Singer Gene Pitney Found Dead On Tour

Singer/songwriter Gene Pitney has been found dead in his hotel room at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, Wales. His death came mere hours after having played a show at Cardiff's St. David's Hall.

Pitney's body was discovered by his manager at around 10:00am this morning. According to the Daily Mail, a spokesperson for the South Wales Police said " We've had a report of a death. It is not believed to be suspicious. We had the call just before 10.10am. The body, which has not been formally identified yet, was found at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff."

Gene Pitney had recently played at St. David's Hall and had received a standing ovation for his efforts. Pitney had no health concerns or ailments leading up to us his death, and was scheduled to play a gig in Bristol, England. Of the show in Cardiff, Mark Howes of In Touch Music, Pitney's management company, said "He did a good show last night … it was wonderful. I've seen him quite a few times on this tour and he was fit and well," according to People.

The cause of death was not immediately known. CNN reports that "'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, according to The Associated Press. '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.'"

Pitney was quoted by Daily Mail, in an interview at Christmas time, speaking about the grueling schedule for his 23-date UK tour, saying "I take care of myself. I can finish up the tour no problem whatsoever. I love doing what I'm doing - to pick and choose where I want to go and what I want to do."

Gene Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on February 17th, 1941. Pitney started out in the music industry by writing songs for other bands. "He's a Rebel" by The Crystals, "Today's Teardrops" by Ray Orbison, "Blue Angel" and "Rubber Ball" by Bobby Vee, and "Hello Mary Lou" by Ricky Nelson were all Gene Pitney songs. Pitney would later collaborate with other songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David to come with his songs "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away" and "Town Without Pity". "Town Without Pity" went on to win a Golden Globe Award for "Best Song in a Motion Picture", and was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song.

Pitney would go on to perform many other great hits. Some he wrote himself, like "It Hurts to Be in Love", "Every Breath I Take", and "I'm Gonna Be Strong", whereas Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote some of his tunes, including "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valens", "Tulsa" and "Only Love Can Break a Heart". As the British Invasion began sweeping America, Gene Pitney couldn't hold out, and, in 1968, put out his last American hit, "She's a Heartbreaker".

Despite his waning popularity in America, Pitney managed to remain popular in Britain for some time. His song, "Mecca" is considered by some to be an introduction into psychadelia, as it uses Indian musical influences. He recorded "Mecca" two years before The Beatles dipped into the Indian musical influence. Phil Spector produced Pitney's version of the Carole King and Gerry Goffin tune "Every Breath I Take", and made it one of his first uses of the Wall of Sound technique he would later perfect. Gene Pitney would also go on to record Mick Jagger and Keith Richard's "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday", and would later attend the "Not Fade Away" recording session, that The Rolling Stones did.

Pitney would re-gain his chart topping success in 1990, when he recorded "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart" with Marc Almond. The song made it to #1 in Britain. In 2002, Pitney was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Gene Pitney is survived by his wife, Lynne, and his three sons, who live in Connecticut.

[Additional Sources: Daily Mail, People, CNN]