GENE PITNEY is a talented guy. Not only is he a musician of rare versatility and a singer of great range and perception, he is a supreme professional at his chosen craft of entertaining. In addition, GENE is also a prolific songwriter with a string of million-selling international hits to his credit.
Since first breaking through to outstanding acclaim at the same time the BEATLES were beginning to make waves internationally, GENE PITNEY has continued to travel the world delighting audiences year after year.
GENE PITNEY'S unique voice and presentation has ensured that songs like TWENTY FOUR HOURS FROM TULSA, TOWN WITHOUT PITY, I'M GONNA BE STRONG, and LOOKIN' THROUGH THE EYES OF LOVE still sound fresh, vibrant, and relevant in the new millennium. In a career spanning thirty years, during which he has worked with artists ranging from THE ROLLING STONES to BURT BACHARACH and PHIL SPECTOR, GENE PITNEY has maintained an appeal which has encompassed every spectrum of the record-buying public. In 1990, he found success in an entirely new contemporary market with his worldwide number one duet, SOMETHING'S GOTTEN HOLD OF MY HEART. Surprisingly, the single gave GENE his first number one hit in the UK (his 1967 original version of SOMETHING'S... only hit number five on the British charts). The duo of GENE PITNEY, dressed in an immaculate white tuxedo, and MARC ALMOND, in black leather, was tagged as "The Odd Couple," which may have made for a perfect combination to help create one of the biggest-selling single records of 1990.
Although the single gave GENE his first hit in several years, he has always maintained an active touring profile performing six months a year with sold-out tours throughout the world. GENE enjoys a loyal, diverse fan base with an audience ranging from 5 to 105 years old.
The success of SOMETHING'S GOTTEN HOLD OF MY HEART resulted in a massive demand from the contemporary market for GENE'S sixties hits. At the same time, older fans wanted new recordings; a pleasant dilemma now being solved with GENE returning to the studio which he built in his home in CONNECTICUT. Born on February 17, 1941, and raised in the small New England village of ROCKVILLE, CT, GENE initially did not have any real ambitions to be a singer. He was more at home collecting stamps and coins, trapping mink and muskrat, and experimenting with electronics. However, he played in his own local band called "GENE PITNEY & THE GENIALS." At this point, he began to compose songs, gleaning inspiration from the beautiful countryside of New England. An excellent student, GENE attended WARDS ELECTRONICS SCHOOL where he began his study of electronic engineering. Music would stop the electronics career but not before GENE would gain an insight into how the technical side of a recording studio worked.
GENE'S spare time was devoted to music, but when his songwriting began interfering with his electronics theory classes, he soon realized that music was taking over his life. In 1959, he began singing with a young girl named GINNY ARNELL and, shortly afterwards, made his first single recording entitled CLASSICAL ROCK & ROLL. On the B-side was a duet called STROLLIN' THROUGH THE PARK. Says GENE, "We called ourselves 'JAMIE AND JANE.' I knew, however, that I didn't want a professional career in music with only a first name or as half of a duet, so I moved on to record CRADLE OF MY ARMS the following year under the name of 'BILLY BRYAN.' In fact, the record company wanted to call me 'HOMER MUZZY.' Well, that was it. I wasn't going to go through life with a name like that! I decided it was time to start using my real name, GENE PITNEY!"
GENE'S first success came when the KALIN TWINS recorded his song, LONELINESS. "From that point," GENE says, "I decided to concentrate on writing songs instead of singing them." It was exactly the right move for GENE to make at that point in his career; his songs were recorded by some of the biggest stars of the time. STEVE LAWRENCE recorded TEARS FROM HEAVEN, TOMMY EDWARDS covered BLUE HEARTACHES, and BILLY BLAND cut HARMONY. In 1960, ROY ORBISON released TODAY'S TEARDROPS as the B-side to his million-selling single, BLUE ANGEL, and RUBBER BALL became a worldwide hit for US artist BOBBY VEE and UK artist MARTY WILDE. They each went on to become MILLION-SELLERS!
Now in heavy demand as a songwriter, GENE soon realized that he could sing his own songs just as well or better than the artists who were recording them. In a small four-track studio on 7th avenue in New York, he made a demo of a self-penned song titled I WANNA LOVE MY LIFE AWAY for about THIRTY DOLLARS. Although it was created on a shoestring budget, the record had a very big sound. GENE experimented with multi-tracked vocals and overdubbing, used his electronics experience to create a mini-masterpiece in record production, and revolutionized recording techniques in the process. GENE sang seven vocals on the recording and played PIANO, GUITAR, and DRUMS to keep the session costs down! The thirty-dollar demo was released as a single and reached Number 39 in the US charts and hit Number 26 in Britain. Says GENE, "I had just turned 20 and suddenly I was doing every television show, radio show, and record hop they could book me into. When the hits started coming, I was recording and touring almost simultaneously." At the same time, GENE'S composition of HELLO MARY LOU, released by RICK NELSON, became a Top Five hit and sold two million copies in America and Europe. HELLO MARY LOU received a second BMI MILLIONAIRE AWARD in 1997 because it had been performed over TWO MILLION TIMES in the US market.
GENE scored his second hit with EVERY BREATH I TAKE, which was produced by PHIL SPECTOR. His first American Top 20 hit and million-selling single was the title song from a movie of the same name: TOWN WITHOUT PITY. The song won the GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD for "Best Song in a Motion Picture" and was nominated for an OSCAR. GENE performed TOWN WITHOUT PITY at the Academy Awards in Hollywood. He was the first pop artist invited to perform at the Academy Awards! It was an important performance for GENE because it firmly established his name throughout America. "The film was initially a box office disaster," GENE says, "but after the success of the record, the film was re-released and became a huge hit. That's the kind of power records had in those days." Another movie theme, THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, gave him an immediate follow-up hit, reaching Number 4 in the US charts to register his second GOLD DISC. To this day, it is one of GENE'S most requested songs in concert performances.
Gene's career began to skyrocket. One song after the next reached the top of the charts: ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK A HEART (his third million seller), IF I DIDN'T HAVE A DIME (which was the B-side of ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK A HEART and made the US Top 100 on it's own merits), HALF HEAVEN, HALF HEARTACHE, MECCA, TRUE LOVE NEVER RUNS SMOOTH, and IT HURTS TO BE IN LOVE.
GENE and PHIL SPECTOR consolidated their mutual admiration for each other's work in the summer of 1962 when SPECTOR'S group, "THE CRYSTALS," recorded the GENE PITNEY song, HE'S A REBEL. Within weeks of its release, the song stormed its way to the top of the American Hit Parade, sold a million, and actually deprived GENE of making the coveted Number 1 spot himself. At the same time that HE'S A REBEL was at Number 1, Gene's single ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK A HEART sat at Number 2! HE'S A REBEL received a BMI MILLIONAIRE AWARD in 1998 for having surpassed ONE MILLION AIRPLAYS in the US.
In 1963, Pitney had great success throughout the world with his recording of TWENTY FOUR HOURS FROM TULSA. This song was the beachhead from which GENE PITNEY'S fame spread rapidly. Before long, he had established his name worldwide, developing huge followings in Italy, France, Germany, Latin America, Mexico, Japan, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. He maintained a simple but shrewd philosophy: If a record breaks in any particular territory, then go there, show yourself, meet people, and make as big an initial impact as you possibly can. This has paid off time and time again! Today, GENE PITNEY is one of the most traveled artists in international show business, regularly doing concerts, cabaret, and television appearances around the world. He has been faithful to his maxim, and has enhanced his popularity in many countries even further by re-recording many of his English speaking hits in various native tongues.
With TWENTY FOUR HOURS FROM TULSA riding high in the British charts in November of 1963, GENE traveled to England for a promotional tour. While appearing on the THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS PROGRAM, he met the ROLLING STONES (who later provided him with his next single). Although a seemingly unlikely combination, GENE and THE STONES struck up an immediate rapport. MICK JAGGER and the band admired PITNEY's polish and his professionalism. They were also totally fascinated by his tremendous knowledge of recording techniques. GENE liked the group's freshness and gutsy attitude. Pitney's endorsement of the group in America helped them break through to US success shortly afterwards. For their part, MICK JAGGER and KEITH RICHARDS penned GENE's next UK and USA hit record, THAT GIRL BELONGS TO YESTERDAY. This song became the first JAGGER/RICHARDS composition to hit the American Charts.
GENE returned the compliment by playing piano on the Stones' LITTLE BY LITTLE, which made up the flip side of NOT FADE AWAY. With PHIL SPECTOR playing maracas and GENE on piano, they appeared on the group's first Decca album, "THE ROLLING STONES." The track, NOW I'VE GOT A WITNESS, is subtitled "LIKE UNCLE PHIL AND UNCLE GENE." Lying in the vaults are two other Stones songs which have never been released commercially: AND THE ROLLING STONES MET PHIL AND GENE and MR. SPECTOR AND MR. PITNEY CAME, TOO.
The success of THAT GIRL BELONGS TO YESTERDAY confirmed GENE Pitney's worldwide status as a singer. For the next few years he embarked on an extensive series of sold-out international tours, including exhausting coast-to-coast tours of America. For example, his 72-day "DICK CLARK CARAVAN OF STARS" tour covered the US North, South, East, and West - including Hawaii and Canada! The hit singles followed with amazing regularity, reaching the charts not only in America and Europe, but all over the world. The songs were IT HURTS TO BE IN LOVE, I MUST BE SEEING THINGS, I'M GONNA BE STRONG, LOOKIN' THROUGH THE EYES OF LOVE (yet another million seller), PRINCESS IN RAGS, BACKSTAGE, NOBODY NEEDS YOUR LOVE, JUST ONE SMILE, SHE'S A HEARTBREAKER, SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, 24 SYCAMORE, TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY, and BLUE ANGEL.
His albums also made large dents in international Hit Parades, including "JUST FOR YOU," "BLUE GENE," "GENE PITNEY'S BIG 16," and "I'M GONNA BE STRONG." In a unique marketing move, several albums were recorded specifically for individual markets including "GENE ESPAÑOL" and "GENE ITALIANO."
GENE opened a brand new market by recording a number of country and western albums, including "GENE PITNEY WITH GEORGE JONES," "IT'S COUNTRY TIME AGAIN," "GENE PITNEY & MELBA MONTGOMERY," and "FAMOUS COUNTRY DUETS." GENE had the privilege of performing at the legendary Grand Ole Opry in Nashville with some of country's greats, including Eddie Arnold, Buck Owens, Roy Clark, and Connie Smith. Says GENE, "I like things to keep changing. I've seen too many artists left out in the cold because they relied on the same old sounds and same old type of songs." At one time, as if to prove his point, he scored simultaneous hits in Europe, Britain, and on the American Pop and Country charts with four completely different songs.
Other highlights included multiple appearances at the celebrated San Remo Song Festival in Italy. Twice GENE received second place awards - the highest position awarded to a non-Italian artist in the history of the festival - with the songs QUANDO VE DRAI LA MIA RAGAZZA and NESSUNO MI PUO GIUDICARE. NESSUNO went on to become a giant European hit and also entered the American charts in the native language. It sold over one million copies. The same year, GENE appeared at the Royal Variety Show in London and was presented to the Queen Mother. Several shows followed for such royals as Princess Alexandra, Princess Margaret, and the Duchess of Kent.
In 1970, after spending nearly a decade on the road (eleven months of every year), GENE decided to drastically cut back on his touring commitments. "I had a family at home, two boys starting to grow up, and I was getting a guilt complex about not being there with them. So I decided to make a six-month commitment to touring and spend the rest of the time at home with the family." He decided to quit the long tours of the US and, without meaning to, increasingly found himself in countries other than America due to his love of exotic travel. "There is nothing more exciting to me than to get on that airplane and know I'm going to get off in a totally different country, in a different part of the world." His annual tours of Britain, Europe, and Australia became a way of life. With every tour proving a sellout, the plan was an outstanding success.
In 1983, when an agent gently twisted the PITNEY arm, GENE embarked on his first North American Tour in over a dozen years. It became a huge personal triumph. GENE PITNEY was back "with a vengeance" even though he'd never been away. He still keeps up a relentless touring commitment which is a tribute to his professionalism. In fact, his voice is now stronger than ever before. GENE puts total commitment and energy into his emotion-charged live performances and always comes off stage completely drained. GENE stays fit by working out in his home gym, with an upper body and cardiovascular program involving weights and Nordictrack. The schedule was devised to keep him ready for the road. A necessity when touring is that every hotel must have a gym and swimming pool.
In the last few years, many exciting things have happened to GENE in both the studio and performance. In 1993, GENE played the prestigious CARNEGIE HALL in New York City the day THE WORLD TRADE CENTER was bombed. Gene Says, "New Yorkers, being New Yorkers, still gave us a sold-out show. No one stayed away!" The tour of the UK in the same year completely sold out, closing at the beautiful LONDON PALLADIUM. The following year, GENE saw tours in the UK and Australia, the latter closing at the BURSEWOOD CASINO in PERTH. In 1995, GENE worked the crowds at THE TAJ MAHAL in ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, and did a two-part, 46-day tour in the UK in May/June and Oct/Nov. During 1996, GENE performed at the UNIVERSAL AMPHITHEATER in Los Angeles and then moved onto a twenty-city concert tour of AUSTRALIA, followed by a quick trip to Catania, Italy. AND THEN HE RESTED!
1997 was another busy year with shows in LAS VEGAS, ATLANTIC CITY, FOXWOODS RESORT, ST. LOUIS, KANSAS CITY, BOSTON, THE NEW YORK STATE FAIR, and another twenty-city concert tour of AUSTRALIA, finishing at the new MELBOURNE CASINO.
1998 started again at THE FOXWOODS RESORT, followed by shows in LAUGHLIN, NV, MILWAUKEE SUMMERFEST, JONES BEACH LONG ISLAND, and DOLLYWOOD, TENNESSEE. In May, GENE performed songs in both English and Italian on the prestigious television show, "Ci Vediamo in Televisione," in MILAN. 1999 saw another sellout tour of AUSTRALIA and ended with a twenty-four-city concert tour of ENGLAND, finishing at the beautiful LONDON PALLADIUM.
The year 2000 was a milestone for GENE with the PBS VIDEO RECORDING of the live concert at the FOXWOODS RESORT. The first airing of the concert was in GENE'S home state of CT and the pledge night was a huge success. This was followed by airings in BUFFALO, PITTSBURG, AKRON, and INDIANA. The national exposure to the concert was in December of 2001 on the PBS Network. All the mixing and audio work on the concert were done at GENE'S Recording studio by son TODD using the fantastic PRO TOOLS system. 2003 saw the release of the two CD set of the BRONZE/PITFIELD SONGS which include 24 titles including BLUE ANGEL, KILLING ME SOFTLY, IT'S A HEARTACHE, TRAIN OF THOUGHT, AND SKYLINE PIGEON. It can be found on Sanctuary Records.
