j.m@talk
04-05-2006, 04:17 PM
Gene Pitney found dead in hotel
12:00pm 5th April 2006
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 10am at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff.
His 40-year career included the hits Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa and Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart.
A spokesman for South Wales Police said: "We've had a report of a death. It is not believed to be suspicious. We had the call just before 10.10am. The body, which has not been formally identified yet, was found at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff."
Pitney played St David's Hall in Cardiff on Tuesday night and was due to perform in Bristol on Wednesday night.
In an interview at Christmas he spoke of his excitement at taking his show around the UK on a 23-date tour which was due to end later this month.
He denied it was a gruelling schedule, saying: "I take care of myself. I can finish up the tour no problem whatsoever. I love doing what I'm doing - to pick and choose where I want to go and what I want to do."
Mark Howes, of Pitney's management company In Touch Music, said the singer was found dead in his bed by his tour manager.
Pitney rose to fame in the Sixties 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 single gave Pitney his first UK number one - 22 years after its first release.
He had 11 top 10 hits in this country including That Girl Belongs To Yesterday and Looking Thru The Eyes of Love.
12:00pm 5th April 2006
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 10am at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff.
His 40-year career included the hits Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa and Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart.
A spokesman for South Wales Police said: "We've had a report of a death. It is not believed to be suspicious. We had the call just before 10.10am. The body, which has not been formally identified yet, was found at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff."
Pitney played St David's Hall in Cardiff on Tuesday night and was due to perform in Bristol on Wednesday night.
In an interview at Christmas he spoke of his excitement at taking his show around the UK on a 23-date tour which was due to end later this month.
He denied it was a gruelling schedule, saying: "I take care of myself. I can finish up the tour no problem whatsoever. I love doing what I'm doing - to pick and choose where I want to go and what I want to do."
Mark Howes, of Pitney's management company In Touch Music, said the singer was found dead in his bed by his tour manager.
Pitney rose to fame in the Sixties 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 single gave Pitney his first UK number one - 22 years after its first release.
He had 11 top 10 hits in this country including That Girl Belongs To Yesterday and Looking Thru The Eyes of Love.