Sail On Gene Pitney

[Jahfin]

Gene Pitney found dead in hotel

American superstar Gene Pitney has died at a Cardiff hotel, it has emerged.

The 65-year-old American singer - found international fame with the
Bacharach song Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was taken ill at the
Hilton hotel just after 1000 BST on Wednesday.

He had played St David's Hall and was due at Bristol Colston Hall.

Pitney rose to fame in the 60s and enjoyed a revival in 1990 when his duet with Marc Almond of Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart got to number one.

It was first British number one - nearly 30 years after his first single 24 Hours from Tulsa rode high in the UK charts in November 1963.

He as continued touring almost non-stop throughout his career. His last gig in Cardiff on Tuesday night, was among 23 concerts in Scotland, Wales, and England.

As well as his own recording successes, Pitney's songs have been
recorded by some of the world's biggest stars - Hello Mary Lou was
released by Rick Nelson, Roy Orbison recorded Today's Teardrops as the B-side to his million-selling single, Blue Angel, and Rubber Ball became a worldwide hit for US artist Bobby Vee and UK artist Marty Wilde.

He is also credited with helping the Rolling Stones break the American market.

The son of a mill worker, Pitney said childhood ambitions of becoming a performer could not have been further from his mind.

He once recalled how his first solo performance at school degenerated into an embarrassing whimper as Gene was petrified by the expectant audience. Overcoming his nerves over the next few years, Pitney learned to play the guitar and piano and formed a schoolboy band.

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.

He is survived by his wife Lynne and three sons who live in his native Connecticut.

[Lightning Bolt]

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance... used to play the 45 over and over as a wee lad

Sail on, Gene Pitney

[jbfinscj]

Sail on Gene Pitney. One of my favorite singers from that era. There is just something about listening to those great oldies on a warm summer night.