Singer Gene Pitney found dead in hotel

[alicia-w]

Gene Pitney found dead in hotel

LONDON, England -- Singer Gene Pitney has died in the middle of his UK tour, his agent said.

The 65-year-old American star was found dead just after 10 a.m. Wednesday (0500 ET) at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, Wales.

Jene Levy told Reuters Pitney had died on Wednesday morning in the Welsh capital.

There was no immediate word on the cause of death. Friends said he was in apparent good health and his death came as a shock.

South Wales police said they had been called to a hotel at 9.50 a.m. on Wednesday morning and that the death was not being treated as suspicious.

His 40-year career included the massive hit "Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa" in 1963, his most famous song.

His last U.S. hit was "She's a Heartbreaker" in 1968.

Pitney was found in his bed by his tour manager, Mark Hawes of In Touch Music told the BBC.

"He did a good show last night at St. David's Hall and it was wonderful," he said.

"I've seen him quite a few times on this tour and he was fit and well. He said it was the best tour he had done for quite a few years."

Pitney rose to fame in the 1960s and was introduced to a new generation of fans in 1989 when he duetted with Marc Almond on "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart," the UK's Press Association reported.

The single gave Pitney his first UK number one -- 22 years after its first release, PA added.

He had 11 top 10 hits in the UK including "That Girl Belongs To Yesterday" and "Looking Thru The Eyes of Love."

His songs have been recorded by some of the world's biggest stars -- "Hello Mary Lou" was released by Ricky Nelson, "Today's Teardrops" by Roy Orbison, and "Rubber Ball" by U.S. singer Bobby Vee and British artist Marty Wilde.

He worked with the Rolling Stones and was credited with helping them find fame in the U.S., according to PA.

In 2002 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

A spokeswoman for Cardiff coroner Mary Hassell told PA she had been officially informed of the star's death. The spokeswoman said a post mortem examination will take place to establish whether an inquest will be necessary
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/04/05/uk.pitneydeath/index.html

[TexasStooge]

Oh, dear!!

Rest In Peace, Gene.

[Janice]

Oh, I loved him too. Didn't he sing "Town Without Pity" too?

[alicia-w]

yes, he did.

[alicia-w]

yes, he did. it's on his greatest hits album.

[alan1961]

Yes..a sad day for the music world..he did an interview on the local radio station here a month ago and i remember him saying he used to work out regulary..so its a bit baffling to know why he has died so suddenly..he lived for his love of music and he didn't have to do the touring at all because he made a fortune in real estate and property, but it seems like maybe the stresses of his work caught up with him in the end..long live the Rockville Rocket!