Shawn

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Shawn, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has over 25 years of experience playing in classic rock bands throughout the region. He also spent nine years as a lead, rhythm, and bass guitarist at Four Mile Church in Beaver County. He was a founding member of Rule 62, a band of musicians in recovery that performed across Western Pennsylvania at recovery centers and community events.

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In 2020, Shawn co-founded Breakdown: A Tom Petty Musical Experience. After moving to Jackson, Michigan, in 2023, he continued the project with Ed and Joe under the name Breakdown: A Tom Petty Tribute. Shawn focuses on capturing the sound and spirit of Tom Petty’s music, delivering an authentic experience without imitation.

Ann

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Music runs in Ann’s blood. Her father, Stan Grady, was a renowned jazz musician throughout Jackson and the surrounding areas. Ann sang her first solo at age eight and has been performing ever since. She participated in show choir and stage productions throughout high school, earning a full music scholarship to Jackson Community College, where she was a member of the Starfleet Ambassadors.

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After college, Ann continued singing in bands, choirs, and musical productions, and served on her church’s Praise Team. She never imagined she would end up in a rock band—but here she is, absolutely killing it.

Tom

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Tom began playing the Hammond organ at age 15, inspired by bands like Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. After graduating high school, he attended the Michigan School for the Arts for two years before leaving to tour with his band.

 

Over the next decade, Tom honed his craft on the road, performing 200 to 250 shows a year and releasing two albums in the mid to late 1980s. Since then, he has contributed his talents to several cover bands and now enjoys helping deliver an authentic Tom Petty concert experience at every Breakdown show.

Ed

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Ed has been on a musical journey since his teens, recording albums as a bassist and performing as a violinist with the local community orchestra. His tight bass grooves and impeccable timing provide the foundation that allows the band to fully explore the Tom Petty catalog. He has earned a reputation as one of the premier bassists in the Ann Arbor and Jackson areas—and yes, he even looks like Tom Petty.

Joe

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Originally from Houston, Ohio, Joe moved to Jackson, Michigan, in 2015. He plays multiple stringed instruments but truly excels on guitar, which he has been passionate about since picking it up at age eleven. His influences include The Beatles, The Allman Brothers, and Joe Walsh.

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Joe has been with Breakdown: A Tom Petty Tribute since the very beginning, capturing the unmistakable Mike Campbell lead guitar style. Tom Petty and Mike Campbell often referred to themselves as the co-captains of the Heartbreakers—and Joe has clearly earned that distinction in this band.

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.......oh, and he likes turtles. 🐢

Kyle

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Kyle began playing drums and percussion in fifth grade after listening to his sister’s 45 of “Love Me Do” on repeat and drumming on chairs and boxes in the basement. He joined his first band at age 16 and has since played everywhere from orchestra pits to bars, coffee shops, and outdoor venues across Michigan. His previous band, Mannafest, focused on raising money for worthy causes.

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In addition to drumming for Breakdown, Kyle also plays with the Ann Arbor–based band Outbound Packard and has recorded with several local artists in studio settings. His influences span a wide range, including Neil Young, R.E.M., The Clash, Wilco, The White Stripes, Ryan Adams, Bob Marley, Joni Mitchell, and the British Invasion greats—The Beatles, Stones, Kinks, and The Who—along with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.