GENE FRANCIS PITNEY
(FEB 17, 1940 – APRIL 5, 2006)

Within a period of about 5 years from 1961 to 1966 Gene Pitney wrote hits for the Crystals, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, worked with Phil Spector and The Rolling Stones, worked with Country star George Jones, recorded songs written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller,  Carole King and Gerry Goffen, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weill and Randy Newman.  He sang an Oscar nominated song on the Academy Awards, was voted Italy’s #1 recording artist and gave Mick Jagger and Keith Richard’s their first U.S. chart hit.  He built a career on canny musical instincts and a strong tenor voice that was made for melodrama.  His voice could climb to piercing falsetto or drag syllables like a kid pulling a wagon across a gravel road.

He is one of the most under-recognized performers of the 1960’s

PROGRAM CREDITS FOR TITLE PAGE

Created by Richard Hochberg

Original production directed by Richard Hochberg

Original piano/vocal arrangements by Richard Hochberg

Special Thanks

Joe Settineri, Justin Cowden, PJ Griffith, Will Collyer, Janet Rosten, Victoria Morris, David Grapes.

You must also place a complete Town Without Pity song list with the proper authors credited in each program.

Please include the biographies of the show's two creators in all programs/playbills.