Mike Campbell, the legendary guitarist, songwriter and co-pilot of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, is now a best-selling author. The book has quickly cemented itself as one of the definitive accounts of life inside one of America’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands.
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The release of Heartbreaker, co-written with Ari Surdoval, marks the first time any member of the Heartbreakers has penned a memoir. True to Campbell’s understated style, the book is an unflinching and often tender chronicle of his long creative partnership with Tom Petty, a collaboration that lasted more than four decades.
Mike Campbell’s journey began in Gainesville, Florida, where he first connected with Tom Petty in the early 1970s. The pair formed a brotherhood that would endure through every stage of the Heartbreakers’ history. Together, they wrote some of the band’s most enduring hits, including “Refugee,” “Here Comes My Girl,” “You Got Lucky” and the stadium favourite “Runnin’ Down a Dream.”
When the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, Campbell’s role as co-writer, co-producer and sonic architect was celebrated alongside Petty’s. Petty himself once said he never made a record without Campbell. That loyalty extended until Petty’s death in 2017, after which Campbell was handpicked to join Fleetwood Mac on their 2018-19 world tour, replacing Lindsey Buckingham on guitar.
Heartbreaker offers not only behind-the-scenes stories of the Heartbreakers’ rise from small Florida clubs to arenas worldwide but also tales of Campbell’s work with icons such as Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Don Henley.
The book spans Campbell’s career up to the present day, where he fronts his own band The Dirty Knobs. Their latest album Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits (BMG) features appearances from Lucinda Williams, Graham Nash, Chris Stapleton and Benmont Tench.
To celebrate the release, Campbell is taking Heartbreaker on the road with a special semi-acoustic tour of the US West Coast in December. Branded “A Semi-Acoustic Evening with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs-Songs and Stories from Heartbreaker,” the shows promise an intimate mix of storytelling and live performance.
The Dirty Knobs’ lineup features longtime Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone, bassist Lance Morrison (Don Henley) and guitarist Chris Holt (Eagles). Fans can expect songs spanning Campbell’s early Heartbreakers years right up to Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits, punctuated by stories from his new memoir.
Tour Dates
3 December – Santa Barbara, CA – Arlington Theatre
5 December – El Cajon, CA – The Magnolia
6 December – Las Vegas, NV – Jubilee Theatre at Horseshoe
9 December – San Francisco, CA – Palace of Fine Arts
11 December – Los Angeles, CA – The United Theater
Tickets are on sale now through venue outlets and Campbell’s official site.
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