Rock legend Tom Petty has died, the musician’s family announced in a statement on Monday night. He was 66.
“On behalf of the Tom Petty family we are devastated to announce the untimely death of of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend Tom Petty,” the statement read.
“He suffered a cardiac arrest at his home in Malibu in the early hours of this morning and was taken to UCLA Medical Center but could not be revived. He died peacefully at 8:40 pm PT surrounded by family, his bandmates and friends.”
CBS News and Variety reported that Petty died on Monday, but both later walked it back, and pointed to TMZ’s reporting.
TMZ reported Monday afternoon that while Petty was not expected to live much longer he was still, “clinging to life.”
The LAPD had refused to confirm Petty’s death to Business Insider in a phone call, citing department policy.
TMZ reported that Petty had “no brain activity” on Monday, and that “a decision was made to pull life support.”
The 66-year-old singer, famous for his music with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, wrapped a long tour at the end of September.
Petty’s band gained commercial and critical success throughout the late 1970s, starting with their debut self-titled album, which spawned the hit singles “American Girl” and “Breakdown.”
His highest-charting single, “Free Fallin’,” was released in 1989 and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard singles chart.
Petty was nominated for 18 Grammy awards. He won two Grammys as a solo artist and one for his contribution to the supergroup album “The Traveling Wilbury’s Vol. 1.”
As reported by Business Insider