Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell Announces Memoir: ‘A Testimonial That Dreams Can Come True’

‘Heartbreaker’ promises to detail the guitarist-songwriter’s transformation from a “poor kid from Jacksonville” to a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer

Bailey Richards is a writer-reporter at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023 and interned with the brand in 2022. Her work has previously appeared in digital publications like Paper Magazine and TV Insider.

Mike Campbell, 2013. book cover - mike campbell - heartbreaker

Mike Campbell playing guitar; the cover of ‘Heartbreaker,’ Mike Campbell’s upcoming memoir. Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Grand Central Publishing

Legendary guitarist, songwriter and producer Mike Campbell, best known for his decades in Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, is ready to tell his life story.

The band’s lead guitarist from its inception until Petty’s death in 2017, the 74-year-old rocker not only played on classics like “American Girl” and “Breakdown” — he also co-wrote some of the band’s most iconic songs, including “Refugee” and “Here Comes My Girl.”

Campbell also wrote the music for hits like Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” and perhaps Petty’s most iconic duet, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” featuring Stevie Nicks — and they later toured together in 2018 and 2019 when he served as Fleetwood Mac’s lead guitarist.

mike campbell tom petty london 05 14 77

Mike Campbell performing with Tom Petty in 1977.Ian Dickson/Redferns

Now, he is heading from the stage to the page with his memoir, Heartbreaker, set to hit bookshelves on March 18, 2025.

Whether they realize it or not, many people know the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s music, but “few know of the less-than-glamorous background from which Campbell emerged, and the sacrifices required,” according to a press release from Heartbreaker publisher Grand Central Publishing.

“His rise was an at-times grueling dream come true that took him from the very bottom to the absolute top, where Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers would remain for decades, creating an astonishing body of work,” the release states.

book cover - mike campbell - heartbreaker

‘Heartbreaker,’ Mike Campbell’s memoir.Grand Central Publishing

“This is my book,” Campbell stated in a press release. “It’s the story of a poor kid from Jacksonville, Fla., who realized a dream through music. It’s a long journey through hard work, dedication and luck. Playing guitar and writing songs has been my inspiration and purpose.”

“It’s a story of hope, redemption and gratitude, a testimonial that dreams can come true if you believe in yourself and follow your truth,” he added. It took two years to write, and it’s a labor of love. I hope you enjoy the ride!”

Tom Petty’s Life in Photos

Reflecting on his career earlier this year, Campbell — who has been working as the singer and frontman of his band, The Dirty Knobs, since Petty’s death — told PEOPLE he’s “gone through a bit of a metamorphosis.”

Mike Campbell london 05 14 77

Mike Campbell in 1977.Ian Dickson/Redferns

“[With] The Heartbreakers, I had the easiest job in the world and I didn’t realize it,” he explained. “Tom did all the work. He was up there directing the circus, and I just sat there, ‘la-di-da, play guitar here, play guitar there.’ Now [with the Dirty Knobs,] I’ve got to remember lyrics, sing on pitch, lead the band.”

“But I’m embracing it,” he added, “and I’m getting a lot of confidence doing it.”

Heartbreaker comes out on March 18, 2025, and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.