Posted by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on Monday, October 2, 2017 on the AJC Music Scene blog
[Update: 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 3: Petty's managed confirmed he died at 11:40 p.m. EST.]
[Update 5:15 p.m.: Despite an earlier report from the LAPD, Tom Petty has not been declared dead, though he remains off life support.]
Legendary rock legend Tom Petty was found unconscious and not breathing Sunday night and was rushed to the hospital, according to TMZ today.
EMTs were able to find a pulse and sent him to UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, where he was placed on life support, the story said, noting that he had gone into full cardiac arrest. But as of this afternoon, he was reportedly taken off life support when there was no sign of brain activity.
Petty, 66, who has dozens of classic rock hits going back 40-plus years and has his very own SiriusXM channel, had just wrapped a major anniversary tour. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artist's most recent concert appearance in Atlanta was in late April for a sold-out show at Philips Arena where he and the Heartbreakers played many of his best-known songs such as "I Won't Back Down," "Learning to Fly" and "American Girl" to close out the concert.
AJC music writer Melissa Ruggieri in her concert review described it as a "lean, sinewy set that highlighted fan favorites ("Mary Jane's Last Dance," "You Got Lucky") and allowed Petty to indulge in a few personal picks ("Walls," "Wildflowers")."
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