Next . While Tench's career also brought him gigs with other legends like Stevie Nicks, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Cyndi Lauper, his main priority was always Tom and the Heartbreakers. In addition, Tench worked as a session musician for artists like Bonnie Raitt, Neil Diamond, and Bob Dylan. The tour was announced in December and would consist of all of the old Heartbreakers favorites. Sometimes he played bass. In 2015, the Watkins Family Hour released their debut album and went on a national tour.[10]. Thats the difference between what The Beatles did and the cutting edge of technology today. Benmont Tench first met Tom Petty in a Gainesville, Florida music shop. The event "brought in more than $8.5 million for musicians in medical or financial need." Who is Benmont Tenchs wife? The shows received rave reviews, with Variety's Chris Willmancommenting,"Petty and the Heartbreakers' 40th anniversary tour feels like a victory lap, but not a valedictory lap." [3] Its on Refugee and everything else. Includes Tom Petty originals plus covers recorded completely live in the studio over 10 days. Mention of Red Rocks and Tom Petty isn't complete without Stevie Nicks, who has played the famed amphitheater numerous times. By age 17, he had his own band, Mudcrutch. "I just have to learn to rest a little bit, like everyone's telling me," he said. Release Date. One just doesn't find a lead guitarist like Mike Campbell in a friend's back room or a keyboardist like Benmont Tench, the son of a Florida judge who had to fight to be a musician. In a way, thats similar to Tenchs response when asked what he thinks and hopes the film will leave viewers with. He's a rock 'n' roll rarity: an artist who was consistent until the very end. The . Id rather go watch The Lion King! We had this conversation with Mike and Ben and Rick Rubin that was a little bit of a free-flowing conversation, where they might start talking about one thing and it leads to talk about something else. Sites: benmonttench.com, Facebook, Twitter, instagram.com, Wikipedia, musicianbio.org, famousbirthdays.com, geni.com In Groups: As tributes rolled out across the media,the cause of Tom Petty's death remained "pending" (per Becker'sHospital Review)as an official autopsy was performed. Baby Health & Safety Shop All . It really wasnt. "The friendship between Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks was plain to see when the latter came on stage," theIndependentreported. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 7, 1977, the Panama Canal treaties, calling for the U.S. to . [2] Benmont and Petty played together as members of the Sundowners in 1964. ), Benmonth Tench and Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as seen in the new documentary Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers, which debuts on YouTube on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. Are you going to get a guy that has that swing in his rhythm? "I need to stop working for a period of time." In 2014, Tench released his first solo album, titled You Should Be So Lucky. 91.9 WFPK Music | KyCIR Investigations, PublishedJanuary 20, 2023 at 2:58 PM EST, Kyle is the WFPK Music Director. I was always impressed that she didnt lead with that, Wharton says. Especially pleasing to fans was an acoustic sing-along of "Learnin' to Fly," with the audience singing out the chorus like "an eerily beautiful choral society" as a crescent moon shone brightly in the night sky and the night lights of Denver glowed far away. (Photo by Robert Sebree, courtesy of Warner Music & Petty Legacy, LLC. It let me not go, 'Holy s--t. My world is fallen apart.' Best known as a founding member of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers . ", In the meantime, Tench confirmed that there's still material in the vault that could potentially be released at some point. Never forget the dog. "Better safe than sorry, I guess," Petty told the audience. 1970s - 2010s. It is straight-up true music from a straight-up true guy, he says of Wildflowers and its depiction in the film. His collaborator and bandmate of over 40 years, Tom Petty, was in the hospital, after being found in his home unconscious, not breathing and in full cardiac arrest. We heard Slim Harpo, the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Louis Armstrong, all back to back: Thats 40 minutes on the radio in Gainesville, Fla. in 1965. True North Records announces a June 25th release date for A Sweet Relief Tribute to Joey Spampinato, which features a lengthy list of friends and fans of the NRBQ founding member/bassist saluting him with 14 versions of their own previously unreleased takes of Spampinato-penned songs.. A Sweet Relief Tribute to Joey Spampinato is an inspired album recorded by an astounding group of musicians . To me, that was kind of the most surprising, and at the same time, the most lovely thing I discovered.. Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench said the birth of his daughter two months after the death of Tom Petty had prevented him from falling apart. [9], In 2009, Tench frequently appeared with the Watkins Family Hour at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles. Willman did note that Tom Petty "spends a lot of the night hunched over his guitar, as if he means to creep up on us." You had to cut bits of tape, throw it up in the air, and see how it came back together. Benmont Tench Concert History. No rock critic could ever deign to critique the significance of Tom Petty any better than Benmont Tench, whose objectivity about the late superstar's creative prowess and personal appeal is not. Later, this group became Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers., In 2014, Tench released his debut solo album, titled You Should Be So Lucky.. "You know that Tom Petty is my favorite rock star!" Top Brands. Benmont Tench's birthstone is Sapphire. He has also appeared at the Largo and at the Fillmore in San Francisco as a special guest with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and accompanied the Dave Rawlings Machine on part of their west coast tour in spring 2010. In early December, the upcoming tour was announced onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, with Petty appearing in a comical sketch about it via his studio. On the eve of its Feb. 18 release, Tench talked to Reverb about the new effort, his favorite gear, his time with Tom Petty, and his love of a Liverpool band that changed his life. Vintage Cocktail Hour Playlist: Women's History Month Edition, Louisville ranks 3rd in U.S. for most premature deaths from coal-fired power pollution. A lot of it is simply that his passing freed me and made me more of an adult. And when it goes to vinyl I can sink my teeth into it even more. Fans would be touched to know that even during his final year, Tom Petty had plans lots of them. What is Benmont Tenchs net worth? Based on your location, we've changed your settings: By clicking Subscribe, I agree to receive exclusive offers & promotions, news & reviews, and personalized tips for buying and selling on Reverb. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. And on the band's first night out at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed to a more-than-pleased crowd, according toJambase. As time passed, their world divided into band life, which orbited around Petty as singer and songwriter, and their own lives with wives and children, side projects and outside interests. Thats because Glyn Johns produced and engineered it. In 1976, he formed a new band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Sapphire was once thought to guard against evil and poisoning. "I look back on that and what a magical moment that was," Nicks remembered. [] And then, of course, she turned into one of my great, great friends forever. The Tom Petty website recounted that after a full half-hour of rain, the storm passed as the road crew took the stage to uncover the band's gear. Listen to the interview above and then check out the video below. Three long months later, Rolling Stone reported that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner had found numerous drugs in Petty's system. Alice Carbone Tench October 24, 2019 Thank you, @uclahealth for taking such a good care of my husband, @benmonttench The entire staff at both ER and hospital was amazing, kind, with a great sense of humor, patient and understanding. Benmont Tench was born in the middle of Baby Boomers Generation. Benmont Tench's birth flower is Aster/Myosotis. Benmont Tench admin January 2, 2022 Biography Leave a comment Best known seeing that the longtime pianist and key pad participant for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Benmont Tench is among rock's esteemed instrumentalists, seeing that he's guested in countless recordings various other artists. Tench has received two ASCAP songwriting awards: in 1995 for "Stay Forever" (performed by Hal Ketchum) and in 2001 for "Unbreakable Heart" (performed by Jessica Andrews). Rolling Stoneverifiesthat Fleetwood Mac's lead crooner and accomplished songwriter first met Petty back in 1978 and sang alongside him on the song "Insider" for his 1981 album Hard Promises. ), Director Mary Whartons new YouTube Originals documentary, Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free, arrives on YouTube on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. For Wharton, theres a moment in the film that she still thinks about months later. In 2016, he played the Fleetwood Mac tribute at the Fonda Theater, in Los Angeles; he performed the song "Silver Springs" with Courtney Love. Its blood. Heartbreakers Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell perform a special stripped down version of "American Girl" at the band's legendary recording and rehearsal space, The Clubhouse, in honor of the. ), Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers, is a new documentary from director Mary Wharton. There are 115 days left in the year. So I just dove into this archive of beautiful footage and incredible music. Former Tom Petty keyboardist Benmont Tench isn't interested in playing again as the Heartbreakers. Even as Tom Petty and his band rocked the house, however, the last two songs on the final night (via Slate),September 25, show Petty visibly lumbering across the stage and limping off after signing a few autographs. "TOM PETTY. The band embarked on their American tour on May 26, 2016. Its just a beautiful sounding instrument and its the favorite thing that I play. Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Although the stance was somewhat typical of Petty in concert, there was definitely more to it that night. I'm hoping she recovers from her illness and is back on tour again soon. Release Date. eBay item number: 255988840913. . Member Of. That said, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers prepared for the tour to kick off in Oklahoma City on April 20. Its like this: Youve seen beautiful, laser-cut pieces of wood, but have you seen things cut by hand? But you also catch how thoughtful he was about the record-making process and about the songwriting process.. And I said, Im going to do something better than my cousin, dammit! [Laughs.] Watkins Family Hour is a bluegrass musical collaborative led by Sean and Sara Watkins. When Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers honored their 2017 dates at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley a few days later, Harrington seemed unimpressed. First no. When nothing came of it at the time, he forgot all about it until he was shown what had been captured on the beautiful black and white film. 99 in October 1986. Its a lovely way to record. Eight years later, the couple divorced. Well, he goes over to our piano, and he did that thing with the black keyswhere you roll them with your knuckles, back and forthand I was intrigued. "Without Tom, it's like, are the Rolling Stones going to play without Keith [Richards]? "Plus, it took me a minute to recover from how sad it was." With Bruce Hornsby on piano and Benmont Tench of the Heartbreakers on organ, she created an unexpected pop standard, performed [] I looked at the songs as the tentpoles that were holding up the story.. Its changed to kind of an alternate universe. -This amount is like what a regular computer programmer would retire with not that much, really. Soon after, Petty called Tench and asked him to quit school and join Mudcrutch full-time, which after long deliberation, Tench agreed to; but before he would leave school, Petty had to convince Tench's father that his son had a promising music career. Shop all Home & Garden. And I really wish there was a way. His father was born and raised in the city of Gainesville, and served as a circuit court judge. Now that he is gone, I do look at things a little bit differently, Tench says. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Tom was the last person in the band that I expected ever to go. Everyone who plays on the album is a friend of mine, and almost everyone has been to my house. Stevie Nicks told Peoplethat Petty was visibly unwell. You appreciate them, but theyre always there. Previous image. It has a beautiful, beautiful sound; I cant walk by without playing it, and if I sit down with it at night, Im not leaving until 4 a.m.! Billboardreported on the event, which featured over three hours of performances by such music greats as the Bangles, the Foo Fighters, George Strait, Jeff Lynne, Randy Newman, and Petty's longtime friend, Stevie Nicks. How are you going to do that? Born in Florida in 1950, Petty endured an abusive home life. Like the ultimate sideman he is, not just to Tom Petty with his 30-something year tenure as Heartbreakers' keyboardist, but dozens of other high profile stars . It let me not go, Holy shit. Benmont played piano from an early age, and his first recital was at age 6. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon. In 2014, Benmont released his first solo album, called You Should Be So Lucky.. . So when I hear him talking, and explaining what was in his head, that was educational for me, Tench says. But it was an extraordinary experience. Recorded at Cello Studios, Los Angeles, California. : Benjamin Montmorency Tench, III : American keyboardist and singer, born September 7, 1953 in Gainesville, Florida, USA. Petty was indeed humbled, telling the audience, "Twenty years ago, I would have been way too cynical to do this, but I'm 66 now.". [8] Tench penned one of the songs on the album, named "The Price," sung by Sara Watkins and himself. "By the time we got to work with . Tench remembers filmmaker Martyn Atkins coming by the Wildflowers sessions every so often, and that his fly-on-the-wall style put everyone there at ease. He mentions that as an artist hes always trying to get better, which isnt that surprising, but he goes on to say, Because Ive always thought of myself as not very good, she says. "It's a pretty devastating song to sing more than once," she said later. The article gave further updates throughout the following early afternoon, including a report that EMTs were able to get a pulse before taking the singer to UCLA's Santa Monica Hospital. "[T]hat was my singer," Tench said of Tom. After discovering the music of The Beatles, he ended his classical piano lessons and focused on rock and roll. The keys legend tells us about the idea behind the covers-heavy shows, their relationship with Bob Dylan, and bringing out deep cuts like Heartbreakers Beach Party. At age 11, he met Tom Petty for the first time at a Gainesville music store. [3] Tench was only 11 when he first met Tom Petty at a Gainesville, Florida music store. On February 18, 2014, Tench released his first solo album, entitled "You Should Be So Lucky". The piano I play at home I got 7 or 8 years ago, and Nicky Hopkins played it at his house. Later, singer Shania Twain showed up, according toRolling Stone, and told Nicks, "I'm going to be greedy right now. Tench and his wife welcomed their first daughter, named Catherine Gabriella Winter, on December 16, 2017. Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He grew up, in order, in California, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oregon. [12] Thankfully, he has his family to ground him, he said. A sought-after session player, he has contributed his talents to recordings by Jackson Browne, Johnny Cash, Elvis . Nicks shouted to the crowd after being introduced. The surviving members continue to forge new paths. [2] The song was co-written by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell. Check out Benmont Tench on Amazon Music. Born . Benmont played piano from an early age, and his first recital was at age 6. There, he lingered on life support, while certain news sources (including CBS News and Rolling Stone, via iHeart Radio) jumped the gun and reported that Petty had died. Members Team for Big Star Tribute Concert", "Tom Petty's Original Band MUDCRUTCH Is Coming Back", "The Who Announce Their New Album 'Who' Plus UK Tour Dates", "Benmont & Alice Carbone married yesterday", "Catherine Gabriella Winter Tench, born 8:09 pm December 16th, 2017. Additional Details ----- Format: import. I had to take care of my wife.". Then I started lessons at age 7 and right from the start, I wanted to be a composer or a songwriter. Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American musician and singer, and a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Petty fondly remembered, "We jammed for a few days and had the amps up loud," according toHear and Now. In addition, Tom was a member of the late 1980s supergroup called Traveling Wilburys.. "I hope it comes out because I think it's cool," Tench said, "but there's even more. In 2002, Tom and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. No rock critic could ever deign to critique the significance of Tom Petty any better than Benmont Tench, whose objectivity about the late superstar's creative prowess and personal appeal is not. It really wasn't. Benmont Tench at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2, New York, NY, USA Artist: Benmont Tench , Venue: Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 , New York, NY, USA The Groom's Still Waiting at the Altar Love Will Tear Us Apart Back in the U.S.A. I was 10 when they showed upShe Loves You was just a marvel of joy and emotion. I think its a real piece of work. I was like, Nothing, me and the rest of America are in our sweatpants with nothing to do, Wharton says. The fact we knew and loved that music gave us a common musical language. Best known as the longtime pianist and keyboard player for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Benmont Tench is one of rock's most respected instrumentalists, as he's guested on countless recordings other artists. In 2008, Tench became part of a supergroup, initially named The Scrolls, now officially known as Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). He'd attended school with Petty and spent. In turn, Petty and Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell penned "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," which Nicks sang with Petty. Somehow managed to get a lovely lady to marry him, and with her have two daughters. In the years following, the two often performed together and were known to make special appearances at one another's concerts. "We're all on the backside of our sixties," he said. He says he's open to the idea of playing with the others in various groupings, but that things simply aren't the same without Petty. 1 at 17 with Spencer Davis Group, considered a boy wonder who could play every instrument, joins a super group with Clapton, falls into obscurity, nearly forgotten, then comes roaring back in the 80s to dominate the charts . In his entire career, Petty sold over 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. It just isn't the Heartbreakers," Tench says in a new Kyle Meredith With interview, which you can listen to in full below. A guy who was not a saint, who was not perfect, who was flawed, who was this, that and the other, but there was no [bull]. And he had his friends in the band, and we had our own relationship, our own kind of language.. And the songs were kind of the touchstones, Wharton says. Catherine came in December, Tom died in October, Tench said. Produced by Glyn Johns (The Who, Eric Clapton, Eagles, The Beatles), "Lucky" spotlights Tench as smart songwriter, and a more-than-capable vocalist in the vein of Mark Knopfler, Bob Dylan and Del Amitri's Justin Currie. Early on, Petty had also gained the musical nation's respect when, according toNewsweek,he had the guts to take on record labels who habitually put their musicians into debt. Tench had already worked with Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell, Adria Petty, and Tom Pettys widow Dana Petty on a sprawling box set of Wildflowers outtakes, alternate versions, and live tracks. I had always been a fan of his music, but I really fell in love with him as a person.. eBay item number: 125797211311. . Dana said her husband "insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans." Its a Mason and Hamlin 1928 grand piano. Videos by American Songwriter. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, he noted that hed been expecting a call about another tour instead of the call he received saying Petty was in the hospital in 2017. It felt very, very real. Trisha Yearwood, Lee Roy Parnell, Paul Shaffer, Benmont Tench, Duke Levine, Beausoleil, Shawn Colvin, Matt Rollings. A go-to ace for the Stones, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Fiona Apple and a ridiculous number of others, Benmont Tench earned his crown via his day job with Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker X. Its not a job. Thanks for your music! Tom would want you to do that. Well, I dont want to do that. Over the past few years, Tench has appeared as a session musician on the Who's WHO, Bob Dylan's Rough and. Tom Petty's Heartbreakers bandmates are still grieving the death of their longtime frontman, but keyboardist Benmont Tench has announced that he will continue with his previous plan to perform a solo show at the end of October. Tench emphasized that he was only speaking for himself, not his bandmates. 19990000. It would last several months. [11] Tench also added keyboard parts to Stevie Nicks' album 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault. In a message posted to his fan club and to Instagram, Tom Petty's longtime collaborator gave thanks to… Continue reading Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers . The only other person I ever wanted to make a record with was [Heartbreakers bassist] Howie Epstein, and he passed away in 2003. 2857 events (Photo courtesy of YouTube Originals), Tom Petty in his home studio as seen in the new documentary Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers, which debuts on YouTube on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. (Photo by Robert Sebree, courtesy of Warner Music & Petty Legacy, LLC. ), Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as seen in the new documentary Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers, which debuts on YouTube on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. Graduated from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. with degrees in English and Communications. Nicks applauded Petty's brave decision to finish his 40th Anniversary Tour, concluding with a parting word that was felt by so many who knew and loved him. It saved me, having my daughter. In addition, Tench is a skilled session musician and collaborated with numerous artists. Tench isn't sure if there are any plans release further vault material, since "the cat who knows where everything is buried." [2] A garagem da famlia Tench era um local de prtica frequente para a banda noite, quando o pai de Tench no estava presente. And that record is a prime example of that. Some were for pain, while others served as anti-depression drugs and sleep aides. sherlyholmes @ www.instagram.com/p/Bc20QBMlxPI/", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benmont_Tench&oldid=1116239232, Works Progress Administration (band) members, Articles with dead external links from February 2021, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 October 2022, at 15:15. He was buried at Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisadeswith his parents. 2008 album featuring original members fellow Heartbreakers Benmont Tench, and Mike Campbell. The records with the outtakes give you a certain picture of the way it went deeper, but the film, especially because you get to hear Tom talk so much, the film takes you further.. Neither knew it was the last time they would see Petty sing. Watching the new film, and appearing in it either in archival footage shot during the recording of the 1994 Wildflowers album, or new interviews with director Mary Wharton, Tench felt regret for what on a very personal level might have been. Do the Heartbreakers record live as well? CNN published an alleged Instagram postfrom Petty's daughter, AnnaKim Petty. Benmont left Tulane University to play with Mudcrutch. : benmonttench.com, Facebook, Twitter, instagram.com, Wikipedia, musicianbio.org, famousbirthdays.com, geni.com : He was the very last person. "You don't want to shake my hand today," he told others. Considering you played a key role in forming it, where do you think The Heartbreakers sound comes from? Yet its taken until now for Tench to take center stage with his very first solo album, You Should Be So Lucky (Blue Note). At this point its absolutely blood. Joe Strummer of The Clash passed away 20 years ago today at the age of 50. It was like a gift from heaven for me to work on this film.. In 2008, Benmont became part of a group named The Scrolls. The group is composed of: Currently, they are officially known as Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.).. Mixed by Andy Wallace (Nirvana, Jeff Buckley, White Zombie), the album kicks off with the visceral Halo Of Ashes, driven by Garry Lee . This film is part and parcel of the same thing, Tench says. Sometimes you work with somebody youve never heard of because you just feel like working., My father told me one day when I was maybe ten, just playing the piano, Youre playing too much. He said it kindly, and he was right., I went to college and majored in Art. There was an inner force driving him.". For Wharton, the key to making the film was to look at what she had, all that beautiful archival film, and what she didnt need to repeat such going over the same ground as 2007s Runnin Down a Dream, a four-hour-long documentary by director Peter Bogdanovich. (Photo by Eva Mueller), Tom Petty with guitarist Mike Campbell and bassist Howie Epstein in the new documentary Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers, which debuts on YouTube on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021. Oops, looks like you forgot something. I just told someone, I sing like Chet Baker if he couldnt sing. [Laughs.]. There was no time to really deal with it, since the tour was kicking off soon, and Petty, ever mindful of his fans, did not want to disappoint anyone. Tench singing with the Heartbreakers at Hollywood Bowl. Its how were doing our new record, how we did the last record [Mojo] and how we did the Mudcrutch record [released in 2008]. My world world is fallen apart. Tom was the last person in the band that I expected ever to go. Tench played piano from an early age. Benjamin Montmorency Tench, III Profile: American keyboardist and singer, born September 7, 1953 in Gainesville, Florida, USA. "Catherine came in December, Tom died in October," Tench recalled. Later that day, a chaplain was summoned to Petty's hospital room as his family reeled from the early reports that he was already dead. In March 2019, Benmont played three shows with Phil Lesh & Friends (an American rock band) at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. 17260 events. He had his friends that he would speak to about this, that, and the other, and speak to in a certain way. But his version of American Girl is out of this world. The meeting "kicked off my love of music," according to Petty, who would later say that "I'd never thought much about rock n' roll until that moment." It was magical. Sat Apr 01 2023 at 10:00 am 2023 Pekingese Club of GA Specialty Show. Benmont Tench was born in Gainesville, Florida, USA on Monday, September 7, 1953 (Baby Boomers Generation). Earned his first newspaper paycheck at the Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat, fled the Midwest for Los Angeles Daily News and finally ended up at the Orange County Register. In the late evening of October 1, Tom Petty "was found unconscious, not breathing and in full cardiac arrest" at his home in Malibu, California, according toTMZ.