Benmont Tench – September 2012 Classic Rock Birthdays

Benmont Tench, founding member and longtime keyboardist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, will turn 59 years old on Sept. 7.

His friendship with frontman Petty began at age 11, when the two met in a music store in Gainesville, Fla. He has played on every one of the group's albums since that time. Tench is also a highly in-demand session player, contributing to albums from artists as diverse as Bob Dylan, Green Day and U2.