1979
PART 2: INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN, 1979-1987
PART 3: IT'S GOOD TO BE KING, 1987-1996
PART 4: WON'T BACK DOWN, 1997-2010
PART 5: END OF THE LINE, 2012-2023
bibliography
about the author
Photo credits
index
PART 1: RUNNIN' DOWN A DREAM, 1950-1979
PART 2: INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN, 1979-1987
PART 3: IT'S GOOD TO BE KING, 1987-1996
PART 4: WON'T BACK DOWN, 1997-2010
PART 5: END OF THE LINE, 2012-2023
bibliography
about the author
Photo credits
index