Rock Musician. He received fame as an American singer and songwriter who is best remembered for his memorable 20th-century recordings of such songs as "A Town Without Pity," "Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa," "It Hurts To Be In Love," "I'm Gonna be Strong," and "Only Love Can Break A Heart," which reached #2 on the Billboard charts, the highest of all of his songs. He also recorded "She's A Heartbreaker," "Mecca," "(I Wanna) Love My Love Away," "Half Heaven, Half Heartache," and the gunfighter ballad that reached #4 on the Billboard charts "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." Born Gene Francis Alan Pitney, he started his career using various AKA until 1960. In 1961, using his birth name, he penned and recorded a Top 40 Billboard hit, "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away," and this followed with "A Town Without Pity," which received a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination as the theme of the 1961 film with the same name. In 1989, he hit the UK number one slot with a recording of "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart," a remake of one of his 1960s singles he did with singer Marc Almond. As a songwriter, he wrote "Hello, Mary Lou," sung by Ricky Nelson, "Rubber Ball" sung by Bobby Vee, and "He's a Rebel," sung by the Crystals. While on tour, he suddenly died in his bed in the executive suite at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, Wales, where he had earlier performed a concert. Pitney was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Rock Musician. He received fame as an American singer and songwriter who is best remembered for his memorable 20th-century recordings of such songs as "A Town Without Pity," "Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa," "It Hurts To Be In Love," "I'm Gonna be Strong," and "Only Love Can Break A Heart," which reached #2 on the Billboard charts, the highest of all of his songs. He also recorded "She's A Heartbreaker," "Mecca," "(I Wanna) Love My Love Away," "Half Heaven, Half Heartache," and the gunfighter ballad that reached #4 on the Billboard charts "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." Born Gene Francis Alan Pitney, he started his career using various AKA until 1960. In 1961, using his birth name, he penned and recorded a Top 40 Billboard hit, "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away," and this followed with "A Town Without Pity," which received a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination as the theme of the 1961 film with the same name. In 1989, he hit the UK number one slot with a recording of "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart," a remake of one of his 1960s singles he did with singer Marc Almond. As a songwriter, he wrote "Hello, Mary Lou," sung by Ricky Nelson, "Rubber Ball" sung by Bobby Vee, and "He's a Rebel," sung by the Crystals. While on tour, he suddenly died in his bed in the executive suite at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, Wales, where he had earlier performed a concert. Pitney was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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