10 Rock Bands That Continued Without Major Members
8. Ron Blair - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Not everyone is really cut out for the rock and roll lifestyle...nor should everyone. From the relentless touring to the amount of sleazy people that are trying to get a little piece of you everywhere you go, how are you supposed to deal with that and also fit in time for your family and your personal life? Especially when you're a fairly introverted guy, things can take a downturn pretty quickly.
In the early days of the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty's band of misfits really felt like a brotherhood, with everyone looking out for one another. Once the major cash came flowing in after Damn the Torpedoes though, Ron Blair started to get more and more frustrated with the way things were working out, normally being told what to play in the studio rather than just making his own decisions on arrangements.
Combine that with the touring life that was slowly eating away at him and you can see why Blair announced his departure right before going in to record Long After Dark. Drafting in Howie Epstein from Del Shannon's band, Tom did eventually leave Ron on good terms, with Blair even turning up to see his old band in his spare time. Things do loop back around in the world of rock and roll, and Ron eventually found himself with his four string on, returning to the band after Howie's passing.