Please note: images depicting historical events may contain themes, or have descriptions, that do not reflect current understanding. 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. He was the first pop singer to ever perform at the Oscar's and it helped to significantly raise his profile in the US. See answer (1) Copy. 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. Gene Pitney is a member of the following lists: Epic Records artists, American pop singers . 1 position.[5]. Does Unforgotten work without Nicola Walker? It reached number 5 in the UK charts and marked the beginning of his rise in popularity throughout the U. K. and Europe. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel. His US career started declining after his song She's a Heartbreaker made it to the Top 40 in mid-1968. 17 on US Hot 100. The song had been a UK No. SELECT OPTIONS SAVE TO CART Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. EEAAO star gives tearful speech after historic win, The best Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom deals. He is also remembered for the Burt BacharachHal David song "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", which peaked at No. 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. 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. 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. 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 . American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. Gene's first recordings were in 1958 with a Connecticut singing group called the Embers. 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's a Rebel" would eventually reach number 1 in the UK and ironically deny Pitney the chance at a number 1 himself. He still appeared regularly on UK charts till 1974. Only Love Can Break Your Heart/Released. Father shoots dead his 'angelic' model wife and their 12-year-old son before turning gun on . [7] In the US, the single stalled at 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. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. , money, salary, income, and assets. A police spokeswoman said there would be no need for an inquest or any further inquiries into the death following the results of the post-mortem. Pitney's early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups such as The Crows. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. 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. "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. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. Gene Pitneys income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. He received a glowing review for the South Wales Echo - "non-stop enthusiastic performance" during what proved to be his final concert in Cardiff. 2 in the UK, matching the No. 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. His streak of success continued through 1976 with songs like Down This Road, and Days of Summer. 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. 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. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. Video Captures Gene Video's from Youtube. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Gene enjoyed a short lived revival in 1974 with the hits "Trans-Canada Highway" and "Blue Angel". Associated With. 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. 49, ending a run of seven Top 40 singles for Pitney as a performer. 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. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. Pitney's career in the US took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of Top 40 hits. So, how much is Gene Pitney worth at the age of 66 years old? In December the same year, his Half Heaven, Half Heartache reached No.12 on the Billboard chart. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and David. Gene Pitney died at age 65 of natural causes. Pitney, who was midway through a UK tour, was discovered in his bed at the Cardiff Hilton on Wednesday morning (April 5). Clipping found in The Bridgeport Post in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Jan 26, 1967. Lord Mayor of Cardiff Freda Salway noted: "I was extremely saddened to hear about the death of Gene Pitney. 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 is a member of Rock Singer. [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. His maternal grandparents were Polish. , updated Although disappearing in the late seventies he made a successful touring comeback in 1983 with a sell out North American tour. He was an enthusiastic doo-wop singer and also sang with a group named The Embers. He said it was the best tour he had done for quite a few years.". These next five pictures were taken by Anne Griffiths in October 2014. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. 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". He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. Following hot on the heels of "Town Without Pity" was "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Pitney. Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his UK tour. Pitney scored 22 UK Top 40 hits during his long career. So, how much is Gene Pitney worth at the age of 66 years old? (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. 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. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. He was on a UK tour and had shown no signs of illness. American singing legend Gene Pitney died of natural causes, a post-mortem examination has confirmed. "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. He is survived by his wife Lynn and sons David, Todd and Chris. Gene's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as well. "He's a Rebel" would eventually reach number 1 in the UK and ironically deny Pitney the chance at a number 1 himself. Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. Pitney has continually toured over the last 40 years. 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. An autopsy found the cause of death to be a heart attack and that he had severely occluded coronary arteries. 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). 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. Today is a sad day.". (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. 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! If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. In collaboration with songwriter Aaron Schroeder, he placed his songs with big artists. In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". In 1962 he sent a demo record to Musicor Records, called "I Wanna Love My Life Away". Who was the host of Gene Pitneys funeral? (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. The cause of his death was ruled to be a heart attack. We will update Gene Pitney's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. The cause of his death was ascertained to be a heart attack. 9, respectively, in the US, and 1966's "Nobody Needs Your Love", which peaked at No. 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. He also recorded an album of folk songs. Almond said he was "saddened and shocked" at the news. 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. Those recordings were not released until 1990. 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? 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. In October 2008, an international fan convention was held in Rockville. They were voted the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. Despite showing no signs of ill health prior to his death, the singer passed away after performing a show in the Welsh capital. T Alison Ryan They also collaborated in the production of the hit song "Days of Summer". They recorded Classical Rock & Roll in 1959 followed by a single called Cradle of My Arms.. Jane Corbett's pictures Pictures of Gene's Grave. 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. [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. 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. At one point he had hits in Europe, the UK, and the US pop and country charts with four different songs simultaneously. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. With his popularity now firmly established in the US and growing in the UK Gene began to churn the hits out with amazing regularity. Record Covers More Record Covers Magazine or newspaper articles Memories Blog About Contact Gene Video's from Youtube. He also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German. It reached #39 on the charts. Pitney, who was midway through a UK tour, was discovered in his bed at the Cardiff Hilton. 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. 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. 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. His first release under his real name was in 1960 on the Festival label titled "I'll Find You". 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". 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). Especially in Italy where he came second in the San Remo song contest with the song "Nessuno Mi Puo Giudicare". Portrait of singer Gene Pitney and his pregnant wife Lynne Gayton during a holiday in Italy, circa 1968. This is to deny the true talent of the man and the extensive range he possesses. 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. In 1962, he recorded what would become his highest-charting song, Only Love Can Break a Heart, that peaked at No. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images), 4950 x 3669 px (16.50 x 12.23 in) - 300 dpi - 4 MB. [4] Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. "He was a great, unique singer of great, unique songs. 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