Gene Pitney

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Gene Francis Alan Pitney, b. 17 February 1940 (Hartford, Connecticut, USA), d. 5 April 2006 (Cardiff, Wales).

After a successful singing career spanning five decades, at the age of 66, he was found dead of natural causes, 5 April 2006, while in the middle of a sellout UK tour.

Pitney, a pop rock pioneer, had his greatest success overall in Britain, first traveling there after his first self penned hit in 1961. “I Wanna Love My Life Away” hit #26 on the UK singles chart & just broke into the top 40 in the US.

His early music recorded for the “musicor” label was romantic, lonely and dramatic, fitting in alongside contemporaries like Buddy Holly, Neil Sedaka, Roy Orbison, & serves as an audio time capsule of a more innocent time.

Gene Pitney - Yesterday’s Hero…

Gene was a Brill Building songwriter who even before his singing career took off, had written one of Ricky Nelson’s biggest hits “Hello Mary Lou”. He had been helped out initially in his career by Burt Bacharach & Hal David, and later recorded some of their songs which became big hits like “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” and the classic “Only Love Can Break A Heart”. At the time his “Only Love…” recording was a #2 chart hit, he had written the number 1 song that week; “He’s A Rebel” (A Phil Spector production recorded by The Crystals). All in all Pitney himself recorded 16 top 40 songs in the US from 1961 to 1968.
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  • Backstage
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  • Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
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  • The Greatest Hits
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  • Golden Hits
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  • britishboy1976

    For anyone who is interested, EMI release on 23 April 2012 'Completely Cilla: 1963-1973' - a 5CD boxset of material by the British pop singer Cilla Black who began her career alongside The Beatles in Liverpool during the 1960s. Cilla went on to chart 18 Top 40 singles during that decade and toured across the world with many of the other sixties greats. The new set contains 139 recordings all produced by George Martin (the man behind The Beatles' hits) and comes with a bonus Region 0 / NTSC DVD of many previously unreleased BBC TV music performances.

    last month

  • MusicMagic77

    Gene Pitney & Marc Almond - Somethings gotten hold of my Heart at YouTube

    February 2012

  • sogletho

    If the only thing this man had ever done was write He's A Rebel, it would have been more than enough

    January 2012

  • narci91

    Added 3 nice pictures, feel free to vote them up :)

    July 2011

  • VeckRock

    I'm Gonna Be Strong <3

    April 2011

  • cotmo

    What a true talent. Besides being one of best male singers I ever heard, he wrote and produced wonderful songs.

    February 2011

  • Rapture5212011

    Gene had a terrific voice & delivery. He is sadly missed but his legacy continues on his recordings. Many fond memories from the 'baby boomer' generation of the 60s & 70s. Go to www.findagrave.com to see his Biography & burial details ~~ just click on Famous Grave Search. Rest In PEACE. God bless~!

    September 2010

  • genefan-nz

    My email is genep@ihug.co.nz....... Have a look at web site... www.jonpalmer.co.nz

    August 2010
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