Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel. He is survived by his wife Lynn and sons David, Todd and Chris. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. Gene Pitney's wife Was Lynne Pitney. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. 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. "Rubber Ball", another Pitney song, became a hit for Bobby Vee in the US and Marty Wilde in the UK. His zodiac sign is Aquarius. Gene Pitney is a member of the following lists: Epic Records artists, American pop singers . Later that year, he had his first solo release "Cradle Of My Arms" under the name Billy Bryan on the Blaze record label. 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. Portrait of singer Gene Pitney and his pregnant wife Lynne Gayton during a holiday in Italy, circa 1968. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. The cause of death is not yet known but is not suspicious. Following hot on the heels of "Town Without Pity" was "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". He eventually gained fame as a singer when he recorded his self-penned song, I Wanna Love My Life Away. Musicor liked he song and didn't think it needed any "tweaking", releasing it exactly the way Pitney sent it to them. 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 Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 [1] [2] - April 5, 2006) [3] was an American singer-songwriter and musician. With limited success as an artist, Gene began to find more success as a songwriter. As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. 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). In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the Top 40 in 1974, when both "Blue Angel" (No. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. 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 . A: Mumbo Jumbo. Who was the host of Gene Pitneys funeral? 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". 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 scored 22 UK Top 40 hits during his long career. Musicor liked he song and didn't think it needed any "tweaking", releasing it exactly the way Pitney sent it to them. (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to use this asset. 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 son of a mill worker, Pitney said childhood ambitions of becoming a performer could not have been further from his mind. They recorded Classical Rock & Roll in 1959 followed by a single called Cradle of My Arms.. He is survived by his wife Lynne and three sons who live in his native Connecticut. Early Life. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. 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! With limited success as an artist, Gene began to find more success as a songwriter. Almond said of his old singing colleague upon hearing of his death: It was an honour to have worked with him. The couple had three sons together. 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. 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 was the first pop singer to ever perform at the Oscar's and it helped to significantly raise his profile in the US. , money, salary, income, and assets. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Pitney has continually toured over the last 40 years. "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. 2 UK peak of "I'm Gonna Be Strong". The real breakthrough for Gene came with the song "Town Without Pity" which was the title song to the movie of the same name. The event was emceed by oldies radio DJ and Pitney friend "Wild" Wayne. He made his official debut by recording a duet with Ginny Arnell in 1959. 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. It reached number 5 in the UK charts and marked the beginning of his rise in popularity throughout the U. K. and Europe. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. 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. 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. His wife is Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). Wedding: Lynne C. Gayton to Gene Pitney (Pop Star) - The Bridgeport Post, Jan. 26, 1967 (Thu) Gene Pitney was born on February 17, 1940 in Rockville, Connecticut, the son of Anna A. He also recorded an album of folk songs. 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. 1 in Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Ireland. Gene's first recordings were in 1958 with a Connecticut singing group called the Embers. Although disappearing in the late seventies he made a successful touring comeback in 1983 with a sell out North American tour. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. Portrait of singer Gene Pitney and his pregnant wife Lynne Gayton during a holiday in Italy, circa 1968. The first big breakthrough came when Roy Orbison recorded "Today's Teardrops" as the B-side to "Blue Angel". 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. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. 03:36 EST 13 Apr 2006 Gene Pitney died at age 65 of natural causes. 2 in the UK, matching the No. The single remained at the top for four weeks, and also went to No. "I've seen him quite a few times on this tour and he was fit and well. Soon, his focus shifted to only music. Gene and his family. 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. 14; production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. 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. 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". In 1964, his song Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa peaked at No.5 in Britain and 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. His songs gained notable popularity in US and UK and he was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. See the events in life of Gene Pitney in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kRoGbEdIo. He recorded his self-penned song (I Wanna) Love My Life Away which was released on Schroeders Musicor label in 1961. 17 on the Hot 100. Official Sites. 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 . 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. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. "Gene moved on quickly though and his first solo song came with "Cradle of My Arms" albeit under the name Billy Bryan. In Italy, his song Nessuno mi pu giudicare became a sensational hit, and he finished second in the countrys annual Sanremo Music Festival twice. Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940[1][2] April 5, 2006)[3] was an American singer-songwriter and musician.[4]. He married wife Lynee. Other massive hits for Pitney included 24 Hours From Tulsa and Im Gonna Be Strong. However, his music and studies were coming into increasing conflict and Gene began to move more towards his musical ambitions. "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 charted 16 top 40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album Stardom Road. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Pitney was. 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. Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his UK tour. "His family have taken the news as can be expected," said Pitney's promoter Mark Howes. In 1962, he recorded what would become his highest-charting song, Only Love Can Break a Heart, that peaked at No. The cause of Gene Pitney's death has been confirmed. Photograph: Getty Richard Williams Thu 6 Apr 2006 05.09 EDT Overall, Gene had 16 top 40 hits in the US and an amazing 40 top 40 songs in the UK. 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. Please note: images depicting historical events may contain themes, or have descriptions, that do not reflect current understanding. Gene's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as well. [8], On 18 March 2002, Pitney was inducted by singer Darlene Love into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Only Love Can Break Your Heart/Released. Gene Pitney's casket "Wild" Wayne's floral arrangement at the funeral for Gene Pitney He is a member of famous Soundtrack with the age 66 years old group. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. 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. Gene had a love of music from an early age. 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. In 1962 he sent a demo record to Musicor Records, called "I Wanna Love My Life Away". In 1965, Pitney recorded two successful albums with country singer George Jones. His streak of success continued through 1976 with songs like Down This Road, and Days of Summer. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. [7] In the US, the single stalled at No. It reached the Top 40 in US and Britain. He recorded albums with country greats like George Jones and Melba Montgomery and was quite successful. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 17 February. American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. "He's a Rebel" would eventually reach number 1 in the UK and ironically deny Pitney the chance at a number 1 himself. Pop veteran Gene Pitney dies after concert aged 65 Pitney signing for fans in 1964. Gene Pitney, singer and songwriter, born February 17 1941; died April 5 2006. 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! In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". Overcoming his nerves over the next few years, Pitney learned to play the guitar and piano and formed a schoolboy band. Overall, Gene had 16 top 40 hits in the US and an amazing 40 top 40 songs in the UK. In 1961, Gene Pitney recorded his first Top 20 single, Town Without Pity which had been penned by Tiomkin and Ned Washington. 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. He also recorded an album of folk songs. 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. Listen online to one of his last interviews, conducted by BBC Radio Wiltshire's Mark Seaman. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. 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. Discover Gene Pitney's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Gene enjoyed a short lived revival in 1974 with the hits "Trans-Canada Highway" and "Blue Angel". "He's a Rebel" would eventually reach number 1 in the UK and ironically deny Pitney the chance at a number 1 himself. Burt Bacharach, who wrote Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, called Pitney "a rare talent and a beautiful man". However, his music and studies were coming into increasing conflict and Gene began to move more towards his musical ambitions. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. 1 position.[5]. It reached #39 on the charts. Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. He had nine dates left on his 23-date UK tour and was due to appear at Bristol's Colston Hall on Wednesday. He grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon, Connecticut. Gene Pitney And Lynne Gayton. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the top ten. His family asked for donations, in lieu of flowers, to be made to Connecticut Public Broadcasting Company and the Humane Society of the US. His maternal grandparents were Polish. His maternal grandparents were Polish. American singing legend Gene Pitney died of natural causes, a post-mortem examination has confirmed. 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. 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. 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. Gene had a love of music from an early age. 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. 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. (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. Those recordings were not released until 1990. Did Gene Pitney ever get married? So, how much is Gene Pitney worth at the age of 66 years old? He received a glowing review for the South Wales Echo - "non-stop enthusiastic performance" during what proved to be his final concert in Cardiff. 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