Editing Tom Petty (section)

==Early life and education==
Petty was born on October 20, 1950, in [[Gainesville, Florida]], the first of two sons of Kitty Petty (née Avery), a local tax office worker, and Earl Petty, a traveling salesman.<ref name="Gorbituary">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/03/tom-petty-obituary|title=Tom Petty obituary|work=The Guardian|author=Sweeting, Adam|date=October 3, 2017|access-date=January 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110174658/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/oct/03/tom-petty-obituary|archive-date=January 10, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=biography.com>{{cite web|url=https://www.biography.com/people/tom-petty-201299|title=Tom Petty: Music Producer, Guitarist, Songwriter, Singer (1950–2017)|publisher=[[Biography.com]] ([[FYI (TV network)|FYI]] / [[A&E Networks]])|access-date=October 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003030103/https://www.biography.com/people/tom-petty-201299|archive-date=October 3, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=DeYoung |first=Bill |url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/LK/20040727/News/604163965/GS/ |title=Tom Petty, Musician |date=July 27, 2004 |work=The Gainesville Sun |access-date=October 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003225750/http://www.gainesville.com/article/LK/20040727/News/604163965/GS/ |archive-date=October 3, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> His brother, Bruce, was seven years younger.<ref name="Gorbituary"/>

Petty grew up in the [[Northeast Gainesville Residential District]], known locally as the Duckpond. After his death, a historical marker was placed in the neighborhood and a nearby park was renamed to Tom Petty Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://oakmontfl.com/a-living-history-lesson-gainesvilles-duckpond-neighborhood/|title=A Living History Lesson: Gainesville's Duckpond Neighborhood|date=December 24, 2019|access-date=April 13, 2023|archive-date=April 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413105006/https://oakmontfl.com/a-living-history-lesson-gainesvilles-duckpond-neighborhood/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Petty attended Howard Bishop Middle School, where he played Little League baseball and basketball. He then attended [[Gainesville High School (Florida)|Gainesville High School]], where he graduated in 1968.<ref>[https://www.gainesville.com/story/news/2004/05/26/from-local-band-to-superstar/31538868007/ "From a local band to a superstar"], ''The Gainesville Sun'', May 26, 2004</ref>