The Rock Legend Who Taught Tom Petty Guitar — for Just $3 an Hour

Before Tom Petty became one of America’s most beloved rock icons, he was just another teenager in Gainesville, Florida, dreaming of making music. The small southern town turned out to be a surprising breeding ground for future rock legends, with a young Petty crossing paths with musicians like Stephen Stills, the Allman Brothers, and a certain aspiring guitarist named Don Felder. At the time, Felder wasn’t yet part of The Eagles — he was simply a skilled musician trying to earn a few extra dollars by teaching lessons after school.

One day, a shy, scruffy blond-haired kid walked into the music shop where Felder worked and asked for lessons. That kid was Tom Petty. Felder charged just three dollars an hour, unaware that he was helping shape the foundation of one of rock’s greatest songwriters. The two quickly became friends, often jamming together outside of class and exploring songs Petty was writing on his own.

While their memories of what exactly Felder taught differ — Petty once said it was piano, not guitar — the impact of those early sessions was undeniable. Whether through chords or keys, those lessons helped Petty understand how to build melodies, structure songs, and eventually create the sound that defined his career.

Don Felder’s Early Days Before The Eagles

In the late 1960s, Gainesville was buzzing with young musicians chasing big dreams. Don Felder was among them, honing his craft while performing with local acts and occasionally collaborating with other up-and-coming artists. Long before he joined The Eagles and helped pen hits like Hotel California, Felder was simply trying to make ends meet by teaching music lessons to local kids.

Teaching Petty may not have seemed like a life-changing gig at the time, but Felder later recalled that his student already had something different about him. Though Petty wasn’t yet a strong guitarist, Felder noticed his stage presence and charisma were undeniable. “He had this long, straight blond hair, and he’d flip it when he played,” Felder said in a 2008 interview. “He had something magnetic about him, even then.”

It’s easy to see in hindsight that Petty’s strengths weren’t purely technical — they were emotional and performative. The same confidence that impressed Felder would one day fuel Petty’s rise to rock superstardom, leading The Heartbreakers through decades of hits that blended raw authenticity with timeless songwriting.

Two Careers, One Starting Point

After their brief time together in Gainesville, Felder and Petty took diverging paths that led to massive success on opposite sides of the country. Felder eventually moved to California, joining Stephen Stills and later becoming a vital part of The Eagles. His signature guitar work helped define the sound of the 1970s, from soaring harmonies to intricate solos that became hallmarks of American rock.

Petty, meanwhile, stayed rooted in Florida for a while longer. He played in local bands like Mudcrutch before forming Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in 1976. That same year, Felder and The Eagles were riding high with Hotel California. Though the two rarely crossed paths again, their early connection served as a small but meaningful thread in the vast web of American rock history.

What’s remarkable is how both musicians, despite starting from the same town and humble beginnings, contributed to defining an entire era. Gainesville may have seemed far from the glitz of Los Angeles or the studios of New York, but it proved that even a small-town music scene could shape rock’s biggest stars.

A Friendship Etched in Rock History

Despite differing accounts of their lessons, neither Felder nor Petty ever denied the warmth of their early friendship. Their brief teacher-student relationship reflected the spirit of that time — musicians learning from each other, trading ideas, and building a culture that valued creativity over fame. Both men eventually became giants in their own right, but their story serves as a reminder of how intertwined the paths of great artists can be.

When Felder later spoke about Petty’s passing in 2017, he remembered him fondly, saying that even in those early days, “Tom had something special that made you believe he’d go far.” That prediction couldn’t have been more accurate. From American Girl to Free Fallin’, Petty’s music carried the honesty and depth that perhaps first took root in those Gainesville lessons.

In the end, it’s almost poetic — one of The Eagles’ finest once taught the man who would go on to become rock’s ultimate heartbreaker, both connected by a few dollars, a few chords, and an enduring love for music.