Tom Leadon, Co-Founder of Mudcrutch Band With Tom Petty, Dies at 71
variety.comChris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Tom Leadon, a singer and guitarist best known for co-founding the band Mudcrutch with Tom Petty in the early ’70s and participating in a high-profile reunion beginning in 2008, died March 22 at age 71.
The death was publicly revealed Monday. No cause of death was given but a post from Petty’s official fan club attributed it to “natural causes.” “Tom Leadon was my deepest guitar soul brother,” wrote Mike Campbell, a fellow member of Mudcrutch across the decades, on Twitter. “We spent countless hours playing acoustic guitars and teaching each other things.
A kinder soul never walked the earth. I will always miss his spirit and generosity. Sleep peacefully my old friend.” Tom Leadon was my deepest guitar soul brother, we spent countless hours playing acoustic guitars and teaching each other things.A kinder soul never walked the earth.I will always miss his spirit and generosity.Sleep peacefully my old friend.Mike pic.twitter.com/UfF86HaULp His brother, Bernie Leadon, born five years earlier than Tom, is a musician of renown, having been a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers before moving on to be part of the Eagles for the first four albums in that group’s history.
A song Tom Leadon co-wrote, “Hollywood Waltz,” landed on the “One of These Nights” albums. Leadon also had a hit as a member of the group Silver with the top 20 song “Wham Bam” in the mid-’70s.
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