Died On This Date (February 23, 2003) Howie Epstein / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
themusicsover Howie Epstein
July 21, 1955 – February 23, 2003
Before Howie Epstein became a member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers he was playing behind John Hiatt in the ’70s (Slug Line, Two Bit Monsters), and Del Shannon in the ’80s. It was while working on a Petty-produced Del Shannon album, that Epstein was offered a spot in Petty’s band. He jumped at the chance and made his live debut alongside Petty on September 1, 1982. Four days later, he was playing in front of one of the biggest rock crowds in history at the legendary US Festival in Southern California. In 1988, Epstein met and began a romantic and professional relationship with Carlene Carter who was the daughter of June Carter and Carl Smith, and recently divorced from Nick Lowe. Epstein helped revive Carter’s career which included a Grammy nomination in 1991. Epstein was also building a solid reputation as a producer, even earning a Best Contemporary Folk Album Grammy for John Prine’s The Missing Years. Epstein died on February 23, 2003 from the effects of drug abuse, although not from an overdose.