Heartbreakers: Mike Campbell Announces Memoir

Legendary guitarist, songwriter and producer Mike Campbell, best known for his decades-long career Tom Petty and the Heartbreakersis ready to tell his life story.

The lead guitarist of the band from the beginning until Petty’s death in 2017, the 74-year-old rocker not only performed on classics like ‘American Girl’ and ‘Breakdown’ – he also co-wrote some of the band’s most iconic songs, including ‘Refugee’ and ‘Here Comes My Girl’.

Campbell also wrote the music for hits like Don Henley’s “The Boys of Summer” and perhaps Petty’s most iconic duet, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Stevie Nicks – and they later toured together in 2018 and 2019 when he served as Fleetwood Mac‘s lead guitarist.

Now he goes from the stage to the page with his memoirs, Heartbreakerwill hit shelves on March 18, 2025.

Whether they realize it or not, many people know the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s music, but “few know the unglamorous background from which Campbell emerged and the sacrifices it took,” according to a press release from Heartbreaker publisher Grand Central Publishing.

“His rise was a sometimes grueling dream come true that took him from the bottom to the very top, where Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers would remain for decades, creating an astonishing body of work,” the release said.

“This is my book,” Campbell said in a press release. “It’s the story of a poor boy from Jacksonville, Florida, who realized a dream through music. It is a long journey through hard work, dedication and luck. Playing guitar and writing songs have been my inspiration and goal.”

“It is a story of hope, redemption and gratitude, a testimony that dreams can come true if you believe in yourself and follow your truth,” he added. It took two years to write, and it’s a labor of love. I hope you enjoy the ride!”

Reflecting on his career earlier this year, Campbell — who has been working as the singer and frontman of his band The Dirty Knobs since Petty’s death — told PEOPLE he has “undergone a bit of a metamorphosis.”

“(With) The Heartbreakers I had the easiest job in the world, but I didn’t realize it,” he explained. “Tom did all the work. He was up there directing the circus, and I was just sitting there, ‘la-di-da, play guitar here, play guitar there.’ Now (with the Dirty Knobs) I have to remember the lyrics, sing on pitch and lead the band.

“But I embrace it,” he added, “and it gives me a lot of confidence.”

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Heartbreaker comes out March 18, 2025 and is available for pre-order now wherever books are sold.