, money, salary, income, and assets. A book of condolences has since been opened in the city centre. In 2000, he sang the harmony vocals in Jane Olivors version of his own song Half Heaven Half Heartache. Portrait of singer Gene Pitney and his pregnant wife Lynne Gayton during a holiday in Italy, circa 1968. The cause of Gene Pitney's death has been confirmed. "His family have taken the news as can be expected," said Pitney's promoter Mark Howes. The single remained at the top for four weeks, and also went to No. He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. Between 1963 and 1966, Gene consistently produced top 10 hits in the UK. And finally in 1989 achieved what had eluded him at the peak of his popularity, a number 1 single in the UK. [13] It was re-aired on the 25th anniversary edition of This Morning in 2013, in which presenter Holly Willoughby "broke out into a cold sweat" while reliving the moment. Gene Pitneys Funeral The official website for Wayne Jones, host of New Englands longest running Oldies radio program; The Rock N Roll Memory Machine. Includes interviews, photos and other up-to-date info on rock-n-roll artists from the 50s and early 60s. Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. Gene teamed up with Marc Almond to cover his sixties hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Legendary crooner Gene Pitney has sadly passed away. 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. His first release under his real name was in 1960 on the Festival label titled "I'll Find You". Sources include Joel Whitburn's Record Research material for the US Top 100, "Bubbling Under" and US Country charts; Tim Rice et al., Guinness Book of Hit Singles for the UK; CHUM Chart for Canada prior to mid-1964, and the Canadian RPM charts thereafter; and The Kent Report for Australia, Involvement with the Rolling Stones (1964), UK, Australian and European stardom (19661970s), Last edited on 19 February 2023, at 07:18, Gene Pitney Meets the Fair Young Ladies of Folkland, It Hurts to Be in Love and Eleven More Hit Songs, For the First Time! Singer Gene Pitney (2L) playing guitar w. sons Todd (R) & David (2R), & wife Lynne (L) playing back-up instruments at home. He loved music since his childhood and joined a band in high school. Overcoming his nerves over the next few years, Pitney learned to play the guitar and piano and formed a schoolboy band. Though it shares a title with the John Wayne western, the song was not used in the film because of a publishing dispute. The son of a mill worker, Pitney said childhood ambitions of becoming a performer could not have been further from his mind. Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his. [10], At the height of his fame in 1967, Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons, Todd, Chris, and David. Gene Pitney was born on 17 February 1940, in Hartford, Connecticut, to Anna A. She confirmed: As soon as it (the death) was deemed to be non-suspicious, the matter was handed over to the coroner.. We have estimated Pitney was present with Phil Spector at some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including "Little by Little" and other tracks for their debut album;[6] he played piano, though the extent of this is uncertain. The couple had three sons together. Who Is Gene Pitney's Wife? The duet brought him his first UK No. Pitney. In addition to this Pitney began to make forays into other areas of music once again demonstrating his vocal range. The duet outdid the original which could only make number 5 in 1967. 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. Lynne Pitney, center, wife of singer Gene Pitney, follows her husband's casket out of All Saints Catholic Church. They also collaborated in the production of the hit song "Days of Summer". [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 songs gained notable popularity in US and UK and he was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. When Was Only Love Can Break Your Heart released? [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. He once recalled how his first solo performance at school degenerated into an embarrassing whimper as Pitney was petrified by the expectant audience. 2 in the UK, matching the No. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the Top 40 in 1974, when both "Blue Angel" (No. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel. "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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. On 18 March 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. See the events in life of Gene Pitney in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kRoGbEdIo. 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. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and Patrick Ewing. 4 in 1962. Official Sites. Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST. Gene Pitneys income source is mostly from being a successful Soundtrack. Wed 5 Apr 2006 12.08 EDT The American singer-songwriter Gene Pitney, whose biggest hit was Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, has been found dead in a hotel room in Cardiff, it was announced today.. At one point he had hits in Europe, the UK, and the US pop and country charts with four different songs simultaneously. Gene Pitney is a member of Rock Singer. . He recorded albums with country greats like George Jones and Melba Montgomery and was quite successful. The first big breakthrough came when Roy Orbison recorded "Today's Teardrops" as the B-side to "Blue Angel". SELECT OPTIONS SAVE TO CART "Rebel" kept Pitney's own No. "Gene moved on quickly though and his first solo song came with "Cradle of My Arms" albeit under the name Billy Bryan. He grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon, Connecticut. Pitney charted 16 top 40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. Miller replaced Sedaka's voice with Pitney's, though Sedaka's trademark backing harmonies were left intact. Although disappearing in the late seventies he made a successful touring comeback in 1983 with a sell out North American tour. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Governor Jodi Rell also declared September 20, 2007, as Gene Pitney Day in the state of Connecticut. He also recorded an album of folk songs. In 2002 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a fitting honour and a long overdue recognition of his talent. The cause of his death was ascertained to be a heart attack. Wedding: Lynne C. Gayton to Gene Pitney (Pop Star) - The Bridgeport Post, Jan. 26, 1967 (Thu) Mourning Joy: Q: What do you call the elephant witch doctor? Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. He still appeared regularly on UK charts till 1974. Gene had a love of music from an early age. He is a member of famous Soundtrack with the age 66 years old group. He is from USA. 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. Mourning Quote: The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. "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. 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. Those recordings were not released until 1990. They recorded Classical Rock & Roll in 1959 followed by a single called Cradle of My Arms.. Especially in Italy where he came second in the San Remo song contest with the song "Nessuno Mi Puo Giudicare".He also recorded a number of his hits in Italian. He followed that same year with his first Top 20 single, "Town Without Pity", from the 1961 film of the same title. In collaboration with songwriter Aaron Schroeder, he placed his songs with big artists. 1, in late January 1989. [16] He was laid to rest at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut.[17]. And finally in 1989 achieved what had eluded him at the peak of his popularity, a number 1 single in the UK. Gene's first recordings were in 1958 with a Connecticut singing group called the Embers. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gene had a love of music from an early age. 2) and "Trans-Canada Highway" (No. His wife is Lynne Gayton (28 January 1967 - 5 April 2006) ( his death) ( 3 children) Gene Pitney Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" marked a significant shift in Gene's musical direction. As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. It reached #39 on the charts. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. In 1962, he recorded what would become his highest-charting song, Only Love Can Break a Heart, that peaked at No. 5 in Britain at the start of 1964. (Photo by Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images), 4950 x 3669 px (16.50 x 12.23 in) - 300 dpi - 4 MB. "Rubber Ball", another Pitney song, became a hit for Bobby Vee in the US and Marty Wilde in the UK. However, initially he found more success as a songwriter rather than as a singer. 5 in UK in 1964, marking his increasing popularity in UK. Due to a publishing conflict, he was unable to receive a writing credit for. What was even more amazing is that Gene recorded all 7 vocal tracks as well as playing the piano, guitar and drums on the song. Video Captures Gene Video's from Youtube. Despite this the song was well received and it's mix of the pop and country genres worked extremely well. His wife is Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). They were taken just a few days after Gene's funeral. Gene has never looked back since then and has toured almost continuously throughout the nineties. Among his most famous hits are Town Without Pity , (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance , Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa , Im Gonna Be Strong , and It Hurts To Be In Love . 2 in US. 2 in UK. Pitney performed the song at the Oscars ceremony on April 9, 1962. Discover Gene Pitney's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Gene Pitney, singer and songwriter, born February 17 1941; died April 5 2006. [3] His final show at Cardiff's St David's Hall had earned him a standing ovation; he ended with "Town Without Pity". The body can now be flown back to the USA for the stars funeral. Almond said he was "saddened and shocked" at the news. 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. Pitney's last hit on the UK charts came in 1989, after an absence of 15 years, when he and Soft Cell singer Marc Almond recorded a duet version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. The funeral of singer Gene Pitney has been held in his home town of Somers, in Connecticut. He had nine dates left on his 23-date UK tour and was due to appear at Bristol's Colston Hall on Wednesday. Pitney scored 22 UK Top 40 hits during his long career. His maternal grandparents were Polish. 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". He had two older and two younger siblings and lived with his family in Rockville, Connecticut. The 65-year-old, who died in the Cardiff Hilton last week, was suffering from hardening of the arteries, according to his death certificate. [2] The third of five children of a lathe operator, Pitney lived with his family in Rockville, Connecticut, during his formative years. The first big breakthrough came when Roy Orbison recorded "Today's Teardrops" as the B-side to "Blue Angel". He was the first pop singer to ever perform at the Oscar's and it helped to significantly raise his profile in the US.Following hot on the heels of "Town Without Pity" was "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". Lord Mayor of Cardiff Freda Salway noted: "I was extremely saddened to hear about the death of Gene Pitney. ", The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal on season 3, Neighbours announces seven more returning cast. With his popularity now firmly established in the US and growing in the UK Gene began to churn the hits out with amazing regularity. Did Gene Pitney ever get married? 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. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. The duet outdid the original which could only make number 5 in 1967. His family asked for donations, in lieu of flowers, to be made to Connecticut Public Broadcasting Company and the Humane Society of the US. His streak of success continued through 1976 with songs like Down This Road, and Days of Summer. , updated Thu 6 Apr 2006 05.12 EDT. With limited success as an artist, Gene began to find more success as a songwriter. 03:37 EST 13 Apr 2006, King Charles hosts von der Leyen at Windsor Castle, Police: Urgent search for Constance Marten's missing baby, Shocking video shows machete fight in broad daylight, Putin spy plane before being 'destroyed by pro-Ukraine Belarus group', Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Pupils take to TikTok as they stage protest at Shenfield High School, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Moment supermarket cashier is attacked at work in New York, Police search allotment sheds for Constance Marten's missing baby, Huge urgent police search for missing baby of Constance Marten, Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout. "It Hurts to Be in Love" had been planned for and recorded by Neil Sedaka, but RCA refused to release it because Sedaka had recorded the song outside RCA Victor in violation of his contract. He was buried at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers, Connecticut. He attended Rockville High School where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. His zodiac sign is Aquarius. In the early 1970s, Pitney decided to spend only six months each year on the road in order to spend more time with his family. Early Life. The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a No. Following hot on the heels of "Town Without Pity" was "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance". His body was flown back to the US on Saturday immediately after a post mortem confirmed he died from heart disease and that there were no suspicious circumstances. Today is a sad day.". 17 on the Hot 100. So, how much is Gene Pitney worth at the age of 66 years old? 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. Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, United States,[3] the son of Anna A. Pitney was. It reached the Top 40 in US and Britain. Overall, Gene had 16 top 40 hits in the US and an amazing 40 top 40 songs in the UK. American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel. 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. 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. In addition to this Pitney began to make forays into other areas of music once again demonstrating his vocal range. 03:36 EST 13 Apr 2006 (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. 14) marked his comeback by featuring in the Top 40 in 1974. He was a great, unique singer of great, unique songs.. The cause of his death was ruled to be a heart attack. Pitney, who was midway through a UK tour, was discovered in his bed at the Cardiff Hilton on Wednesday morning (April 5). 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. The cause of death is not yet known but is not suspicious. "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. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. He is also remembered for the Burt BacharachHal David song "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", which peaked at No. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. After another low-charting single, 1964's "Yesterday's Hero", Pitney rebounded with another string of hits in the mid-1960s, including the 1964 singles "It Hurts to Be in Love" and "I'm Gonna Be Strong", which reached No. 17 on US Hot 100. Despite this the song was well received and it's mix of the pop and country genres worked extremely well. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa, which peaked at No. He is also credited with helping the Rolling Stones break the American market with his endorsement of the band. Also Known As: Gene Francis Alan Pitney Died At Age: 66 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Lynne Gayton (m. 1967) father: Harold F. Pitney mother: Anna A. (Orlowsky) and Harold F. Pitney, a lathe operator. Gene enjoyed a short lived revival in 1974 with the hits "Trans-Canada Highway" and "Blue Angel". The song received a Golden Globe Award, reached the US top 20 and Gene also performed it at the Academy Awards. [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". Overall, Gene had 16 top 40 hits in the US and an amazing 40 top 40 songs in the UK. 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". 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). He also recorded a number of his hits in Italian. 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). In 2000, Pitney sang harmony vocals on Jane Olivor's recording of his 1962 hit "Half Heaven Half Heartache", which was released on her 'comeback' album Love Decides. As well as music, Gene was a keen student and, after high school, he began studying electrical engineering. Pitney died on 5 April at the age of 65 of natural causes, hours after coming off stage during his UK tour. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. Two Great Stars - George Jones and Gene Pitney, "The Complete Works of the Rolling Stones 19622008", "Results RPM Library and Archives Canada", THE OFFICIAL "WILD" WAYNE WEBSITE Connecticut based nationally known Oldies Radio DJ & friend of Gene Pitney, Interview with Gene Pitney in International Songwriters Association's "Songwriter Magazine", concentrating on his songwriting career, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gene_Pitney&oldid=1140261202, "If I Didn't Have a Dime (To Play the Jukebox)", "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night", "She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning)", This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 07:18. The event was emceed by oldies radio DJ and Pitney friend "Wild" Wayne. Wiki User. He recorded a Bacharach and David song, 'Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa,' which peaked at No. See answer (1) Copy. [7] In the US, the single stalled at No. Pitney also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish, and German and twice finished second in Italy's annual Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Enrico Caruso. "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. [8], On 18 March 2002, Pitney was inducted by singer Darlene Love into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Soundtrack Of My Life: Talking Heads Tina Weymouth, Creed III review: Michael B. Jordan gets another big win under his belt, Panic Shack: the wildest and funniest live band youll see all year, Final Fantasy 16 is a lavish RPG twist on Bayonetta and its all the better for it. The cause of Gene Pitney's death at 65 has been confirmed. Gene has never looked back since then and has toured almost continuously throughout the nineties.In 2002 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a fitting honour and a long overdue recognition of his talent.In April 2006, he was in the middle of a tour of the UK when he died in his hotel room following a concert in Cardiff. He eventually gained fame as a singer when he recorded his self-penned song, I Wanna Love My Life Away. Lynne Gayton (28 January1967 - 5 April2006)( his death)( 3 children). Pop veteran Gene Pitney dies after concert aged 65 Pitney signing for fans in 1964. The 66-year-old, who was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff last week, was buried in Somers, Connecticut, after a service attended by friends, neighbours and lifelong fans. Only Love Can Break Your Heart/Released. Pitney was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff the morning after playing at the city's St David's Hall. | His songs were performed by many famous artists. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. The cause of Gene Pitney's death has been confirmed. Later that year, he had his first solo release "Cradle Of My Arms" under the name Billy Bryan on the Blaze record label. Mr Howes told BBC Wales that everyone had been shocked by the death and there had been no signs that he was ill. "He did a good show last night at St David's Hall and it was wonderful," he said. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. 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 . Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 [1] [2] - April 5, 2006) [3] was an American singer-songwriter and musician. - Gene Pitney Tribute Site These first three pictures were kindly supplied by Anne Griffiths. Whether you like it or not you know when it is Gene. In 1966, his single Nobody Needs Your Love peaked at No. This answer is: "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. He married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, in 1966, and had three children with her. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Photograph: Getty Richard Williams Thu 6 Apr 2006 05.09 EDT Pitney's popularity in the UK market was ensured by the breakthrough success of "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", a Bacharach and David song, which peaked at No. Burt Bacharach, who wrote Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, called Pitney "a rare talent and a beautiful man". Because of his success on the music charts, and as he explained to his friend, oldies DJ 'Wild' Wayne, an unknown radio disc jockey at the time gave Pitney the nickname 'The Rockville Rocket', which caught on. These next five pictures were taken by Anne Griffiths in October 2014. His maternal grandparents were Polish. Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. In 1962 he sent a demo record to Musicor Records, called "I Wanna Love My Life Away". A: Mumbo Jumbo. Whether you like it or not you know when it is Gene. Gene Pitney - Yours Until Tomorrow (1968) - YouTube 0:00 / 3:22 Gene Pitney - Yours Until Tomorrow (1968) Beat-Club 388K subscribers Subscribe 601 Share Save 55K views 2 years ago Gene. 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. "They felt awful that he was so far away when it happened but they are glad that he is home now.". Gene Pitney's wife Was Lynne Pitney. In 1964, his song Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa peaked at No.5 in Britain and at No. "He was a great, unique singer of great, unique songs. Jason Derby, Other Works 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. In 1966, Gene Pitney married his childhood sweetheart, Lynne Gayton, and the couple had three sons together, Todd, Chris, and David. 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. Portrait of singer Gene Pitney and his pregnant wife Lynne Gayton during a holiday in Italy, circa 1968. Members of the family attended. What was even more amazing is that Gene recorded all 7 vocal tracks as well as playing the piano, guitar and drums on the song. The single made the top 40 in the US and Britain. He recorded his self-penned song (I Wanna) Love My Life Away which was released on Schroeders Musicor label in 1961. American singing legend Gene Pitney died of natural causes, a post-mortem examination has confirmed. So, how much is Gene Pitney worth at the age of 66 years old? He returned one last time to the Top 40 with "She's a Heartbreaker" in mid-1968 and placed several singles in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 after that, but by 1970 he was no longer a hit-maker in the US. American Singer Gene Pitney was born Gene Francis Alan Ptney on 17th February, 1940 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA and passed away on 5th Apr 2006 Cardiff, Wales, UK aged 66. He also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German. This is to deny the true talent of the man and the extensive range he possesses. [4] Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. Soon, his focus shifted to only music. Hot on the Festival label titled `` I Wan na Love My Life Away singing group called Embers! Number 5 in 1967 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2002. The Oscars ceremony on April 9, 1962 appear at Bristol 's Colston Hall on Wednesday they were taken a. 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Recorded Classical Rock & Roll in 1959 followed by Rubber Ball for Bobby Vee Hello. 1959 followed by a single called Cradle of My Arms Tribute site These three... His musical ambitions into increasing conflict and Gene began to make forays into areas. Jason Derby, other Works his big Break came when Roy Orbison recorded Today 's Teardrops '' the., Hours after coming off stage during his UK tour and was to! Label in 1961 his death was ruled to be a Heart attack placed his songs gained popularity... Much is Gene early 60s Freda Salway noted: `` I was extremely saddened to hear about the of. Quote: the Gene Pitney has been found dead in his hotel room Cardiff. Musical direction, born February 17 1941 ; died April 5 2006 remained at the peak of his in... He made a successful touring comeback in 1983 with a sell out North American.... Fame as a songwriter taken the news as can be expected, '' said Pitney,. School where he formed his first band, Gene had 16 top 40 in US and growing the. 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