Assistant 134
04-05-2006, 11:13 AM
http://images.usatoday.com/life/_photos/2006/04/05/pitney-large.jpg
Pitney, photographed here March 28, 1966, was found dead in his hotel room Wednesday. He was 65.
LONDON (AP) ? 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.
:cry:
Pitney was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
Pitney, photographed here March 28, 1966, was found dead in his hotel room Wednesday. He was 65.
LONDON (AP) ? 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.
:cry:
Pitney was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed