Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney | |
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Pitney in 1967 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Billy Bryan |
| Born | Gene Francis Alan Pitney February 17, 1940 Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Origin | Rockville, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | April 5, 2006 (aged 66) Cardiff, Wales |
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| Years active | 1958–2006 |
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Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American pop and country singer, songwriter, and musician.
Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 hit singles, including 11 in the top ten. Among Pitney's most famous hits are "Town Without Pity", "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", "It Hurts to Be in Love", and "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". He also wrote the early-1960s hits "Rubber Ball" recorded by Bobby Vee, "Hello Mary Lou" by Ricky Nelson, and "He's a Rebel" by the Crystals. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.