10 Musicians Who Cheated Death

Tom Petty has pretty much built up the reputation as the one rocker that anyone could be friends with. Regardless of whether or not you like his music, the laid back vibe that he has whenever he plays makes him one of the more respected men in the rock industry. So why anyone would want to kill him on a whim is beyond all logical comprehension.

During a break in between touring for Southern Accents, Petty was asleep in his house when it burst into flames in the early hours of the morning. By the time everyone was rushed to safety, everything he had to his name was gone, not even having shoes on his feet when he raced out. While originally blaming it on electrical problems, authorities found out that it was arson based on lighter fluid that was placed around the house.

This isn't just a few things lost either. All the memorabilia he collected, every guitar, every song idea...all gone up in flames. Like all underdog stories though, Tom managed to pull through with a little help from his friends, with Annie Lenox buying everyone a new wardrobe before the embers had even settled. After all, if you spend your life living in fear of stuff like this, you're giving the arsonist exactly what they want.