Tom Petty’s Original Heartbreakers Reunite For 1st Performance Together Since 2002
Chris Stapleton fronted Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch and Ron Blair on “American Girl” and “Breakdown.”
By Scott Bernstein Sep 17, 2026 • 6:36 am PDT
Photo by Erika Goldring / Getty Images for Americana Music Association
The surviving original members of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers reunited Wednesday at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for their first performance together in more than two decades. Guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer Stan Lynch and bassist Ron Blair backed Chris Stapleton on “American Girl” and “Breakdown” to open the 25th annual Americana Honors & Awards.
The appearance was particularly rare for Lynch, who left The Heartbreakers in 1994. His only previous performance with the band after his departure came when Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Lynch reunited with Petty, Campbell, Tench and Blair at the induction ceremony, where “American Girl” was also part of the performance.
Stapleton and the four original Heartbreakers opened Wednesday’s tribute with “American Girl” before moving into “Breakdown.” Lynch then departed as later-era Heartbreakers drummer Steve Ferrone and multi-instrumentalist Scott Thurston joined Campbell, Tench and Blair behind Stapleton for “You Wreck Me.”
The surviving Heartbreakers were at the Ryman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association. “It’s really emotional and sweet to be here,” Campbell said during the ceremony. “Tom, I’m gonna miss rocking around with you.”
The reunion came amid Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ 50th anniversary celebration. Earlier Wednesday, the band detailed the Origins 1971-1978 box set, featuring seven previously unreleased tracks along with newly remastered editions of the group’s first two albums. Both “American Girl” and “Breakdown” appeared on the Heartbreakers’ self-titled 1976 debut.
Stapleton has longstanding ties to Petty and The Heartbreakers. He opened several dates on the band’s 40th anniversary tour in 2017 and later recorded Petty’s “I Should Have Known It” for the 2024 tribute album Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration Of Tom Petty.
Watch fan-shot footage of Stapleton performing “American Girl,” “Breakdown” and “You Wreck Me” with The Heartbreakers below. The complete pro-shot 2026 Americana Honors & Awards follows:
