Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. Gene Pitney's wife Lynne leads the mourners at his funeral, Gene Pitney had been touring in Wales when he died, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites, The songwriter who became a star in his own right. [16] He was laid to rest at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut.[17]. Jason Derby, Other Works In 1965, he recorded two hit albums with singer George Jones and they became the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. Collect, curate and comment on your files. "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. [3] His final show at Cardiff's St David's Hall had earned him a standing ovation; he ended with "Town Without Pity". His streak of success continued through 1976 with songs like Down This Road, and Days of Summer. Marked by his piercing, pained, and melodramatic tenor, he was often characterized (very unfairly) as a shallow teen idol type of singer. "Rebel" kept Pitney's own No. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel. 2) and Trans-Canada Highway (No. The cause of death is not yet known but is not suspicious. Gene Pitney died at age 65 of natural causes. Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. In 2000, he sang the harmony vocals in Jane Olivors version of his own song Half Heaven Half Heartache. He was on a UK tour and had shown no signs of illness. American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. Gene Pitneys income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. See answer (1) Copy. [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. 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 also performed it at Oscars ceremony on April 9, 1962, becoming the first pop singer to do so. The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a No. 5 in Britain at the start of 1964. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. 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. 14; production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Gene Pitney, singer and songwriter, born February 17 1941; died April 5 2006. 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. | 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. 1, in late January 1989. He married wife Lynee. He is from USA. He still appeared regularly on UK charts till 1974. In addition to this Pitney began to make forays into other areas of music once again demonstrating his vocal range. It was only Pitney's third single release in the UK to reach the singles chart, and the first to break into the Top Twenty there; it was also a hit in the US, peaking at No. The first big breakthrough came when Roy Orbison recorded "Today's Teardrops" as the B-side to "Blue Angel". He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. American singing legend Gene Pitney died of natural causes, a post-mortem examination has confirmed. On 18 March 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, United States,[3] the son of Anna A. 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. "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. Soundtrack Of My Life: Talking Heads Tina Weymouth, Creed III review: Michael B. Jordan gets another big win under his belt, Panic Shack: the wildest and funniest live band youll see all year, Final Fantasy 16 is a lavish RPG twist on Bayonetta and its all the better for it. Gene Alan Pitney was born on the 17th of February, 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut. . 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. As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. Gene and his family. However, his music and studies were coming into increasing conflict and Gene began to move more towards his musical ambitions. He also recorded an album of folk songs. Pitney scored 22 UK Top 40 hits during his long career. ", The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal on season 3, Neighbours announces seven more returning cast. His wife is Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut. He made his official debut by recording a duet with Ginny Arnell in 1959. , updated In December the same year, his Half Heaven, Half Heartache reached No.12 on the Billboard chart. Pitney performed the song at the Oscars ceremony on April 9, 1962. The limousine carrying the family of singer Gene Pitney leaves Somers Center Cemetery following Pitney's burial. (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. [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. 1990 Those recordings were not released until 1990. The duet outdid the original which could only make number 5 in 1967. - IMDb Mini Biography By: We are no longer accepting comments on this article. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. His songs were performed by many famous artists. He is from USA. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. Gene Pitneys first break in the music industry came when he formed a duo named Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell. The song had been a UK No. Legendary crooner Gene Pitney has sadly passed away. 1 in Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Ireland. Pitney's career in the US took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of Top 40 hits. In 1961, Gene Pitney recorded his first Top 20 single, Town Without Pity which had been penned by Tiomkin and Ned Washington. 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 is from USA. Early Life. On September 20, 2007, a plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the town hall in his hometown of Rockville, Connecticut. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. Despite this the song was well received and it's mix of the pop and country genres worked extremely well. Gene Pitney (Gene Francis Alan Pitney) was born on 17 February, 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA, is a Soundtrack, Actor. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. "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. 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. Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. 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. Gene Pitney's wife Was Lynne Pitney. In addition to this Pitney began to make forays into other areas of music once again demonstrating his vocal range. Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. 17 on US Hot 100. Gene Pitney, singer and songwriter, born February 17 1941; died April 5 2006. Who was the host of Gene Pitneys funeral? The night before his body was . In Australia, his songs Blue Angel (No. Jane Corbett's pictures Pictures of Gene's Grave. | The couple had three sons together. Gene Pitney was born on 17 February 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Anna A. Gene's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as 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. Today is a sad day.". What was the cause of Gene Pitneys death? Gene teamed up with Marc Almond to cover his sixties hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". 17 on the Hot 100. Wiki User. Between 1963 and 1966, Gene consistently produced top 10 hits in the UK. He is survived by his wife Lynn and sons David, Todd and Chris. In 1962 he sent a demo record to Musicor Records, called "I Wanna Love My Life Away". The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. 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. With his popularity now firmly established in the US and growing in the UK Gene began to churn the hits out with amazing regularity. 1 position.[5]. A: Mumbo Jumbo. At one point he had hits in Europe, the UK, and the US pop and country charts with four different songs simultaneously. "They felt awful that he was so far away when it happened but they are glad that he is home now.". "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. [7] In the US, the single stalled at No. 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. 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. After high school, he studied electrical engineering while simultaneously focusing on music. 2 UK). 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. 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. Gene had a love of music from an early age. 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. Gene teamed up with Marc Almond to cover his sixties hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". Gene Pitney is a member of the following lists: Epic Records artists, American pop singers . The worlds defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking whats new and whats next since 1952. Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. 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. 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. (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 October 2008, an international fan convention was held in Rockville. He had nine dates left on his 23-date UK tour and was due to appear at Bristol's Colston Hall on Wednesday. 2 in the UK, matching the No. The cause of his death was ascertained to be a heart attack. 12 on the Billboard chart. In 1962, he recorded what would become his highest-charting song, Only Love Can Break a Heart, that peaked at No. 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. 7 and No. 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". The cause of death is not yet known but is not suspicious. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. 2 in UK. Musicor liked he song and didn't think it needed any "tweaking", releasing it exactly the way Pitney sent it to them. 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