Posted on 04/05/2006 5:41:25 AM PDT by GeneD
LONDON - Gene Pitney, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame whose hits included "Town Without Pity" and "Only Love Can Break a Heart," died Wednesday at a hotel in Wales after playing a show, his agent said. He was 65.
Pitney was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. Police said the death did not appear suspicious.
"We don't have a cause of death at the moment but looks like it was a very peaceful passing," said Pitney's tour manager, James Kelly.
"He was found fully clothed, on his back, as if he had gone for a lie down. It looks as if there was no pain whatsoever."
He added: "Last night was generally one of the happiest and most exuberant performances we've seen out of him. He was absolutely on top of his game and was really happy with the show."
Born in Hartford, Conn., on Feb. 17, 1941, Pitney had his first success as a songwriter with "Rubber Ball," a Top 10 hit for Bobby Vee in 1961. Later that year, Ricky Nelson had a hit with Pitney's "Hello Mary Lou."
As a performer, Pitney had his first success that same year with "Love My Life Away."
But Burt Bacharach and Hal David provided the songs that put Pitney in the Top 10: "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and "Only Love Can Break a Heart."
"Only Love Can Break a Heart" was Pitney's biggest U.S. hit, peaking at No. 2 on the charts in 1962. The No. 1 song at the time was The Crystals' "He's a Rebel," written by Pitney.
He had more than a dozen Top 40 hits and even contributed to an early Rolling Stones recording session.
Pitney waited until 1990 for his first British No. 1 — he rerecorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" with Marc Almond.
Pitney also had some success as a country singer, pairing with George Jones to record "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night" and "Louisiana Man."
He recorded in Italian and Spanish, and twice took second place at the San Remo Song Festival in Italy. He also had a regional hit with "Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare."
Pitney was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
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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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