In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". The single made the top 40 in the US and Britain. He received a glowing review for the South Wales Echo - "non-stop enthusiastic performance" during what proved to be his final concert in Cardiff. 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". 9, respectively, in the US, and 1966's "Nobody Needs Your Love", which peaked at 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. It reached number 5 in the UK charts and marked the beginning of his rise in popularity throughout the U. K. and Europe. 1 in Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Ireland. 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. Mourning Joy: Q: What do you call the elephant witch doctor? It won a Golden Globe Award and an Oscars nomination for the Best Song. Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. The cause of Gene Pitney's death at 65 has been confirmed. Overall, Gene had 16 top 40 hits in the US and an amazing 40 top 40 songs in the UK. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and David. In 2000, he sang the harmony vocals in Jane Olivors version of his own song Half Heaven Half Heartache. Gene's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as well. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. 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. So, how much is Gene Pitney worth at the age of 66 years old? [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. "I've seen him quite a few times on this tour and he was fit and well. The cause of death is not yet known but is not suspicious. In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his. Gene Pitney is a member of the following lists: Epic Records artists, American pop singers . [4] Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. In 1964, his song Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa peaked at No.5 in Britain and at No. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel. 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. He was on a UK tour and had shown no signs of illness. He followed up in December with "Half Heaven, Half Heartache", which reached No. He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. It was followed by Town Without Pity which became his first Top 20 single. 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". "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? 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. Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). His family asked for donations, in lieu of flowers, to be made to Connecticut Public Broadcasting Company and the Humane Society of the US. | In December the same year, his Half Heaven, Half Heartache reached No.12 on the Billboard chart. Despite this the song was well received and it's mix of the pop and country genres worked extremely well. 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. 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). 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. Musicor liked he song and didn't think it needed any "tweaking", releasing it exactly the way Pitney sent it to them. The cause of Gene Pitney's death has been confirmed. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. He is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. In 1965, Pitney recorded two successful albums with country singer George Jones. 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. Early Life. The son of a mill worker, Pitney said childhood ambitions of becoming a performer could not have been further from his mind. His songs gained notable popularity in US and UK and he was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. 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. [12] It has been repeated on television over the years, notably on a 2002 episode of BBC One series Room 101,[11] in which host Paul Merton described it as a "very funny moment" in which Pitney came in "unbearably late". Although disappearing in the late seventies he made a successful touring comeback in 1983 with a sell out North American tour. Discover Gene Pitney's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. In 1966, his single Nobody Needs Your Love peaked at No. Photograph: Getty Richard Williams Thu 6 Apr 2006 05.09 EDT Lynne Pitney, center, wife of singer Gene Pitney, follows her husband's casket out of All Saints Catholic Church. 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. 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. 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. 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. With his popularity now firmly established in the US and growing in the UK Gene began to churn the hits out with amazing regularity. Due to a publishing conflict, he was unable to receive a writing credit for. His songs were performed by many famous artists. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Gene teamed up with Marc Almond to cover his sixties hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". 1, in late January 1989. Despite this the song was well received and it's mix of the pop and country genres worked extremely well. Who Is Gene Pitney's Wife? He grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon, Connecticut. Buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, CT. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, Give these artists the boot from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Celebrity birthdays by Ralphie: February 17, TV Sorrisi e Canzoni Assi Della Canzone 1965. At one point he had hits in Europe, the UK, and the US pop and country charts with four different songs simultaneously. 2023 Getty Images. His wife is Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). Wiki User. (Photo by Mario Ruiz/Getty Images) Save. He eventually gained fame as a singer when he recorded his self-penned song, I Wanna Love My Life Away. 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. 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. Gene Pitney was an American singer, songwriter, and sound engineer best known for his song Town Without Pity. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. Gene Pitney was born on 17 February 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Anna A. Gene's first recordings were in 1958 with a Connecticut singing group called the Embers. "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. Listen online to one of his last interviews, conducted by BBC Radio Wiltshire's Mark Seaman. So, how much is Gene Pitney worth at the age of 66 years old? 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. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Pitney scored 22 UK Top 40 hits during his long career. T Alison Ryan "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. 1990 In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. Associated With. This answer is: On 18 March 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "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. [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. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the Top 40 in 1974, when both "Blue Angel" (No. Who Is Gene Pitney's Wife? Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. This is to deny the true talent of the man and the extensive range he possesses. A post mortem examination showed that singer Gene Pitney died of natural causes, police said today. Gene Pitney's income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. Pitney has often been categorized (quite unfairly) as a teen-idol singer responsible only for melodramatic, angst-ridden ballads. "They felt awful that he was so far away when it happened but they are glad that he is home now.". He loved music since his childhood and joined a band in high school. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. Pitney's career in the US took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of Top 40 hits. Gene Pitney was born on February 17, 1940 in Rockville, Connecticut, the son of Anna A. The cause of Gene Pitney's death has been confirmed. We have estimated Gene Pitney died at age 65 of natural causes. They are provided in a historical context. Pitney was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff the morning after playing at the city's St David's Hall. 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's profile was very good outside of the US and UK as well. See answer (1) Copy. Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. 49, ending a run of seven Top 40 singles for Pitney as a performer. He also recorded a number of his hits in Italian. He was buried at the Somers Centre Cemetery following a service at the nearby All Saints Church. 2) and Trans-Canada Highway (No. "I know that he had many Welsh fans and his performances were always enthusiastically received. His maternal grandparents were Polish. , money, salary, income, and assets. "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. Almond said of his old singing colleague upon hearing of his death: It was an honour to have worked with him. Gene Pitney found dead in hotel. Age, Biography and Wiki. 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. 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). The real breakthrough for Gene came with the song "Town Without Pity" which was the title song to the movie of the same name. 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. 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. Legendary crooner Gene Pitney has sadly passed away. Pitney, who was midway through a UK tour, was discovered in his bed at the Cardiff Hilton on Wednesday morning (April 5). Whether you like it or not you know when it is Gene. The 65-year-old, who died in the Cardiff Hilton last week, was suffering from hardening of the arteries, according to his death certificate. [8], On 18 March 2002, Pitney was inducted by singer Darlene Love into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1962, he recorded what would become his highest-charting song, Only Love Can Break a Heart, that peaked at No. Gene Pitney, singer and songwriter, born February 17 1941; died April 5 2006. He is from USA. Marked by his piercing, pained, and melodramatic tenor, he was often characterized (very unfairly) as a shallow teen idol type of singer. Record Covers More Record Covers Magazine or newspaper articles Memories Blog About Contact Gene Video's from Youtube. He is from USA. Burt Bacharach, who wrote Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, called Pitney "a rare talent and a beautiful man". Overcoming his nerves over the next few years, Pitney learned to play the guitar and piano and formed a schoolboy band. 12 on the Billboard chart. Gene had a love of music from an early age. Pictures of Gene's Grave. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. The event was emceed by oldies radio DJ and Pitney friend "Wild" Wayne. 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 . 14; production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. Gene enjoyed a short lived revival in 1974 with the hits "Trans-Canada Highway" and "Blue Angel". He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut. [9], Pitney was involved in a gaffe on ITV's This Morning in 1989, owing to a "technical mishap". Governor Jodi Rell also declared September 20, 2007, as Gene Pitney Day in the state of Connecticut. Val Jordan's pictures. And finally in 1989 achieved what had eluded him at the peak of his popularity, a number 1 single in the UK. After high school, he studied electrical engineering while simultaneously focusing on music. He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. Gene enjoyed a short lived revival in 1974 with the hits "Trans-Canada Highway" and "Blue Angel". [7] In the US, the single stalled at No. Born In: Hartford, Connecticut, United States. 5 in Britain at the start of 1964. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. 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. 7 UK hit for Pitney in 1964; it was the first tune composed by the duo to become a Top 10 hit in the UK. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and Patrick Ewing. Pitney's early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups such as The Crows. See the events in life of Gene Pitney in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kRoGbEdIo. Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, United States,[3] the son of Anna A. It is awarded annually to Rockville High School. Lord Mayor of Cardiff Freda Salway noted: "I was extremely saddened to hear about the death of Gene Pitney. Who was the host of Gene Pitneys funeral? (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, who was a lathe operator. On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images), 4950 x 3669 px (16.50 x 12.23 in) - 300 dpi - 4 MB. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. 2 UK). "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. More tickets released for It's a Sin star's play, Nope's Keke Palmer gives birth to first child, Strictly's Rachel Stevens talks split from husband, Stacey Solomon hits back at mum-shaming trolls, Paris Hilton shares unusual name for newborn son, Love Island stars spark engagement rumours, Ray Liotta given posthumous Walk of Fame star, Marvel's Karen Gillan posts first wedding pictures, DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. Pitney and Almond appeared on the Terry Wogan television show in Britain. It reached #39 on the charts. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. They also collaborated in the production of the hit song "Days of Summer". Following hot on the heels of "Town Without Pity" was "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". American singing legend Gene Pitney died of natural causes, a post-mortem examination has confirmed. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. 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