PITNEY IN HEAVEN OUR HEARTACHE
The world is always a lonelier place when one of the GREATS dies. Today we lost Gene Pitney.
As I'm reading the BBC news of his death I'm listening to the songs of THE FABULOUS GENE PITNEY on my oldie-but-goodie record player. His death is "half heaven, half heartache" - heaven for him; heartache for us.
"Let his music be strong enough to take away the heartache
and make our lives a heaven on earth."
watch/listen Half Heaven, Half Heartache, Gene Pitney
The wheels of my old heart are turning,
Jackie Jura
watch/listen Only 24 Hours from Tulsa, Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney found dead in UK hotel room (only 24 hours from Bristol). BBC, Apr 5, 2006
Gene 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..."He was a great, unique singer of great, unique songs. Today is a sad day."...Pitney has continually toured over the last 40 years..."He did a good show last night at St David's Hall and it was wonderful...He was fit and well...It was the best tour he had done for quite a few years." He received a glowing review - "non-stop enthusiastic performance" - during what proved to be his final concert in Cardiff...He had nine dates left on his 23-date UK tour and was due to appear at Bristol's Colston Hall on Wednesday.
watch/listen Town Without Pity, Gene Pitney
"Town Without Pity" last song performed (audience gave a standing ovation). The Times, Apr 5, 2006
Pitney’s tour manager James Kelly said the singer was found dead in his room by long-term friend and agent Geoff Clennell. "We don’t have a cause of death at the moment but it looks like it was a very peaceful passing," said Mr Kelly. "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, which is nice."...She described how after he performed his last song - Town Without Pity - the audience gave him a standing ovation, and scores of fans rushed to the front of the stage to shake his hand and ask him to sign autographs. "I couldn’t believe (the news of his death)," she said. "Last night at Cardiff he was so alive. When we came out (of the concert) I said ’My God, he’s really got it all... I’ve seen him six times and I don’t think he’s ever been that enthusiastic’. He just wanted to please - and he did."...The singer was regarded as one of the hardest-working stars in showbusiness. Royalties from his string of hits had made him rich but he continued to perform around the world. "OK, I’m what you’d call a pop millionaire and, for sure, I don’t need to be on the road, at what seems like a million miles from my home in New England, never mind Tulsa," he said..."But when I tell you I enjoy what I’m doing, loving playing to theatre audiences, I am telling you the honest truth."
Jackie Jura
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