Rock legend Tom Petty, has died at the age of 66.
"On behalf of the Tom Petty family we are devastated to announce the untimely death of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend Tom Petty," a family statement said.
He was taken to a California hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu.
He was known for hits such as "American Girl," "Don't Come Around Here No More" and "I Won't Back Down".
He had just concluded a world tour celebrating 40 years with his band, the Heartbreakers.
Petty was found unconscious, not breathing and in full cardiac arrest in his Malibu home before being rushed to hospital and placed on life support.
Petty was born in 1950 in Gainesville, Florida and dropped out of school at the age of 17 to pursue music.
In a 2006 interview, Petty said he first knew he wanted to be in a band when he saw The Beatles performing on The Ed Sullivan Show. "I had never been hugely into sports... I had been a big fan of Elvis. But I really saw in the Beatles that here's something I could do," he said. "I knew I could do it."
Petty is best known for his work with the Heartbreakers, who released their self-titled debut album in 1976. It featured well known tracks American Girl, Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll and Breakdown. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
In 1988, Petty joined The Traveling Wilburys alongside George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lyne.
Petty has released 13 studio albums with the Heartbreakers, three solo albums and two records with The Traveling Wilburys.
Over the course of his career – which saw him become one of the best-selling artists of the 20th century – Petty received 18 Grammy nominations, going on to win three.
Petty is married to Dana York Epperson, who he wed in 2001 after meeting her for the first time at one of his concerts in 1991, and has two daughters from his first marriage to Jane Benyo. Petty married Benyo in 1974, divorcing 22 years later.
