Three groups of Heartbreakers and an interesting story.

[Jetboy]

In the 1950s, there was a group of teenagers called the Heartbreakers. The group consisted of 3 African Americans and were fronted by a Jewish kid. They were one of the few integrated groups in existence at the time. They didn't put out a lot of records but they won a talent contest at the Apollo Theater. The songs that exist are fantastic:

Then there were 2 groups named the Heartbreakers that came out of the 1970s. Most everyone has heard of Tom Petty's crew and a lot of folks are aware that there was also a group that featured ex New York Doll Johnny Thunders.

Their stories are actually quite intertwined and they begin in Florida, 1975. Thunders' Dolls were folding their tent right around May or so down in Florida in 1975. Thunders and drummer Jerry Nolan saw a flier with the name 'Heartbreakers' on it. One said to the other, 'Hey that's a great name for our new band!'

They didn't know it was Tom Petty or at the very least Tom Petty simply wasn't a known name at the time. It's even possible that the Heartbreakers on the flyer had nothing to do with Petty and that he had copped the name from them just as Thunders had! Another possibility is that Petty had nothing to do with this act AND had never seen any fliers or heard of them. This is highly doubtful since Petty is a lifer musician and was in FLA that whole time.

Thunders and Nolan leave Florida and the Dolls to form the Heartbreakers in NYC with bassist Richard Hell not long after seeing the 'Heartbreakers' flyer.

Meanwhile, Petty's band is known as 'Mudcrutch'. By 1976 Petty's band is (once again?) called the Heartbreakers. Petty and Co were about to play CBGBs in NYC and were aware of Thunders' band of the same name. But Petty didn't care since he was confident in his bands' abilities.

From this interview around that time it is clear that Petty was aware of Thunders' band but was not aware that their band names may have had a common origin: http://ffanzeen.blogspot.com/2009/10/tom-petty-petty-interview.html

Thunders once said, 'I'm going to have to have a talk with this Petty guy' as if he hadn't copped the name! It would be interesting for someone to ask Petty where exactly he got the name Heartbreakers. That's the only way to solve this mystery. Petty knows the answer but he has no idea that the other 70s Heartbreakers had the same source! (the 1975 FLA Heartbreakers either was Tom Petty's band or the source of the name- the odds of this band existing and playing around FLA but Petty NOT being aware of it is slim)

[Jetboy]

1. What the heck there were a few other interesting developments from

this exact time, 1975.

Blackie Goozman later Blackie Lawless briefly replaced Thunders in the Dolls. Shortly after, Lawless and Dolls bassist Arthur Kane form a band together in NYC. Lawless and Kane both end up out in LA on the Sunset strip. Lawless' band, WASP is known as one of the founding bands of the sunset strip scene.

Dolls manager Malcome McLaren solicits guitarist Sylvain Sylvain to join a band he wants to put together in his native England. Sylvain declines and McLaren settles for his guitar instead. McLaren goes back to England and recruits patrons from his store to form the Sex Pistols. (some of the 'patrons' may have instead been shoplifters!)

So Tom Petty, hair metal and punk rock all had sort of a cosmic spark in Florida, 1975.

[Tom Ripley]

2. In our household, Johnny's band are the only Heartbreakers

the other one is referred to as "Tom Petty and those guys"

LAMF/DTK

[Jetboy]

3. Petty had a band called 'Mudcrutch'.

That alone should've disqualified Petty from ever being a star.

[Tom Ripley]

4. I really did laugh out loud!