Singer/songwriter Tom Petty is getting his place in Florida history.

The Florida Historical Marker Council voted Friday to erect one at a Gainesville city park named after the hall of fame rock and roll star.

The metal plaque with raised letters will tell the story of the iconic rocker's Gainesville's roots. The Grammy award winner played in the neighborhood park as a boy in the 1950s and 60’s before he formed the band Mudcrutch as a teen.

The group played throughout North Florida and South Georgia and at University of Florida events before they left town for Los Angeles in 1974. That move springboarded Petty into a career in which he sold millions of records worldwide as the front man for the Heartbreakers.

Their "Damn the Torpedoes" album went triple platinum – more than three million copies sold.

Petty would later team up with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynneand Roy Orbison in a band of legendary rockers known as the The Traveling Wilburys.

Petty passed away from a drug overdose in 2017.

An autopsy found a mixture of oxycodone, Xanax and other medications in his system.

The week before, the 66-year old composer of “Don’t Do Me Like That,” "American Girl," and “I Won’t Back Down” had completed a 36-city tour in which he and the Heartbreakers had sold 637,671 tickets.

Tom and Tallahassee:

Florida’s historic marker program is designed to raise public awareness of the state’s cultural history. Officials say they try to identify sites associated with the lives of notable Floridians.

A tribute to Petty will take up both sides of the rectangular marker and will be erected October 20, the Gainesville rocker's birthdate. The script will recall how a Boy Scout who looked for crawfish in the park's pond met Elvis Presley, learned how to play guitar and formed a group that won a battle of the bands contest before leaving home to seek fame and fortune.

Melanie Barr, who spearheaded the effort to get the marker and helped write the script, said she expects Petty Nation to throw a big celebration to mark the dedication ceremony. Last year, when the park was renamed for Petty, Barr said fans flocked from around the world to Gainesville.

Remembering a rocker:

"It'll be a fun event, you should come on down," said Barr, after the council approved the Petty marker.

"Last year, I had people from more states than I didn't – people from the West, New England, Texas. As well as people from England, Ireland, Germany and a few Canadains," said Barr.

Florida historic markers can cost up to $2,300 to make. State grants are available to help organizations seeking one to pay the costs. State officials say the timing may be tight but they expect the marker to be ready for the Oct. 20 dedication.

Writer James Call can be contacted at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on Twitter @CallTallahassee