Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut on
February 17, 1940. He formed his first band called "Gene & the
Genials." He also made a couple of records as part of a duo called "Jamie
and Jane" with a lady called Ginny Arnell. In 1961, Gene Pitney
released his first solo single, "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away,"
on which he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals,
followed by his first big hit, "Town Without Pity", that same
year. This song won the Golden Globe Award for "Best Song in a
Motion Picture" and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best
Song. Pitney died on April 5, 2006 at the age of 66. He was found dead
by his tour manager in the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, Wales in the middle
of a UK tour. His Final Show at Cardiff's St David's Hall was deemed a
huge success, with a standing ovation. An autopsy confirmed the singer
died of a heart attack. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame.
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