Mike Campbell biography
Date of birth : 1950-02-01
Date of death : -
Birthplace : Jacksonville, Florida,U.S.
Nationality : American
Category : Arts and Entertainment
Last modified : 2012-01-12
Credited as : Singer-songwriter, Guitarist, Record producer
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Campbell graduated from Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Florida in 1968 and quickly moved to pursue a career in music. At 16, he bought his first guitar, a cheap Harmony model, from a pawnshop. His first electric guitar was a $60 Goya.
He formed a band named Dead or Alive which quickly disbanded. He first met Tom Petty through Mudcrutch drummer Randall Marsh when they were auditioning him and he suggested his friend Mike to play rhythm guitar.
Mudcrutch moved to L.A. and signed a record deal with Shelter Records, recording an album in 1974 that ended up being shelved. Campbell then joined Petty to found the original Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers in 1975 along with Benmont Tench (keyboards), Ron Blair (bass guitar) and Stan Lynch (drums).
Outside of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, Campbell has co-written an array of songs, including “The Boys of Summer” and “Heart of the Matter” (both with Don Henley). Other songwriting credits include songs for The Blue Stingrays, Johnny Cash, Fleetwood Mac, Lone Justice, Roger McGuinn, Stevie Nicks, John Prine, Restless Sleeper, Patti Scialfa, Brian Setzer, J.D. Souther, The Williams Brothers and Robin Zander. He also produced four songs on Roy Orbison’s Mystery Girl album and played guitar on The Wallflowers’ “Sixth Avenue Heartache”.
In 2004, he recorded the guitar solo for the song "Los Angeles is Burning" from the punk rock band Bad Religion's The Empire Strikes First album. He later on in 2010 recorded the solo for the song "Cyanide" on their 2010 album The Dissent of Man.
