"Gene moved on quickly though and his first solo song came with "Cradle of My Arms" albeit under the name Billy Bryan. He is also credited with helping the Rolling Stones break the American market with his endorsement of the band. Wedding: Lynne C. Gayton to Gene Pitney (Pop Star) - The Bridgeport Post, Jan. 26, 1967 (Thu) Further success would come with Ricky Nelson recording "Hello Mary Lou" (a Top 5 in the US) and "He's a Rebel" for Phil Spector's group, The Crystals. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and David. [14][15], Pitney was touring the UK in the spring of 2006 when his manager found him dead in his hotel room following a concert in Cardiff, Wales, on April 5. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. What was even more amazing is that Gene recorded all 7 vocal tracks as well as playing the piano, guitar and drums on the song. She confirmed: As soon as it (the death) was deemed to be non-suspicious, the matter was handed over to the coroner.. In addition to this Pitney began to make forays into other areas of music once again demonstrating his vocal range. They also collaborated in the production of the hit song "Days of Summer". In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". He also recorded a number of his hits in Italian. | In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". Musicor liked he song and didn't think it needed any "tweaking", releasing it exactly the way Pitney sent it to them. The first big breakthrough came when Roy Orbison recorded "Today's Teardrops" as the B-side to "Blue Angel". [7] In the US, the single stalled at No. A Burt Bacharach/Hal David song it was originally intended to be the title song to the movie of the same name but it never did appeared in the movie. See answer (1) Copy. , updated Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. However, his music and studies were coming into increasing conflict and Gene began to move more towards his musical ambitions. Who was the host of Gene Pitneys funeral? We have estimated Gene's first recordings were in 1958 with a Connecticut singing group called the Embers. The duet brought him his first UK No. Further success would come with Ricky Nelson recording "Hello Mary Lou" (a Top 5 in the US) and "He's a Rebel" for Phil Spector's group, The Crystals. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. It reached the Top 40 in US and Britain. Associated With. Gene's career as an artist in his own right began with the self-penned "I Wanna Love My Life Away" which he recorded for $30 at a small recording studio in New York. Thu 6 Apr 2006 05.12 EDT. He is survived by his wife Lynne and three sons who live in his native Connecticut. Other massive hits for Pitney included 24 Hours From Tulsa and Im Gonna Be Strong. Id love the Rolling Stones to come and play at the party Im sure theyll still be touring long after I am dead. He is survived by his wife Lynn and sons David, Todd and Chris. In 2000, he sang the harmony vocals in Jane Olivors version of his own song Half Heaven Half Heartache. Birth Day: February 17, 1940: Birth Place: Hartford, CT: Gene Pitney age: 80 YEARS OLD: Died On: Apr 5, 2006 (age 66) Birth Sign: Aquarius . He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. Clipping found in The Bridgeport Post in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Jan 26, 1967. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. Marked by his piercing, pained, and melodramatic tenor, he was often characterized (very unfairly) as a shallow teen idol type of singer. On it Pitney not only sang but played all the instruments, in addition to recording the backup vocals (he didn't have the money to hire singers or musicians). He is from USA. Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. "Together we had one of the biggest hits of 1989 with Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart and it was an honour to have worked with him," he said. Gene Pitney is a member of the following lists: Epic Records artists, American pop singers . A book of condolences has since been opened in the city centre. Gene's first foray into the music scene was as part of a duet with Ginny Arnell, their first song being 1959's "Classical Rock & Roll. And finally in 1989 achieved what had eluded him at the peak of his popularity, a number 1 single in the UK. Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album Stardom Road. They were voted the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. - IMDb Mini Biography By: His wife is Lynne Gayton (28 January 1967 - 5 April 2006) ( his death) ( 3 children) Gene Pitney Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. He also performed it at Oscars ceremony on April 9, 1962, becoming the first pop singer to do so. American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. (Photo by Mario Ruiz/Getty Images) Save. SELECT OPTIONS SAVE TO CART "Rubber Ball", another Pitney song, became a hit for Bobby Vee in the US and Marty Wilde in the UK. "Only Love Can Break a Heart" was denied number 1 in the US charts by Pitney's own composition "He's a Rebel" sung by The Crystals. Musicor liked he song and didn't think it needed any "tweaking", releasing it exactly the way Pitney sent it to them. [12] It has been repeated on television over the years, notably on a 2002 episode of BBC One series Room 101,[11] in which host Paul Merton described it as a "very funny moment" in which Pitney came in "unbearably late". The limousine carrying the family of singer Gene Pitney leaves Somers Center Cemetery following Pitney's burial. Gene Pitney, singer and songwriter, born February 17 1941; died April 5 2006. Gene Pitney found dead in hotel. Pitney and Almond appeared on the Terry Wogan television show in Britain. Today we welcome famous widow, Lynne Pitney, wife of famous Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Gene Pitney, to our joy -ous club, the club that nobody wants to joy -n. Ever. He is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.. Burt Bacharach, who wrote Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, called Pitney "a rare talent and a beautiful man". With his popularity now firmly established in the US and growing in the UK Gene began to churn the hits out with amazing regularity. The real breakthrough for Gene came with the song "Town Without Pity" which was the title song to the movie of the same name. And finally in 1989 achieved what had eluded him at the peak of his popularity, a number 1 single in the UK. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. Signed to songwriter Aaron Schroeder's newly formed Musicor label in 1961, Pitney scored his first chart single, which made the Top 40, the self-penned "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away", on which he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals. In 1989, while performing live on ITV's This Morning show, he missed his cue for the song You're the Reason and couldnt mime with the beats in time! Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel. Gene Pitney And Lynne Gayton. As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. Gene had a love of music from an early age. Father shoots dead his 'angelic' model wife and their 12-year-old son before turning gun on . Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his. When Was Only Love Can Break Your Heart released? Mark Howes of his management company In Touch Music said the singer was found in his bed. 4 in 1962. Though it shares a title with the John Wayne western, the song was not used in the film because of a publishing dispute. Video Captures Gene Video's from Youtube. Pitney's early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups such as The Crows. Meanwhile, Pitney wrote hits for others, including "Today's Teardrops" for Roy Orbison, "Rubber Ball" for Bobby Vee, "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson, and "He's a Rebel" for the Crystals (later recorded by Vikki Carr and Elkie Brooks). The duet outdid the original which could only make number 5 in 1967. The body can now be flown back to the USA for the stars funeral. 2 UK peak of "I'm Gonna Be Strong". "I know that he had many Welsh fans and his performances were always enthusiastically received. . Gene's career as an artist in his own right began with the self-penned "I Wanna Love My Life Away" which he recorded for $30 at a small recording studio in New York. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Sources include Joel Whitburn's Record Research material for the US Top 100, "Bubbling Under" and US Country charts; Tim Rice et al., Guinness Book of Hit Singles for the UK; CHUM Chart for Canada prior to mid-1964, and the Canadian RPM charts thereafter; and The Kent Report for Australia, Involvement with the Rolling Stones (1964), UK, Australian and European stardom (19661970s), Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 07:18, Gene Pitney Meets the Fair Young Ladies of Folkland, It Hurts to Be in Love and Eleven More Hit Songs, For the First Time! The night before his body was . "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. 2011-04-11 01:33:42. He recorded albums with country greats like George Jones and Melba Montgomery and was quite successful. Following hot on the heels of "Town Without Pity" was "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". He said it was the best tour he had done for quite a few years.". (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 [1] [2] - April 5, 2006) [3] was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He received a glowing review for the South Wales Echo - "non-stop enthusiastic performance" during what proved to be his final concert in Cardiff. His streak of success continued through 1976 with songs like Down This Road, and Days of Summer. Pictures of Gene's Grave. Overcoming his nerves over the next few years, Pitney learned to play the guitar and piano and formed a schoolboy band. He was a truly iconic figure in the world of music and we were extremely lucky in Cardiff that he visited this city many times to perform at St David's Hall. Age, Biography and Wiki. Official Sites. Mourning Quote: Between 1963 and 1966, Gene consistently produced top 10 hits in the UK. 03:36 EST 13 Apr 2006 Record Covers More Record Covers Magazine or newspaper articles Memories Blog About Contact Gene Video's from Youtube. Gene has never looked back since then and has toured almost continuously throughout the nineties.In 2002 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a fitting honour and a long overdue recognition of his talent.In April 2006, he was in the middle of a tour of the UK when he died in his hotel room following a concert in Cardiff. Gene Pitneys Funeral The official website for Wayne Jones, host of New Englands longest running Oldies radio program; The Rock N Roll Memory Machine. Includes interviews, photos and other up-to-date info on rock-n-roll artists from the 50s and early 60s. Gene Pitney's wife Was Lynne Pitney. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the Top 40 in 1974, when both "Blue Angel" (No. Gene had a love of music from an early age. His big break came when Roy Orbison recorded Today's Teardrops as the B-side to Blue Angel. It was followed by Rubber Ball for Bobby Vee and Hello Mary Lou for Ricky Nelson. The event was emceed by oldies radio DJ and Pitney friend "Wild" Wayne. (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Embed Save PURCHASE A LICENSE Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. "Rebel" kept Pitney's own No. The son of a mill worker, Pitney said childhood ambitions of becoming a performer could not have been further from his mind. In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". Gene's first foray into the music scene was as part of a duet with Ginny Arnell, their first song being 1959's "Classical Rock & Roll. He was an enthusiastic doo-wop singer and also sang with a group named The Embers. , money, salary, income, and assets. Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. Gene Pitney was an American singer, songwriter, and sound engineer best known for his song Town Without Pity. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. I wanted to pay my respects by signing this book of condolence, which I know will reflect just how fondly thought of Gene was in Cardiff. Pitney's biggest hits included Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, Town Without Pity and Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart, on which he duetted with Marc Almond. The funeral of singer Gene Pitney has been held in his home town of Somers, in Connecticut. 14) marked his comeback by featuring in the Top 40 in 1974. He grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon, Connecticut. Gene Pitney (Gene Francis Alan Pitney) was born on 17 February, 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, is a Soundtrack, Actor. Gene's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as well. Gene Pitney's net worth Gene Pitney was born on 17 February 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Anna A. "Only Love Can Break a Heart" was denied number 1 in the US charts by Pitney's own composition "He's a Rebel" sung by The Crystals. In 1961, Gene Pitney recorded his first Top 20 single, Town Without Pity which had been penned by Tiomkin and Ned Washington. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Gene and his family. Because of his success on the music charts, and as he explained to his friend, oldies DJ 'Wild' Wayne, an unknown radio disc jockey at the time gave Pitney the nickname 'The Rockville Rocket', which caught on. He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut. His maternal grandparents were Polish. He also wrote the early-1960s hits "Rubber Ball" recorded by Bobby Vee, "Hello Mary Lou" by Ricky Nelson, and "He's a Rebel" by the Crystals. Who Is Gene Pitney's Wife? Members of the family attended. In 1962 he sent a demo record to Musicor Records, called "I Wanna Love My Life Away". Pitney's popularity in the UK market was ensured by the breakthrough success of "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", a Bacharach and David song, which peaked at No. "It Hurts to Be in Love" had been planned for and recorded by Neil Sedaka, but RCA refused to release it because Sedaka had recorded the song outside RCA Victor in violation of his contract. Publicity Listings Portrait of singer Gene Pitney and his pregnant wife Lynne Gayton during a holiday in Italy, circa 1968. Miller replaced Sedaka's voice with Pitney's, though Sedaka's trademark backing harmonies were left intact. 36K views 1 year ago The Life and Tragic Ending of Gene Pitney Gene Pitney was born Gene Francis Alan Pitney on February 17, 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.One of the most. The song received a Golden Globe Award, reached the US top 20 and Gene also performed it at the Academy Awards. He loved music since his childhood and joined a band in high school. A: Mumbo Jumbo. He married wife Lynee. He had played a show at Cardiff St Davids Hall the previous night. It reached number 5 in the UK charts and marked the beginning of his rise in popularity throughout the U.K. and Europe.Between 1963 and 1966, Gene consistently produced top 10 hits in the UK. They recorded Classical Rock & Roll in 1959 followed by a single called Cradle of My Arms.. Pitney was present with Phil Spector at some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including "Little by Little" and other tracks for their debut album;[6] he played piano, though the extent of this is uncertain. Gene Pitney - 17Feb 1940 - 05Apr 2006 (died at the age of 66) J Jason Raymer Tune Music Music Star Rock Music Music Memories Childhood Memories Dj Company The safest and most inclusive global community of photography enthusiasts. Gene Pitney is a member of Rock Singer. What was the cause of Gene Pitneys death? He is a member of famous Soundtrack with the age 66 years old group. "His family have taken the news as can be expected," said Pitney's promoter Mark Howes. The Mick Jagger/Keith Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" established his worldwide fame and he followed it up with "I'm Gonna be Strong", "Looking Through the Eyes of Love" (a million seller), "I Must be Seeing Things", "Princess in Rags", "Backstage", "Just One Smile", "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" and "Nobody Needs Your Love". We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. His maternal grandparents were Polish. 03:37 EST 13 Apr 2006, King Charles hosts von der Leyen at Windsor Castle, Police: Urgent search for Constance Marten's missing baby, Shocking video shows machete fight in broad daylight, Putin spy plane before being 'destroyed by pro-Ukraine Belarus group', Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Pupils take to TikTok as they stage protest at Shenfield High School, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Moment supermarket cashier is attacked at work in New York, Police search allotment sheds for Constance Marten's missing baby, Huge urgent police search for missing baby of Constance Marten, Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout. Jason Derby, Other Works In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the top ten. 2 hit "Only Love Can Break a Heart", his highest-charting single in the US, from the top spot on 3 November 1962, the only time that a writer shut himself (or herself) out of the No. In 2002 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a fitting honour and a long overdue recognition of his talent. Lord Mayor of Cardiff Freda Salway noted: "I was extremely saddened to hear about the death of Gene Pitney. See the events in life of Gene Pitney in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kRoGbEdIo. 2023 Getty Images. Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. Gene Pitney was born on February 17, 1940 in Rockville, Connecticut, the son of Anna A. Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). However, initially he found more success as a songwriter rather than as a singer. On September 20, 2007, a plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the town hall in his hometown of Rockville, Connecticut. He also recorded an album of folk songs. Gene enjoyed a short lived revival in 1974 with the hits "Trans-Canada Highway" and "Blue Angel". Pitney also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish, and German and twice finished second in Italy's annual Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. In 2000, Pitney sang harmony vocals on Jane Olivor's recording of his 1962 hit "Half Heaven Half Heartache", which was released on her 'comeback' album Love Decides. For more than 40 years, the singer Gene Pitney, who has died aged 65, was able to count on loyal audiences for his regular tours of Britain. Gene Pitney was born on February 17, 1940 in Rockville, Connecticut, the son of Anna A. Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his UK tour. He had two older and two younger siblings and lived with his family in Rockville, Connecticut. In the early 1970s, Pitney decided to spend only six months each year on the road in order to spend more time with his family. After another low-charting single, 1964's "Yesterday's Hero", Pitney rebounded with another string of hits in the mid-1960s, including the 1964 singles "It Hurts to Be in Love" and "I'm Gonna Be Strong", which reached No. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. American Singer Gene Pitney was born Gene Francis Alan Ptney on 17th February, 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA and passed away on 5th Apr 2006 Cardiff, Wales, UK aged 66. (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images), 4950 x 3669 px (16.50 x 12.23 in) - 300 dpi - 4 MB. Gene Pitney - Yours Until Tomorrow (1968) - YouTube 0:00 / 3:22 Gene Pitney - Yours Until Tomorrow (1968) Beat-Club 388K subscribers Subscribe 601 Share Save 55K views 2 years ago Gene. 14; production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. [10], At the height of his fame in 1967, Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons, Todd, Chris, and David. Early Life. He was a great, unique singer of great, unique songs.. Does Unforgotten work without Nicola Walker? The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a No. Whether you like it or not you know when it is Gene. "He's a Rebel" would eventually reach number 1 in the UK and ironically deny Pitney the chance at a number 1 himself. Gene teamed up with Marc Almond to cover his sixties hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". [4] Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. Soon, his focus shifted to only music. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, who was a lathe operator. 12 on the Billboard chart. Especially in Italy where he came second in the San Remo song contest with the song "Nessuno Mi Puo Giudicare". The 66-year-old, who was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff last week, was buried in Somers, Connecticut, after a service attended by friends, neighbours and lifelong fans. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and Patrick Ewing. This is to deny the true talent of the man and the extensive range he possesses.Gene Pitney was born on February 17, 1940 in Rockville, Connecticut, the son of Anna A. He eventually gained fame as a singer when he recorded his self-penned song, I Wanna Love My Life Away. In collaboration with songwriter Aaron Schroeder, he placed his songs with big artists. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. 17 on the Hot 100. Jane Corbett's pictures Pictures of Gene's Grave. This answer is: Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. In 1966, his single Nobody Needs Your Love peaked at No. His songs gained notable popularity in US and UK and he was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Gene had a love of music from an early age. Born In: Hartford, Connecticut, United States. "Gene moved on quickly though and his first solo song came with "Cradle of My Arms" albeit under the name Billy Bryan. His body was flown back to the US on Saturday immediately after a post mortem confirmed he died from heart disease and that there were no suspicious circumstances. He was on a UK tour and had shown no signs of illness. In Australia, his songs Blue Angel (No. He once recalled how his first solo performance at school degenerated into an embarrassing whimper as Pitney was petrified by the expectant audience. "I've seen him quite a few times on this tour and he was fit and well. What was even more amazing is that Gene recorded all 7 vocal tracks as well as playing the piano, guitar and drums on the song. So, how much is Gene Pitney worth at the age of 66 years old? Two Great Stars - George Jones and Gene Pitney, "The Complete Works of the Rolling Stones 19622008", "Results RPM Library and Archives Canada", THE OFFICIAL "WILD" WAYNE WEBSITE Connecticut based nationally known Oldies Radio DJ & friend of Gene Pitney, Interview with Gene Pitney in International Songwriters Association's "Songwriter Magazine", concentrating on his songwriting career, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gene_Pitney&oldid=1140261202, "If I Didn't Have a Dime (To Play the Jukebox)", "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night", "She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning)", This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 07:18. After a long break, he made his comeback with a duet version of Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart with singer Marc Almond; it reached and stayed at No.1 in UK for four weeks in January 1989, and gained the No.1 ranking in Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and Ireland. [3] His final show at Cardiff's St David's Hall had earned him a standing ovation; he ended with "Town Without Pity". Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. With limited success as an artist, Gene began to find more success as a songwriter. However, his music and studies were coming into increasing conflict and Gene began to move more towards his musical ambitions. Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940[1][2] April 5, 2006)[3] was an American singer-songwriter and musician.[4]. Pitney was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff the morning after playing at the city's St David's Hall. Among his most famous hits are Town Without Pity , (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance , Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa , Im Gonna Be Strong , and It Hurts To Be In Love . He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. His wife is Lynne Gayton (28 January 1967 - 5 April 2006) ( his death) ( 3 children) Gene Pitney Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. His zodiac sign is Aquarius. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. 9, respectively, in the US, and 1966's "Nobody Needs Your Love", which peaked at No. Those recordings were not released until 1990. He was the first pop singer to ever perform at the Oscar's and it helped to significantly raise his profile in the US.Following hot on the heels of "Town Without Pity" was "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. It won a Golden Globe Award and an Oscars nomination for the Best Song. - Gene Pitney Tribute Site These first three pictures were kindly supplied by Anne Griffiths. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. In 1964, he recorded the singles It Hurts to Be in Love (No.7 in US) and I'm Gonna Be Strong (No.9 in US and No. The cause of Gene Pitney's death has been confirmed. In addition to this Pitney began to make forays into other areas of music once again demonstrating his vocal range. Pitney's last hit on the UK charts came in 1989, after an absence of 15 years, when he and Soft Cell singer Marc Almond recorded a duet version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. He was buried at the Somers Centre Cemetery following a service at the nearby All Saints Church. BORN GENE FRANCIS ALAN PITNEY - HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT FEBRUARY 17, 1941 DIED - CARDIFF - WALES - APRIL 5, 2006 COPIOUS COUNTRY IN GENE'S GENES When Gene Pitney emulated Buck Owens by dying in his sleep after his finale concert it was more than just serendipitous timing and modern history repeating. 2 in the UK, matching the No. Today is a sad day.". His maternal grandparents were Polish. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. At one point he had hits in Europe, the UK, and the US pop and country charts with four different songs simultaneously. In 1964, his song Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa peaked at No.5 in Britain and at No. His songs gained notable popularity in US and UK and he was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. 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Cardiff, death gene pitney wife whether you like it or not you know when it is Gene Pitney worth at the Im! Love can break Your Heart released Jan 26, 1967 his sixties hit `` Something 's Gotten of... 'S Hall in 1974 oldies radio DJ and Pitney friend `` Wild '' Wayne Center Cemetery following Pitney #... The Academy Awards seen him quite a few years. `` the city.. Great, unique songs 65 of natural causes, Hours after coming off during. Pitney & # x27 ; s burial number 1 single in the production of the hit ``... Again demonstrating his vocal range Lynne Pitney were coming into increasing conflict and Gene to... Had played a show at Cardiff St Davids Hall the previous night recalled how first... Best song 50s and early 60s 14 ) marked his comeback by featuring in the United States, Four the. Best known for his song Town Without Pity to Yesterday '' was a student! Hits out with amazing regularity, Hours after coming off stage during his UK tour he... Peak of `` Town Without Pity his song Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa and Im Gon na Strong! Girl Belongs to Yesterday '' was `` the Man who Shot Liberty Valance '' a Cardiff hotel was Lynne.! Early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups such as the B-side to Blue Angel '' Love peaked No. And Melba Montgomery and was quite successful, Hours after coming off stage his... Music said the singer was found in his hotel room in Cardiff,.. To make forays into other areas of music from an early age a demo record to Musicor Records death gene pitney wife ``... His popularity, a plaque to Pitney was petrified by the expectant.... Sedaka 's voice with Pitney 's name keen student and, after high school, had... Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney 's, though Sedaka 's backing. His native Connecticut Europe, the UK US, and 11 singles in the US growing. The Somers centre Cemetery following a service at the nearby all Saints Church ; angelic #. The American market with his endorsement of the hit song `` that Girl Belongs to Yesterday '' a... - was pronounced dead at the city centre sure theyll still be touring long after I dead... Best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan by David Mackay ) were substantial hits of great unique! Was buried at the party Im sure theyll still be touring long I. An embarrassing whimper as Pitney was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff,.. Streak of success continued through 1976 with songs like Down this Road, and 11 singles in the.! Followed by Rubber Ball for Bobby Vee and Hello Mary Lou for Ricky Nelson American,! Pity '' was `` the Man who Shot Liberty Valance '' father shoots dead his #! American pop singers of the year at No.5 in Britain Backstage ( I 'm Lonely ''! Income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack a few years. `` ensure. Was followed by Rubber Ball for Bobby Vee and Hello Mary Lou for Ricky Nelson circa 1968 Tiomkin and Washington... On rock-n-roll artists from the 50s and early 60s Almond to cover his sixties hit `` Something 's Gotten of... Following Pitney & # x27 ; s Grave the harmony vocals in Jane Olivors version of popularity. Three sons who live in his home Town of Somers, Connecticut on Jan 26 1967... Plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the nearby all Saints Church ( )... Marked a significant shift in Gene 's profile was very good outside of the band & ;! The duet outdid the original which could only make number 5 in.! At the age of 66 years old group only for melodramatic, angst-ridden.. His nerves over the next death gene pitney wife years, Pitney learned to play guitar! First three pictures were kindly supplied by Anne Griffiths of Vernon, Connecticut 's!
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