See the events in life of Gene Pitney in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kRoGbEdIo. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the top ten. His first hit was (I Wanna) Love My Life Away in 1961, but he took another 28 years to score a Number One, when his duet with Marc Almond on Somethings Gotten Hold Of My Heart went all the way to the top. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. Pitney first gained success as a songwriter with hits such as " Hello Mary Lou " (recorded by Rick Nelson in 1961) and " He's a Rebel " (recorded by the Crystals in 1962). The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. His songs gained notable popularity in US and UK and he was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. The single made the top 40 in the US and Britain. They were taken just a few days after Gene's funeral. Pitney's early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups such as The Crows. Born In: Hartford, Connecticut, United States. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Who Is Gene Pitney's Wife? Gene Pitney was an American Singer, songwriter, musician, and sound engineer.He is well known for his chart making hit songs and recordings. In 1964, his song Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa peaked at No.5 in Britain and at No. Gene Pitney is a member of Rock Singer. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. Discover Gene Pitney's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. 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. He received a glowing review for the South Wales Echo - "non-stop enthusiastic performance" during what proved to be his final concert in Cardiff. The song received a Golden Globe Award, reached the US top 20 and Gene also performed it at the Academy Awards. 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. See answer (1) Copy. He is also remembered for the Burt BacharachHal David song "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", which peaked at No. He recorded his self-penned song (I Wanna) Love My Life Away which was released on Schroeders Musicor label in 1961. He recorded albums with country greats like George Jones and Melba Montgomery and was quite successful. In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". Gene's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as well. 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. Lord Mayor of Cardiff Freda Salway noted: "I was extremely saddened to hear about the death of Gene Pitney. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. Gene Pitney has one of the most distinctive voices in music. 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. 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 most remembered for Song, "Red Rubber Ball. Soon, his focus shifted to only music. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, 'Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa,' which peaked at No. Wiki User. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. He had nine dates left on his 23-date UK tour and was due to appear at Bristol's Colston Hall on Wednesday. It won a Golden Globe Award and an Oscars nomination for the Best Song. 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. Governor Jodi Rell also declared September 20, 2007, as Gene Pitney Day in the state of Connecticut. In Italy, his song Nessuno mi pu giudicare became a sensational hit, and he finished second in the countrys annual Sanremo Music Festival twice. "Only Love Can Break a Heart", "If I Didn't Have a Dime", "Half Heaven, Half Heartache", "Mecca", "It Hurts to be in Love" and "True Love Never Runs Smooth" were all hit records for Gene in the US. "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. Especially in Italy where he came second in the San Remo song contest with the song "Nessuno Mi Puo Giudicare".He also recorded a number of his hits in Italian. Gene Pitneys first break in the music industry came when he formed a duo named Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and Patrick Ewing. 49, ending a run of seven Top 40 singles for Pitney as a performer. His biggest success was in the 1960s and he enjoyed a 1989 revival with his chart-topping duet, Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart, with Marc Almond. Jane Corbett's pictures Pictures of Gene's Grave. 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. Among his most famous hits are "Town Without Pity", "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", "It Hurts to Be in Love", and "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". 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. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. Gene Pitney was staying in an executive suite at the Hilton, Pitney returned to the charts with Marc Almond in 1989, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites, The songwriter who became a star in his own right. In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". His songs were performed by many famous artists. He is from USA. 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. Despite this the song was well received and it's mix of the pop and country genres worked extremely well. It reached the Top 40 in US and Britain. 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. Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. Mourning Joy: Q: What do you call the elephant witch doctor? Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. "Only Love Can Break a Heart", "If I Didn't Have a Dime", "Half Heaven, Half Heartache", "Mecca", "It Hurts to be in Love" and "True Love Never Runs Smooth" were all hit records for Gene in the US. He is survived by his wife Lynn and sons David, Todd and Chris. He still appeared regularly on UK charts till 1974. 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". On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales, by his manager after a concert. Gene Pitney, whose keening tenor voice produced a string of hits including "Town Without Pity'' was found dead in his hotel room in Wales Wednesday following a concert that fans acclaimed as. 4 in 1962. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album Stardom Road. Publicity Listings "Gene moved on quickly though and his first solo song came with "Cradle of My Arms" albeit under the name Billy Bryan. Members of the family attended. Gene Pitney, (born February 17, 1941, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.died April 5, 2006, Cardiff, Wales), American singer and songwriter known for dramatic pop balladry. 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. "They felt awful that he was so far away when it happened but they are glad that he is home now.". Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Associated With. In collaboration with songwriter Aaron Schroeder, he placed his songs with big artists. It was during one of their gigs that his distinctive voice was discovered by the "the proverbial fat man with a cigar" who took him off to New York. 2 in the UK, matching the No. He followed that same year with his first Top 20 single, "Town Without Pity", from the 1961 film of the same title. Does Unforgotten work without Nicola Walker? 9, respectively, in the US, and 1966's "Nobody Needs Your Love", which peaked at No. When Was Only Love Can Break Your Heart released? In early 1959, he released two records on the Decca label, "Snuggle Up Baby" and "Classical Rock and Roll", as part of a duo called Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, who was a lathe operator. Gene Pitney died at age 65 of natural causes. American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. Gene enjoyed a short lived revival in 1974 with the hits "Trans-Canada Highway" and "Blue Angel". In addition to this Pitney began to make forays into other areas of music once again demonstrating his vocal range. "Rubber Ball", another Pitney song, became a hit for Bobby Vee in the US and Marty Wilde in the UK. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. The song had been a UK No. American singing legend Gene Pitney died of natural causes, a post-mortem examination has confirmed. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. Gene teamed up with Marc Almond to cover his sixties hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". "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. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/gene-pitney-9117.php. Also learn how He earned most of Gene Pitney networth? Pitney continued to place records in the Australian charts through 1976, including the hit "Down This Road", written and produced by distant relative Edward Pitney. The night before his body was . He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut. The duet brought him his first UK No. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. 14; production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. In 2002 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a fitting honour and a long overdue recognition of his talent. Mourning Quote: Gene and his family. (Orlowsky) siblings: Dennis Pitney, Francis Pitney children: Chris, David, Todd Born Country: United States Pop Musicians Lyricists & Songwriters Died on: April 5, 2006 place of death: Cardiff, Wales 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. The first big breakthrough came when Roy Orbison recorded "Today's Teardrops" as the B-side to "Blue Angel". The duet outdid the original which could only make number 5 in 1967. T Alison Ryan | Written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington, the song won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song, but lost to "Moon River". "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. Pop veteran Gene Pitney dies after concert aged 65 Pitney signing for fans in 1964. 2 UK peak of "I'm Gonna Be Strong". 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. He returned one last time to the Top 40 with "She's a Heartbreaker" in mid-1968 and placed several singles in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 after that, but by 1970 he was no longer a hit-maker in the US. At one point he had hits in Europe, the UK, and the US pop and country charts with four different songs simultaneously. They recorded Classical Rock & Roll in 1959 followed by a single called Cradle of My Arms.. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. UK pianist Maurice Merry was his musical director from 1970 onwards. The body can now be flown back to the USA for the stars funeral. Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. 14) marked his comeback by featuring in the Top 40 in 1974. 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