Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are going out on tour once again in 2017 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of their first album. That record featured classics such as “American Girl” and “Breakdown.” The album jumpstarted the career of the band and put them on the map in the mid-1970’s. They catered to many different audiences because of their blues and country roots, relatable songwriting and always staying true to the rock genre. They have stayed together after 40 years and have been creating quality music for that amount of time. The longevity of the band is truly incredible.

Tom Petty has been one of the many critics of modern country music and Petty has the credentials to criticize. He grew up in Gainesville, FL and was exposed to country music at a very young age. Modern Country singer Chris Stapleton fired back at Petty saying how Petty was “an influence for most modern country artists.” Stapleton will be opening for Petty on a few dates over the course of the tour. Joe Walsh, a former member of the Eagles, will also be opening for Petty on a lot of the tour dates as well. Walsh had a successful solo career after the Eagles with hits such as “Life’s been Good” and “Rocky Mountain Way.”

Not a lot of bands as influential as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are still touring let alone are friendly with one another. They are used to a rigorous touring schedule and when they decided to take a break, many people thought it was the end and the band would never tour again. Well, here they are back for another much-anticipated tour in 2017. Rumors are that Petty wants to play solo acoustic shows after this tour reminiscent of when he went solo for a few years.