Gene Pitney - (The Man Who Shot) Liiberty Valance - Peak Position:#4 in 1962 His songs gained notable popularity in US and UK and he was inducted into ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ in 2002. In 2000, he sang the harmony vocals in Jane Olivor’s version of his own song ‘Half Heaven – Half Heartache’. Popular hit 'Hello Mary Lou' was also written for Ricky Nelson. Gene Pitney and his wife Lynne Gayton Find this Pin and more on Classic Movie Stars and moviesby Cecilia Jaconetti - Irresistible Co.. He lived on Crystal Lake in Ellington, Connecticut. Gene Pitney was the man with one of the unique voices in music history, awesomely talented and brilliant. A number of his hit songs were recorded in Italy. They recorded ‘Classical Rock & Roll’ in 1959 followed by a single called ‘Cradle of My Arms.’. The cause of death was a heart attack and severely occluded coronary arteries. He is well known for his chart making hit songs and recordings. He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut. Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer.. Pitney charted 16 top 40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. He came second in a competition known as San Remo Song Concert with his song Nessuro Mi Puo Guidicare. He released his first single, "(I wanna) Love my life away." He is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 2) and ‘Trans-Canada Highway’ (No. It reached the Top 40 in US and Britain. To say that Gene worked with a "lady called" Ginny Arnell implies that she was unimportant, or unknown. February 17, In high school, he was part of the band "Gene Pitney and the Genials". He had two older and two younger siblings and lived with his family in Rockville, Connecticut. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. He also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German. Find similar music that you'll enjoy, only at Last.fm. His US career started declining after his song ‘She's a Heartbreaker’ made it to the Top 40 in mid-1968. 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. It was followed by ‘Town Without Pity’ which became his first Top 20 single. Born: 17-Feb-1940 Birthplace: Rockville, CT Died: 5-Apr-2006 Location of death: Cardiff, Wales Cause of death: Natural Causes Remains: Buried, Somers Centre Cemetery, Somers, CT. Gene Pitney made another come back in 1983, with a North American tour that sold out. He was an enthusiastic doo-wop singer and also sang with a group named ‘The Embers’. Gene Pitney (February 17, 1940 - April 5, 2006) was a highly acclaimed pop singer with a dramatic style who was also a prolific songwriter. The song had Pitney multitracking vocals and playing a lot of instruments. Gene Pitney (born Gene Francis Alan Pitney in Hartford, Connecticut, USA on 17 February 1940 - died 5 April 2006 (Cardiff, Wales). He also wrote 'Today's Teardrops' for Roy Orbison, as well as 'Rubber ball' for Bobby Vee. In 1989, while performing live on ITV's ‘This Morning’ show, he missed his cue for the song ‘You're the Reason’ and couldn’t mime with the beats in time! Gene Pitney’s first break in the music industry came when he formed a duo named ‘Jamie and Jane’ with Ginny Arnell. Pitney is survived by his wife Lynne and three sons who live in Connecticut. In 1965, he recorded two hit albums with singer George Jones and they became the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. He rests at Somers Center Cemetary in Somers, Connecticut. Item : We have a Neat Sonny & Cher/Gene Pitney's 1965 Bonanza Of Stars Tour Program! Soon, his focus shifted to only music. Notable among his written songs are "He is a rebel" which was written for The Crystals. In 1962, he recorded what would become his highest-charting song, ‘Only Love Can Break a Heart,’ that peaked at No. From 1961-1970 , he had a long string of hits in the US that included "Town Without Pity" (1961), "She's A Heartbreaker" (1968), and the Burt Bacharach/Hal David-penned "(The Man Who Shot) Li… He rests at Somers Center Cemetary in Somers, Connecticut. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, who was a lathe operator. Singer Gene Pitney playing guitar w. sons Todd & David , & wife Lynne playing back-up instruments at home. He made his official debut by recording a duet with Ginny Arnell in 1959. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIYYT_Izo7I, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gene_Pitney_1966.JPG, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kRoGbEdIo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLTvbQqgkHg, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGsRPOl8jtw. Gene and his family. After a successful singing career spanning five decades, at the age of 66, he was found dead of natural causes, while in the middle of a sellout UK tour. He enjoyed water Skiing with friends. However, his popularity waned after this period. On 18 March 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pitney was greatly influenced by musical icons such as Clyde McPhalter, Moon Mullican and the musical doo-wop group, the Crows. He was also excellent in other areas of music, often showing the excellence of his vocal range. In 1964, his song ‘Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa’ peaked at No.5 in Britain and at No. He eventually gained fame as a singer when he recorded his self-penned song, ‘I Wanna Love My Life Away’. He lived on Crystal Lake in Ellington, Connecticut. As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. His second wife died in 1973.) Pitney continued to tour continuously from then on. Listen to Town Without Pity, Every Breath I Take and more from Gene Pitney. Gene Pitney. In December the same year, his ‘Half Heaven, Half Heartache’ reached No.12 on the Billboard chart. In 1966, his single ‘Nobody Needs Your Love’ peaked at No. After high school, he studied electrical engineering while simultaneously focusing on music. Pitney did not only have success as a singer, but he also excelled at writing songs for others. 17 on US Hot 100. After high school, Gene began to study Electrical Engineering. It was there that his first band, Gene and the Genials was formed. Video Captures Gene Video's from Youtube. Gene Pitney was an American singer, songwriter, and sound engineer. In the UK he had 22 Top-40 hits, and 11 singles in the Top Ten. In 1989, he finally achieved a number 1 placement on the UK charts with a cover of his sixties hit Song, 'Something's Gotten Hold of My heart this time' featuring Marc Almond. He enjoyed water Skiing with friends. In 1966 Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, after an eight-year engagement. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Gene Pitney (17 Feb 1940–5 Apr 2006), Find a Grave Memorial no. Val Jordan's pictures. The cause of death was a heart attack and severely occluded coronary arteries. Today is a sad day." Together they had three Sons, Todd, Chris, and David. The piece you are purchasing may or may not work. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and Patrick Ewing. 2 in US. Thus Pitney the songwriter prevented himself from finally having his single at the top of the charts. 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. This price is for the continental US. The cause of his death was ruled to be a heart attack. Find Gene Pitney bio, music, credits, awards, & streaming links on AllMusic - A much-loved singer and songwriter whose urgent… Record Covers More Record Covers Magazine or newspaper articles Memories Blog About Contact Gene Video's from Youtube. However, his music and studies were coming into increasing conflict and Gene began to move more towards his musical ambitions. His songs were performed by many famous artists. Gene wrote this article? Ginny Arnell had some degree of success of her own. In collaboration with songwriter Aaron Schroeder, he placed his songs with big artists. Together they had three Sons, Todd, Chris, and David. He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, ‘Gene & the Genials’. It won a ‘Golden Globe Award’ and an ‘Oscars’ nomination for the Best Song. 2 UK). He recorded his self-penned song ‘(I Wanna) Love My Life Away’ which was released on Schroeder’s ‘Musicor’ label in 1961. Check out this biography to know about his birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him. The cause of his death was ascertained to be a heart attack. Singer Gene Pitney, who shot to fame in the 1960s with hits including "24 Hours From Tulsa," has died while on tour in Britain, according to his agent, Jene Levy. Gene Pitney was born Francis Alan Pitney in Hartford, Connecticut on February 17, 1940 and was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Other chart making songs recorded by Pitney include "Only love can break a heart" which peaked at number 2 on the U.S charts, as well as "Half Heartache" which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Chart. 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. The limousine carrying the family of singer Gene Pitney leaves Somers Center Cemetery following Pitney's burial. In Italy, his song ‘Nessuno mi può giudicare’ became a sensational hit, and he finished second in the country’s annual ‘Sanremo Music Festival’ twice. He's a rebel was the number 1 song on the U.S chart at that time, keeping Pitney's song, 'Only Love Can Break a Heart' at the number 2 spot. Gene had a love of music from an early age. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. Gene Pitney was born on 17 February 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Anna A. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the top ten. In 1961, Gene Pitney recorded his first Top 20 single, ‘Town Without Pity’ which had been penned by Tiomkin and Ned Washington. R o gerthat Talk 02:32, 27 January 2007 (UTC) Ginny Arnell. The song made it to the U.S top 40 lists. He began his music career by writing songs for other artists, many of which became top hits, e.g., The Crystals' "He's A Rebel," Ricky Nelson's "Hello Mary Lou," and Bobby Vee's "Rubber Ball." In 1961, Gene Pitney got signed to the record label, Musicor which was owned by Aaron Schroeder. Pitney died while on tour in the UK on the 5th of April, 2006. The funeral of singer Gene Pitney has been held in his home town of Somers, in Connecticut. Gene Pitney got married to childhood friend and heartthrob, Lynne Gaytonin 1966. BTW I think we need more info on what singles and albums he released, not just "songs performed by Pitney". On April 5, 2006, during his UK tour, he was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. 2 in UK. He had his High School education at Rockville High School. Gene Pitney got married to childhood friend and heartthrob, Lynne Gayton in 1966. Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Singer/Songwriter. They had three sons. Jane Corbett's pictures Pictures of Gene's Grave. Gene charted 16 Top-40 hits in the U.S., four in the Top 10. Gene Pitney also broke boundaries in the U.K charts, peaking at number 5 on the U.K charts with the song 'Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa.'. He also performed it at Oscars’ ceremony on April 9, 1962, becoming the first pop singer to do so. His manager found him dead in his hotel room. His wife and sons survive him. Gene Pitney was an American Singer, songwriter, musician, and sound engineer. 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. He loved music since his childhood and joined a band in high school. He is also known for the Burt Bacharach-Hal David Song "(The Man who shot) Liberty Valence. Born in: Hartford, Connecticut, United States, See the events in life of Gene Pitney in Chronological Order. He was also famous in European countries notably Italy. Between the years 1963 to 1966, his hits continued to rock the airwaves and appeared in the U.K top 10 charts continuously. His streak of success continued through 1976 with songs like ‘Down This Road’, and ‘Days of Summer’. In Australia, his songs ‘Blue Angel’ (No. A terrific piece to collect! https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/gene-pitney-9117.php, Celebrities Who Look Beautiful Even Without Makeup, Top NBA Players With No Championship Rings, Celebrities Who Are Not In The Limelight Anymore. Gene Pitney's wife Lynne leads the mourners at his funeral. Lynne Pitney, center, wife of singer Gene Pitney, follows her husband's casket out of All Saints Catholic Church. He would go on to record further hits and chart making songs like the title song for the movie Town without Party, which won him the Golden Globe Awards and also earned him an Academy Awards Nomination for best song. 1940. Gene Alan Pitney was born on the 17th of February, 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut. He would also go on to sing with a group called the Embers. He still appeared regularly on UK charts till 1974. Gene had always swore he would never remarry.” (He had divorced his first wife in 1957. He made a short-lived revival in 1974 when hits such as 'Trans-Canada Highway' and 'Blue Angel' came alive. Marked by his piercing, pained, and melodramatic tenor, he was often characterized (very unfairly) as a shallow “teen idol” type of singer. Of all the American Rock & Rollers to emerge in the period between Elvis Presley’s induction into the army in 1958 and the arrival of the Beatles in 1964, Gene Pitney is one of the select few to have not just survived but also prospered into the Twenty-first Century. Pitney died while on tour in the UK on the 5th of April, 2006.His manager found him dead in his hotel room. He will be dearly missed, but will live on through his music. He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/gene-pitney-9117.php https://celebion.com/gene-rayburn-biography-death-wife-and-daughter Gene Pitney was an American singer, songwriter, and sound engineer best known for his song ‘Town Without Pity’. His passion for music, however, meant that there was a conflict between his academics as he became increasingly drawn to his music. 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. However, initially he found more success as a songwriter rather than as a singer. He was born to a lathe operator and was the third of five children. 13861725, citing Center Cemetery, Somers, Tolland County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave . 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