North Florida Music Hall of Fame

A native of Ohio, Lynch grew up in Gainesville, where he met the future members of Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers, but Lynch didn’t actually join Petty’s band until 1975 in Los Angeles. While playing with the Heartbreakers, Lynch moonlighted with the likes of Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Nicks, The Eurythmics and The Byrds. He also began co-writing and contributing songs for Toto, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Eddie Money, Ringo Starr, The Eagles, Matraca Berg and Meredith Brooks. After being invited to leave The Heartbreakers in 1994, Lynch returned to Florida, where he began recording tracks for Don Henley’s “Building the Perfect Beast” album at Jim DeVito’s home studio in Crescent Beach (some of those tracks included musicians from local band Gunga Din). Lynch also produced Henley’s 2001 comeback album, “Inside Job,” and has produced tracks for The Band and Keith Richards. He currently operates out of Nashville, commuting there from his Crescent Beach home.