Gene Pitney

Gene Pitney
Born	Gene Francis Alan Pitney
Other names	Gene Pitney
Years active	1960s – 2006

Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17 1940 – April 5 2006) was an American singer and songwriter.

Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed considerable success on both sides of the Atlantic, and charted more than 20 Top 40 hit singles, according to Billboard Magazine. He was also an accomplished songwriter, guitarist, pianist, drummer, and skilled sound engineer. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Pitney was among a small group of early 1960s American artists and acts such as Roy Orbison, The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons, Jan and Dean, The Drifters and Jay and the Americans that continued to enjoy big radio hits after the British Invasion changed American pop music in 1964.

Biography

Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut. In his youth, he grew up in Rockville, now a part of the town of Vernon. His early musical influences were Clyde McPhatter and Doo Wop groups like The Crows. He attended Rockville High School from which he earned the name "The Rockville Rocket," and where he formed his first band called "Gene & the Genials." He also made a couple of records as part of a duo called "Jamie and Jane" with Ginny Arnell (who later had a solo hit of her own, "Dumbhead"), and then released a single in 1959 under the name Billy Bryan.

In 1961, Gene Pitney released his first chart single, "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away", on which he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals. This was followed by his first big hit, "Town Without Pity", that same year. This song, from the film of the same name, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Song in a Motion Picture and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Pitney was the first pop singer to perform at the Oscars, singing "Town Without Pity" at the 34th Annual Academy Awards on April 9, 1962.

Pitney helped his musical career by writing hit songs for others. Notable songs include "He's a Rebel" for The Crystals, Vikki Carr and Elkie Brooks, "Today's Teardrops" for Roy Orbison, "Rubber Ball" for Bobby Vee and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson (Nelson is often inaccurately credited as the songwriter). The Crystals' "He's A Rebel" kept Pitney's highest peaking Hot 100 record "Only Love Can Break A Heart" from being atop that chart on November 3, 1962.

Pitney is also well remembered for "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which was associated with the 1962 John Ford film of the same name, starring Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles, and Lee Marvin. Pitney gave a strong and distinctive vocal performance of the song, penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Although it was a certified Top 10 hit for Pitney, it was never used in the movie due to a publishing squabble between Famous Music and Paramount Pictures. A theatrical trailer included with a DVD release mentions a forthcoming title track, but not by name.

His 1963 hit "Mecca" is considered by some to be a precursor to psychedelia in its use of Indian musical influences, at least three years before The Beatles began incorporating these influences. The use of exotic musical instruments became something of a Pitney trademark, judging by the Mariachi trumpets employed in "Lonely Drifters", the ukuleles in "Hawaii", and the gypsy fiddle in "Golden Earrings". The Jagger/Richards-penned song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a UK hit for him in 1964; it was the first tune composed by the Rolling Stones' songwriting duo to become a top-10 hit. Along with Phil Spector, Pitney was involved in some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including one for "Little by Little" (the b-side of their first top-10 single) and other tracks for their debut album; he apparently played piano, though the extent to which his contributions were used is uncertain. His ongoing popularity in the UK market was ensured by the chart success of "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" at the end of 1963/beginning of 1964, when in January the Bacharach and Davids' song peaked at #4. "Tulsa" was also a big hit in the US and would become the song that opened up Pitney's career to the international markets.

Pitney released an unbroken string of hit singles in the early 1960s, with the unrequited love classic "It Hurts To Be in Love" and "I'm Gonna Be Strong" in 1964, and "Nobody Needs Your Love" in 1966 (the first two were top 10 in the US; the last two peaked at No. 2 in the UK). "It Hurts To Be in Love" was originally planned as a vehicle for Neil Sedaka. When Sedaka decided not to record it, Pitney used the existing backing tracks and just added his lead vocal. Pitney and Orbison were practically the only American soloists to withstand the British Invasion, both displaying an astounding vocal range. In 1965, he recorded two successful albums with country legend George Jones. They were voted the most promising C & W Duo of that year. Pitney also recorded songs in Italian and Spanish, and twice finished second in the Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato may have reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Caruso. He had a regional hit with "Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare". Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe. One of the few star performers to have survived the 1960s unscathed, his fitness regime built the stamina he required for his singularly dithyrambic stage act. Pitney's last American top 40 hit was "She's a Heartbreaker" (1968). In the early 70s, Pitney made a personal decision to cut back on his touring deciding only to spend six months of each year on the road, and the remainder with his family. Pitney last hit the UK charts after an absence of fifteen years with 1989's duet with Marc Almond, a new version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart", a song by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway, which had originally been a No. 5 solo hit for Pitney in 1967, and which belatedly brought him his first UK Number 1 hit, staying there for four weeks. It also went #1 in many European countries as well. Sales were boosted particularly by the two vocalists' appearance on the Terry Wogan TV show as it was climbing the charts. Pitney's US record company declined to issue the record in America on the grounds that buyers would mistake it for a vocal duet by two gay men, Almond being leather-clad as usual, and Pitney dressed in a white tuxedo.

On February 26, 1993, Gene Pitney performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York coincidentally the same day of the first World Trade Center bombing. On March 18,2002 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Pitney died on April 5 2006 at the age of 66. He was found dead by his tour manager in the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff in the middle of a UK tour. His Final Show at Cardiff's St David's Hall was deemed a huge success, with a standing ovation, ending the show with his 1962 hit "Town Without Pity". An autopsy confirmed the singer died of natural causes. He was laid to rest on April 13th, 2006 at Somers Center Cemetery in Somers Connecticut.

In tribute to Gene, Marc Almond has recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his forthcoming album Stardom Road.

On September 20th, 2007, Gene Pitney was honored in his hometown of Rockville Connecticut where a Plaque was unveiled at the Town Hall. Members of the Pitney family were in attendance.

Discography

Love My Life Away Louisiana Mama Rubber Ball (writer) Hello Mary Lou (writer) Every Breath I Take Town Without Pity The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Only Love Can Break a Heart Tower Tall He's A Rebel (Writer) Half Heaven - Half Heartache True Love Never Runs Smooth Donna Means Heartbreak Mecca Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa That Girl Belongs To Yesterday It Hurts To Be In Love I'm Gonna Be Strong Last Chance To Turn around Looking Through The Eyes Of Love Just One Smile Backstage She Lets Her Down Somethings Gotten Hold of My Heart She's A Heartbreaker Blue Angel

External links

• A site created to honor Gene in his hometown of Rockville, CT
• "Wild" Wayne - Ct. based nationally known Oldies Radio DJ & friend of Gene Pitney
• A site created to celebrate Gene Pitneys life by two U.K. fans.
• Large fansite in honor of Gene and his career with fotos, reviews and much more.
• Gene Pitney Virtual Book of Condolences
• Unofficial Gene Pitney website and tribute forum
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Report of Pitney's death from BBC News
• BBC Obituary
• Obituary from the The Guardian
• Fan's Final Chat with Gene Pitney
• Correction on Pitney's year of birth: 1940 not 1941
• Interview with Gene Pitney in International Songwriters Association's "Songwriter Magazine", concentrating on his songwriting career
• Gene Pitney Memorial/FanSite by Rockville Resident/Fan