THE WORLD OF music and the arts has been paying tribute to legendary musician Tom Petty, who has died aged 66.

The Free Fallin’ singer went into cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, and was rushed to hospital from his Los Angeles home.

He died in the early hours this morning, surrounded by family, friends and bandmates.

Tributes to Petty heralded him for his songwriting abilities, while younger artists credited him with inspiring their own music.

Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson said he was “heartbroken” at the news, and called Petty a “hell of a songwriter and record-maker”.

Bob Dylan, who alongside Petty founded the supergroup the Travelling Wilburys, told Rolling Stone: “It’s shocking, crushing news. I thought the world of Tom.

He was a great performer, full of the light, a friend, and I’ll never forget him.

Peter Frampton said that he couldn’t believe Tom Petty had died “on this already horrible day” while Bon Jovi said he was “crushed” at the loss of “one of [his] great influences”.

John Mayer said that he liked to cover Petty’s songs because he “wanted to know what it felt like to fly”.

In a lengthy statement, legendary rocker Alice Cooper said: “It is so rare to find someone who commands such universal respect in this business.

He was a rock’n'roll lifer with music in his blood. This man delivered a wealth of great songs to his fans and to the world and that is something to celebrate.

At a gig last night, Coldplay were joined by REM guitarist Peter Buck to do a rendition of Free Fallin’.

Following the minute of silence, Peter Buck joined the band for this wonderful rendition of Freefalling by Tom Petty.
R42 pic.twitter.com/KzRMHYGKwS

— Coldplay (@coldplay) October 3, 2017

And, in a statement on Petty’s Twitter page, his long-time manager Tony Dimitriades said that “on behalf of the Tom Petty family, we are devastated to announce the untimely death of our father, husband, brother, leader and friend, Tom Petty”.

Read: Singer Tom Petty dies aged 66