The singer was found unconscious, not breathing and in full cardiac arrest at his Malibu, California home on Monday morning, BBC reports.

He was said to have been rushed to the hospital but doctors were unable to revive him.

He died later that evening. He was aged 66.

"He died peacefully at 20:40 Pacific time (03:40 GMT Tuesday) surrounded by family, his bandmates and friends," his long-time manager Tony Dimitriades, said.

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Petty was best known as the lead singer of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers rock band, producing such hits as American Girl, Breakdown, Free Fallin', Learning to Fly and Refugee.