Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench is an American keyboardist and songwriter. Along with Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, he is a founding member of the band Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and has been active with them since 1975. Petty, Campbell, and Tench previously played together in the band Mudcrutch. In addition to his band work, Tench works as a studio musician on piano and Hammond organ, notably for Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, John Fogerty, and Alanis Morissette.Tench has written pieces for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, but also for other artists. In 1985, the single "You Little Thief" by Feargal Sharkey, written by Tench, reached the Top 5 in the UK and Australia. That same year, Rosanne Cash with the single "Never Be You" (Tench/Petty) reached number one on the US national charts. He is now releasing his second solo album, "The Melancholy Season".