Gene Pitney

Gene Pitney was born on 17 February in 1941.  As well as the songs he is well known for, like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1964) Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa (1964), he was also a songwriter.  He wrote “He’s a Rebel” by the Crystals.  So he was unusual in both being successful singing songs written by others and as a songwriter for other people.  He actually charted higher in the UK than in the US.

He grew up in Vernon, Connecticut.  He was interested in electronics which later on helped him to create a very distinctive sound.  He was also a certified taxidermist which is a bit odd.