Pitney's songs have been recorded by some of the world's biggest stars - Hello Mary Lou was released by Rick Nelson, Roy Orbison recorded Today's Teardrops as the B-side to his million-selling single, Blue Angel. Pitney has continually toured over the last 40 years. Between 1963 and 1966, Gene consistently produced top 10 hits in the UK. Gene Pitney was an American Singer, songwriter, musician, and sound engineer.He is well known for his chart making hit songs and recordings. 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. Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. [10] Giving a performance of his track "You're the Reason", Pitney missed his cue and was seen "failing dismally to mime along in time to his backing track";[11] he continued with the song, and found humor in the incident. American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. His wife is Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). He grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon, Connecticut. "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. Burt Bacharach, who wrote Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, called Pitney "a rare talent and a beautiful man". Gene's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as well. The single made the top 40 in the US and Britain. 1, in late January 1989. 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. An autopsy found the cause of death to be a heart attack and that he had severely occluded coronary arteries. Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). He had nine dates left on his 23-date UK tour and was due to appear at Bristol's Colston Hall on Wednesday. American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. His songs gained notable popularity in US and UK and he was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. [16] He was laid to rest at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut.[17]. 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. He was on a UK tour and had shown no signs of illness. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote his hit That Girl Belongs to Yesterday which became the Stones duo's first composition to reach the American charts. "His family have taken the news as can be expected," said Pitney's promoter Mark Howes. Overall, Gene had 16 top 40 hits in the US and an amazing 40 top 40 songs in the UK. Mourning Joy: Q: What do you call the elephant witch doctor? Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his UK tour. His maternal grandparents were Polish. The cause of Gene Pitney's death at 65 has been confirmed. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. 4 in 1962. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. Lord Mayor of Cardiff Freda Salway noted: "I was extremely saddened to hear about the death of Gene Pitney. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. Associated With. He is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.. 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. 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. A: Mumbo Jumbo. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. 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! The single made the top 40 in the US and Britain. 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. 5 for Pitney in 1967. Gene Pitney was an American singer, songwriter, and sound engineer best known for his song Town Without Pity. And finally in 1989 achieved what had eluded him at the peak of his popularity, a number 1 single in the UK. 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. Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. Gene had a love of music from an early age. However, his music and studies were coming into increasing conflict and Gene began to move more towards his musical ambitions. Governor Jodi Rell also declared September 20, 2007, as Gene Pitney Day in the state of Connecticut. "They felt awful that he was so far away when it happened but they are glad that he is home now.". He recorded his self-penned song (I Wanna) Love My Life Away which was released on Schroeders Musicor label in 1961. 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). The first big breakthrough came when Roy Orbison recorded "Today's Teardrops" as the B-side to "Blue Angel". Musicor liked he song and didn't think it needed any "tweaking", releasing it exactly the way Pitney sent it to them. Gene teamed up with Marc Almond to cover his sixties hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". , updated 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. He had a regional hit with "Nessuno mi pu giudicare". In Italy, his song Nessuno mi pu giudicare became a sensational hit, and he finished second in the countrys annual Sanremo Music Festival twice. It reached #39 on the charts. On 18 March 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 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). 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. 1990 They also collaborated in the production of the hit song "Days of Summer". Gene Pitney is a member of the following lists: Epic Records artists, American pop singers . Gene Pitney's wife Was Lynne Pitney. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the top ten. Who Is Gene Pitney's Wife? [8], On 18 March 2002, Pitney was inducted by singer Darlene Love into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He followed up in December with "Half Heaven, Half Heartache", which reached No. 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. Gene Pitney has one of the most distinctive voices in music. He also recorded an album of folk songs. Lynne Pitney, center, wife of singer Gene Pitney, follows her husband's casket out of All Saints Catholic Church. Also Known As: Gene Francis Alan Pitney Died At Age: 66 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Lynne Gayton (m. 1967) father: Harold F. Pitney mother: Anna A. In 1966, his single Nobody Needs Your Love peaked at No. 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. 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. Wedding: Lynne C. Gayton to Gene Pitney (Pop Star) - The Bridgeport Post, Jan. 26, 1967 (Thu) 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). 5 in Britain at the start of 1964. Video Captures Gene Video's from Youtube. [13] It was re-aired on the 25th anniversary edition of This Morning in 2013, in which presenter Holly Willoughby "broke out into a cold sweat" while reliving the moment. See the events in life of Gene Pitney in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kRoGbEdIo. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. We have estimated It reached the Top 40 in US and Britain. 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. The single remained at the top for four weeks, and also went to No. "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. Pitney, who was midway through a UK tour, was discovered in his bed at the Cardiff Hilton. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. Whether you like it or not you know when it is Gene. 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. Age, Biography and Wiki. He also recorded an album of folk songs. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. Wed 5 Apr 2006 12.08 EDT The American singer-songwriter Gene Pitney, whose biggest hit was Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, has been found dead in a hotel room in Cardiff, it was announced today.. He loved music since his childhood and joined a band in high school. Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album Stardom Road. The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a No. Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his. Portrait of singer Gene Pitney and his pregnant wife Lynne Gayton during a holiday in Italy, circa 1968. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. The cause of his death was ascertained to be a heart attack. Mr Howes told BBC Wales that everyone had been shocked by the death and there had been no signs that he was ill. "He did a good show last night at St David's Hall and it was wonderful," he said. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and Patrick Ewing. American singing legend Gene Pitney died of natural causes, a post-mortem examination has confirmed. He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. At one point he had hits in Europe, the UK, and the US pop and country charts with four different songs simultaneously. In collaboration with songwriter Aaron Schroeder, he placed his songs with big artists. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. Gene Alan Pitney was born on the 17th of February, 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut. Wiki User. Gene Pitney has one of the most distinctive voices in music. 2) and Trans-Canada Highway (No. Members of the family attended. His zodiac sign is Aquarius. Other massive hits for Pitney included 24 Hours From Tulsa and Im Gonna Be Strong. He recorded albums with country greats like George Jones and Melba Montgomery and was quite successful. Gene Pitney died at age 65 of natural causes. 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". Despite showing no signs of ill health prior to his death, the singer passed away after performing a show in the Welsh capital. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the Top 40 in 1974, when both "Blue Angel" (No. Gene Pitney was the man with one of the unique voices in music history, awesomely talented and brilliant. 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. 17 on the Hot 100. The body can now be flown back to the USA for the stars funeral. "Gene moved on quickly though and his first solo song came with "Cradle of My Arms" albeit under the name Billy Bryan. "He was a great, unique singer of great, unique songs. T Alison Ryan Today is a sad day.". Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Digital Spy participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. In 1989 achieved What had eluded him at the age of 65 of causes. Four Hours From Tulsa '' marked a significant shift in Gene 's musical direction Needs your Love peaked No. Music since his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton ( 28 January1967 - 5 April2006 ) his... Died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, Hours after off... 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