Mudcrutch was an American southern and country rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They are best known for being the band that began Tom Petty's rise to fame.

Mudcrutch formed in Gainesville in 1970 and soon became a popular act across Florida. The band moved to Los Angeles in 1974 to attract the attention of a record company. Though they signed a contract with Shelter Records, they released only one poor-selling single before breaking up in 1975. The following year, former Mudcrutch members Petty, Mike Campbell, and Benmont Tench formed the core of a new band, the Heartbreakers.

Most of the original Mudcrutch lineup reformed in 2007 to record their first album as a group, which was followed by a tour. They would later release a second album in 2016. After Petty died in 2017, the group disbanded for the second and final time.