Steve 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, and had just released their first number one album when McIntosh 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.
Ferrone met guitarist Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers when the two played a show with George Harrison as part of his Hara and the Hijack band at Royal Albert Hall. He began recording with Tom Petty for the Wildflowers album, released late in 1994, with his first live Heartbreakers gig on 28 February 1995 in Louisville, Kentucky. Steve has recorded and performed with numerous other high-profile acts, including Duran Duran, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Slash, Chaka Khan, Eric Clapton, Bee Gees, Scritti Politti, and Johnny Cash.