Gene Pitney

Gene Pitney was born in 1940 of Polish origin, and grew up in the Connecticut town of Rockville. While at school there he formed a beat group, and then went to college to study electronics. He began writing songs, and by the beginning of the 60s was having so much success with them that he left college to concentrate on music. By the time he was 20 years old, Pitney had two hits on his hands - Town Without Pity and (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance. Over the next five years he was seldom absent from the charts, either in America or Britain, where he had ten Top 10 hits.

As a songwriter Pitney had provided others with ideal material: Ricky Nelson made the Top 10 with Hello Mary Lou and He's A Rebel would carry The Crystals to number one.

New singles found their way into the UK chart until well into the 70s, although the continued success of his stage-act hinged on his rendition of such memory-joggers as Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa and I'm Gonna Be Strong.