Posted on 04/05/2006 5:41:25 AM PDT by GeneD
He was certainly one of the great pioneers on the R&R-Ballads scene, wasn't he? Anything further on the cause of death?
I had always heard that he was somewhat reclusive. You never heard much about him even when he was in his prime. Of course, you could have said the same thing about similar contemporaries like Roy Orbison or Del Shannon. As for "It Hurts To Be In Love," that off-key organ always stands out in my mind!
RIP, Gene
I'll be switching over from talk radio to the oldies station today...
Not just your day! I'm 28 and like I said, he's one of my favorite singers.
He was one of my dad's favorites too.... maybe it's genetic (no pun intended!).
One song that I've never heard on the oldies station, but that I really like, is "If I Didn't Have a Dime (To Play the Jukebox)"
Since the mid-Seventies Pitney cut his touring schedule as he became involved in real estate and stock market investments. He has toured the U.S. infrequently, but continued to work elsewhere in the world. He has recorded in in Italian, German, and Spanish. In 1988 a remake of "Something's Gotten a Hold of My Heart" went to #1 in the U.K. Five years later, Pitney returned to the U.S. concert stage for the first time in almost twenty years with a sold out appearance at Carnegie Hall. Pitney divides his time between touring, mostly overseas and his business interests, which include the Crystal Lake Beach and Boat Club in Connecticut where he worked as a youth.
He was very popular in England, with their huge network of fans of classic American rock 'n roll. Oldies icons from Bill Haley to PJ Proby kept their careers alive there for years after America passed them by.
mwyounce, that was a good song and got some playing time when it was out, but it was the flip side of "Only Love Can Break A Heart" and tends to be forgotten. Gene had plenty of middling-hits that rarely if ever get played on oldies stations -- another was his recording of the Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs To Yesterday." A few others were "I Must Be Seeing Things" and "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love."
He grew up in Rockville, CT. I have probably wandered the same streets he played on.
Ahhh..... that would explain it! Darn 45's!
You're right, those are good ones too. I'm playing through my Gene Pitney MP3s now... "It's Not That I Don't Love You" is another one that I really like.
Haha. I'm impressed that someone 28 years old would even know what a 45 was! They seemed like a good idea at the time.
RIP
I had a few 45s of my own... "London Bridge (Is Falling Down)" with "The Muffin Man (of Drury Lane)" on the flipside. It played wonderfully on my Fisher Price record player! Ha ha ha.
We each owe God one life one death..
The real issue is where you and your loved ones spend eternity..
imo
One day I was out taking a walk and he stopped to say hi (He was out for a jog) I had never met him before, seemed like a real nice guy, very friendly.
I mentioned that my Dad went to Rockville High and that he was a couple of classes ahead of him.
Apparently he had a good memory as well because he even recalled my Dad was on the Basketball team.
Sorry to see him go, 65 is awfully young.
Oh yeah, I remember those little red and yellow records. "If You're Happy And You Know It, Clap Your Hands" was one of the biggies.
Dang! I hate that. I just loved his music when I was a teenager!
This was the first time I'd ever seen a picture of him too. He even looked good after going gray! ;o)
"Looking Through the Eyes of Love" is probably my favorite Gene Pitney song.
Just the best male torch singer anywhere! I listen to him every day, never tire of "24 Hrs from Tulsa," "Town Without Pity," "Liberty Valance," and everything else I can find on the web.
Here's a link to the Pitney wavs, all free: http://www.angelfire.com/music4/crhay26/Pitney.htm
Rest in peace.
Even when I was listening to his singing on a small transistor radio or an AM car radio, he sounded to me like he was singing live.
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