Steve Ferrone

Stephen Arthur Anthony Ferrone (born Ferroni; 25 April 1950) is an English drummer. He was a member of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from 1994 to 2017, replacing original drummer Stan Lynch, and was part of the "classic lineup" of the Average White Band in the 1970s. Ferrone has recorded and performed with Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Roxy Music, Phil Collins, George Harrison, Duran Duran, Stevie Nicks, Laura Pausini, Christine McVie, Rick James, Slash, Chaka Khan, Bee Gees, Scritti Politti, Howard Jones, Aerosmith, Al Jarreau, Mick Jagger, Johnny Cash, Todd Rundgren and Pat Metheny. Ferrone also hosts The New Guy radio show on SiriusXM's Tom Petty Radio.

Musical career Ferrone played with the band Bloodstone, appearing on their 1975 album Riddle of the Sphinx. He then began playing with Brian Auger's band Oblivion Express, which had previously featured drummer Robbie McIntosh.

McIntosh later joined the Average White Band; however, just after releasing their first number-one album, he died of a heroin overdose. Ferrone was asked to join AWB in his place and stayed with them for the next eight years, recording and playing concert tours to support several hit albums, until AWB broke up in 1982.

Since appearing on Chaka Khan's 1978 debut album, Ferrone went on to play on most of her subsequent albums in the 80s, including "Naughty" with former AWB band member Hamish Stuart. In 1985, Ferrone joined the Saturday Night Live house band and was there for the 1985–86 season. He contributed as session drummer for Duran Duran on the Notorious, Big Thing, Duran Duran, and Thank You albums. He also toured with Duran Duran on the Strange Behaviour Tour in support of Notorious. He also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton from 1986 to 1992. During rehearsals in London for the George Harrison tour, he played drums for Duran Duran at Abbey Road Studios and recorded "Ordinary World". In 1991, Ferrone played drums on the George Harrison tour in Japan including three nights at the Tokyo Dome. In August 2018, he was announced as drummer for Dire Straits Legacy prior to their first US tour, consisting of 10 dates.

On 10 July 2019, Ferrone was inducted into the Brighton Music Walk of Fame in his hometown of Brighton, England. That same year, he recorded session drums for Stroke 9's studio album, Calafrio.

As of July 2024, Ferrone is on the road as the drummer for Mike Campbell's solo project, The Dirty Knobs.

Personal life Stephen Arthur Anthony Ferrone was born on 25 April 1950 in Brighton, Sussex to a Sierra Leonean father and English mother. Due to appearing Mediterranean at birth, a midwife suggested calling him Tony Ferroni, with his other middle name Arthur taken from his grandfather; after his skin darkened a few days later, his birth certificate was altered to change his surname from Ferroni to Ferrone. When he was 47, Ferrone sought out information regarding his biological father. Startled by the revelation from his mother that his father's surname was in fact Nicholson, Ferrone confided in Tom Petty who assured him that Steve Ferrone was a better name for a drummer than Steve Nicholson.