GENE PITNEY

I was sad to read that Gene Pitney died on April 5 while on tour in Wales. He was one of my favorite singers from the sixties, and one of those performers like Roy Orbison and Bill Haley who seemed to hit it much bigger in the UK than in the states.

Mr. Pitney died in his sleep after having performed a fantastic concert earlier in the evening....what a way to go! My favorite song of his was "Backstage", followed closely by "It Hurts to Be in Love", "I'm Gonna Be Strong" and "I Must Be Seeing Things". He also wrote for others, penning "Rubber Ball" for Bobby Vee, "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson, and "He's A Rebel" for the Crystals. Everything I've read indicates that not only was he a gifted performer, but also a nice guy. I'm sorry I never had the chance to see him perform in person.