Remembering Tom Petty: Born October 20, 1950
Remembering Tom Petty on the anniversary of his birth, with a guitar-first look at his roots and his documented Rickenbacker connection.
Tom Petty was born in Gainesville, Florida, on October 20, 1950. October 20, 2026 marks 76 years since his birth: an occasion to remember a musician whose name belongs in a guitar conversation, not just a list of great songwriters.
Start with the player, not the legend
An Alachua County history presentation records that Petty received an electric guitar at 13 and learned from friends and future Eagles guitarist Don Felder at Lipham’s Music. Those local beginnings offer a useful starting point for a birthday remembrance: before the famous songs, there was a young musician learning an instrument.
For guitarists, that is also an invitation to approach his music actively. Pick a song you know well, learn its chord changes, then concentrate on timing and the space around the vocal. There is plenty to explore before changing a single piece of equipment.
A real Rickenbacker connection
The association with Rickenbacker is documented by the manufacturer itself. Its gallery identifies Petty with a 660/12TP Limited Edition Guitar. The 660/12TP provides one concrete link between Petty and the instruments he played.
Want to dig deeper into electric twelve-strings? Read our guide to jangle and the Rickenbacker sound.
Petty died on October 2, 2017. The most fitting guitar-player tribute may be a simple one: learn a part carefully, play it with someone else, and give the song more attention than the equipment.
Which Tom Petty song made you want to pick up a guitar?
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