Following Tom Petty’s October 2017 death, the University of Florida has announced a new “Petty: The Biography” course for students starting in the fall of 2018. Nuccio DiNuzzo Chicago Tribune
Ron DeSantis is sowing division in Florida’s education system as he targets the concept of critical race theory in the classroom and on the campaign trail, an effort that educators and Democrats, many of them Black, view as a political attempt to “whitewash” and suppress discussions about race.
Tom Petty was born and raised in Gainesville, FL . His interest in Rock n' Roll was ignited at age 10 when he met Elvis Presley on the set of 'Follow That Dream', which was partially filmed in nearby Ocala, FL.
Petty's first high school band was 'The Sundowners', then he was in 'The Epics' with Tom Leadon, which was very popular at his high school (as was another high school band at that time, The Maundy Quintet, which featured future 'Eagles' Don Felder and Bernie Leadon ).