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What’s Next for Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers? Benmont Tench and Ron Blair Get Candid
Benmont Tench and Ron Blair reflect on Tom Petty’s early musical years and the formation of the Heartbreakers, as a new box set revisits the band’s roots. Their recollections show how years of touring and a distinctive sound laid the groundwork for the success later associated with *Damn the Torpedoes*.
*Origins 1971-1978*, arriving on 6 November, collects Mudcrutch recordings, Petty’s pre-Heartbreakers collaborations, the band’s first two albums, studio outtakes and performances from 1977 and 1978. Tench and Blair discuss the early days in Gainesville and Los Angeles, the making of “American Girl”, Blair’s return in 2002 after a two-decade absence, and a 2026 performance with Chris Stapleton; the interview also considers whether the band could reunite again.
In short
- A new box set explores Petty’s musical beginnings through 1978.
- Tench and Blair recall Mudcrutch and the Heartbreakers’ early years.
- The musicians discuss Blair’s return and possible future reunions.