Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty (born October 20, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter, an guitarist who is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and was a member of the Traveling Wilburys. He has recorded a number of hit singles, many of which remain heavily played on adult contemporary and classic rock radio. Petty is also a vocal critic of the modern recording industry and the disappearance of independent radio stations.