The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Just heard the sad news that Gene Pitney passed away this morning in his hotel room:

American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead in his bed in a Cardiff hotel.
The 65-year-old singer - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at around 1000 BST.

He was midway through a UK tour and had shown no signs of illness.

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

Mark Howes of his management company In Touch Music said the singer was found in his bed by his tour manager - who had been a friend of the singer's for more than 30 years.

Further details are on the bbc website at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4878926.stm

Very sad news. I always got the impression he was more popular in the UK than in the US. Certainly his extraordinary recording of 24 Hours from Tulsa was a much bigger hit here than in the States and has always been regarded as a classic. Outside of that, my particular favorite recording of his of a Bacharach song is Fool Killer.

A few years old but worth revisiting.

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/featu ... 83,00.html

I just heard the news today... oh boy. I had the pleasure of interviewing Gene for THE LOOK OF LOVE box set liner notes, and he was fascinating guy to talk to... plus I'm so grateful that I chance to see him put on a KILLER show in Atlantic City several years ago (the same weekend Burt and Dionne were in town... ah, heaven!)

Gene was THE white male voice for Burt back in the day, and would have continued on with his Burt-ness if his manager, Aaron Schroeder, wasn't such a bully-boy; both "Trains and Boats and Planes" and "What the World Needs Now" were originally considered for Gene. And yep, "Fool Killer"... what a lovely and strange song!!

I can`t say I was a huge fan of his work, but his recording of True Love Never Runs Smooth not only paraphrases Shakespeare but is one of the earlier examples of Burt`s classic, mid-sixties syle. On the other hand, there was the forgettable Little Betty Falling Star, which I haven`t heard since the disappearance long ago of a Musi-Cor lp which collected (I believe) all of the Bacharach songs Pitney recorded.

I have to correct myself - LBF appears on Rare Bacharach Vol. I
(For those who came in late: there was and will be no Vol. II due to licensing hassles).

Gene Pitney found dead in hotel




American superstar Gene Pitney has been found dead aged 65 in his bed in a Cardiff hotel.
Pitney - who found fame with Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa - was pronounced dead at the Hilton hotel at 1000 BST.
He was on a UK tour and had shown no signs of illness. The cause of death is not yet known but is not suspicious.
His biggest success was in the 1960s and he enjoyed a 1989 revival with his chart-topping duet, Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart, with Marc Almond.
Almond said he was "saddened and shocked" at the news. "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.
"He was a great, unique singer of great, unique songs. Today is a sad day."
Mark Howes of his management company In Touch Music said the singer was found in his bed.



HAVE YOUR SAY
I've seen him quite a few times on this tour and he was fit and well. He said it was the best tour he had done for quite a few years

Mark Howes, In Touch Music


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.
"I've seen him quite a few times on this tour and he was fit and well. He said it was the best tour he had done for quite a few years."
Pitney has continually toured over the last 40 years.
He received a glowing review for the South Wales Echo - "non-stop enthusiastic performance" during what proved to be his final concert in Cardiff.



Gene Pitney was staying in an executive suite at the Hilton

He had nine dates left on his 23-date UK tour and was due to appear at Bristol's Colston Hall on Wednesday.
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.
He is also credited with helping the Rolling Stones break the American market with his endorsement of the band.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote his hit That Girl Belongs to Yesterday which became the Stones duo's first composition to reach the American charts.



Pitney returned to the charts with Marc Almond in 1989

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 Pitney 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.

Back in the late 50's and early 60's -"Certain Songs" by GENE PITNEY (Fool Killer), Bobby Vee (Be True To Yourself), Jackie DeShannon (A Lifetime Of Loneliness), Perry Como (Magic Moments) and Bobby Vinton (Blue On Blue) along with many others are responsible for me being one of BURT BACHARACH'S biggest admirers. There was something about those "Certain Songs" that drew me in like a magnet. I was not even aware of BURT'S existence - yet I was haunted by those songs - especially those by GENE PITNEY including "Only Love Can Break A Heart", "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", "True Love Never Runs Smooth" and "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa".

It wasn't until I became a Dionne Warwick devotee in "64" and "Promises Promises" was released in "67" that I discovered the common thread running through those "Certain Songs" that I loved so much was BURT BACHARACH!

May Gene's wife and sons find comfort in knowing that his passing was not prolonged and he died doing what he loved. A personal regret - After reserving tickets for GENE PITNEY'S Concert in Las Vegas last September - I cancelled a few days before the show thinking I would wait until he appeared next year - It's gonna be a LONG WAIT!!!![/list]

I hate this s--t when people die.

I fumbled around in my kitchen cabinet, got his greatest hits cassette ...

One of the greatest singers ever, as you cats know, with this rare articulation, both in the sounds of the words, his dynamics, and in his passionate phrasing. All unique.

He got a number of great pop songs to sing that no one would have given justice to, or maybe wanted to record given the circumstances ... they were great pop anthems, expanding on an earlier age (50's-early 60's) but that were too passionate for MOR pop maybe then... and not quite in the mold of the early British Invasion etc either .. that's the only explanation why they didn't enter the divine realm of the classics like they should have on your AM radio station.

I'll read his pop epitaph from my cassette, non-BB tunes anyway because you know them. Sorry I'm too lazy to supply the writers for your edification. You guys know better than me about Gene , but I want to give tribute ...

-It Hurts To Be In Love (the same as above, only better!)
-I'm Going to Be Strong (WOW what a beautiful tune and performance!)
-Half Heaven, Half Heartache
-Town Without Pity
-Last Exit to Brooklyn (Last Chance to Turn Around)
-Just One Smile ... maybe the best of all, very interesting tune, and passionate performance!

OK, that's the end of Side 1. ... Now Side 2:
-True Love Never Runs Smooth was BB I think so I won't mention this one ) ... too good so it must be BB!
-Looking Through The Eyes of Love (astonishing, all-time tune, lyric, everything, unforgettable ..!)

I left some out I'm sure .... very sorry I didn't see him live.

Thnx Gene!

What a sad day for those who loved this man and his music. I grew up with him as a teen and like many didn't find the common thread until I discovered a man called Burt. Wow!!! I never had the opportunity to see him live, but have many memories of his music.
Condolences to his family and friends.
Alvina

Gene Pitney, 65, who had hits with Bacharach/David songs Twenty Four
Hours From Tulsa, Fool Killer, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and Only Love Can Break A Heart died while on tour in the UK. Pitney was found dead yesterday in his bed at the Hilton Hotel after doing a show at St.David's Hall in Cardiff on Tuesday night. Dionne Warwick sends her condolences to his family and fans.

ron hertel wrote:.... There was something about those "Certain Songs" that drew me in like a magnet. I was not even aware of BURT'S existence - yet I was haunted by those songs..."[/list]

Yep, that describes me exactly also. It was only later that I realized that the same composer wrote every song that touched me so uniquely.

I, too, was a big fan of Gene Pitney's. "24 Hours From Tulsa", remains, to this day, one of my favorite all-time songs. What a shame that Gene's manager screwed him out of a professional working relationship with Burt and Hal. I believe that, had things been different in that area, Gene's career would have been much, much greater.

Gene also did a phenomenol job with that great (non-B&D) song, "Town Without Pity."

He surely was one of my favorites at that time and I'm sad that he died so young.

DIONNE WARWICK STATEMENT ON THE SUDDEN DEATH OF GENE PITNEY


“Gene was a friend, and this is quite a shock. Knowing how he loved life and his entertainment side of life makes this a great loss for all of us. I express my sincere condolences to his family and all of his fans worldwide. He is now in the hands of our Holy Father, and may his soul be blessed.â€￾

-DIONNE WARWICK

Dear Friends:

The funeral home in charge of arrangements for Gene's Funeral, Small & Pietras, has a wonderful website that you will appreciate. There is a page of photographic memories of Gene as well as a place where you can leave online condolences for the family.

Visit http://www.smallandpietrasfuneralhome.com; once on their home page, put "Pitney" in the search box and you will read the obituary and have the opportunity to link to other pages.

The family has asked that cards of condolence be sent to the Fan Club address, and we will forward them.

Gene Pitney Music
6201 39th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53142
USA

We want to assure you that every email that we have received will be shared with Lynne and her sons. Many Fans have wondered what happened to Gene's website (http://www.GenePitney.com). It is being reworked and should be back in place in the very near future. Thank you for your patience.

Wild Wayne, a DJ from WWUH-FM who had Gene as a guest on his show six times, will be doing a two-hour tribute to Gene this Sunday evening. Wayne, a long-time friend of Gene's, writes, "It is intended to be a celebration of his music & life. Excerpts from Gene's past appearances will be highlighted. We broadcast all over the world now on the Internet. All one has to do is to go to http://www.wwuh.org and click on
Webcast to listen. The show will air this Sunday, April 9th from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Eastern time."

And here is the family's statement about the funeral services and memorial donations.

"We would like to thank family, friends and fans all across the world for their overwhelming support. Gene's greatest joy was seeing the happiness his music brought to the lives of those around him. He will be greatly missed but will live on through his songs. Listen to them and remember.

"If you would care to, in lieu of flowers, please make a memorial donation on Gene's behalf to either of the following:

Connecticut Public Broadcasting
1049 Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105
(860) 278-5310
http://www.cptv.org/

Humane Society of the United States
1-866-693-7436
http://www.hsus.org/

Services will be held as follows:

Wake:
Tuesday, April 11th, 4 - 9 pm
Somers Funeral Home
354 Main Street
Somers, CT
(860) 749-8413

Funeral:
Wednesday, April 12th, 11 am
All Saints Catholic Church
School Street
Somersville, CT
(860) 749-8625

The family has requested that the burial service be private.

Dave and Guida"

April 8, 2006

Some good information here on the late, great Mr. Pitney.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Pitney