Mike Campbell Announces New Memoir, ‘Heartbreaker’

Mike Campbell, former guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, will release his memoir, Heartbreaker, on March 18, 2025.

“This is my book,” Campbell said in a press release. “It’s the story of a poor kid from Jacksonville, Florida who realized a dream through music. It’s a long journey through hard work, dedication and luck. Playing guitar and writing songs has been my inspiration and purpose. It’s a story of hope, redemption and gratitude, a testimonial that dreams can come true if you believe in yourself and follow your truth. It took two years to write and it’s a labor of love. I hope you enjoy the ride!”

READ MORE: Tom Petty’s Rarest Songs: Playlist

Heartbreaker is currently available for pre-ordering.

“Mike Campbell’s Heartbreaker is everything one hopes for in a rock memoir,” Ben Schafer, Executive Editor for Grand Central Publishing added. “Like the remarkable body of work he co-created with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, it delivers on every level from beginning to end.”

Mike Campbell’s Recent Work

Campell released a new album earlier this year with his band the Dirty Knobs, titled Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits.

“My approach to songwriting is the same as it’s ever been,” Campbell told UCR back in June. “Except when I was partnered with Tom, I mostly just did music. I would make music tracks and give them to him and if he liked it, he would write the words. Now that he’s gone, I have my own band, I’m exploring the lyrics and the characters, as well as the music. So that’s a new frontier, but I’m really taking to it and I’m just trying to get good at it, you know? … This new album, I think, has some really good lyrics, and the band, as always. And just, you know, the music is just — it’s always there. I write all the time, you know, and that hasn’t waned at all.”

Currently, Campbell is on the road performing on the Life Is A Carnival: Last Waltz Tour, which also includes another former Heartbreaker, keyboardist Benmont Tench.