Gene Pitney was a musician’s musician. Having begun his career as a songwriter, he was not content merely being the faceless pen behind his peers’ success, becoming a singing star in his own right. He did this during a time when America’s shores were being invaded by a wave of British talent led by The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Pitney turned the tables by finding success in the UK and went on to enjoy a 45- year career. 1962 was Pitney’s breakout year in the US. He shot to Number 4 in April with the Burt Bacharach and Hal Davidpenned hit (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance, intended as the theme for the John Wayne flick of the same name. He followed that up with his highest-charting US single, Only Love Can Break A Heart. It would go on to be covered by numerous artists, Dionne Warwick attempting her own version in the late Seventies. He left behind a four-decade career that saw him notch up 16 US Top 40 singles and 22 in the UK. His legacy is also evident in the hits of others, like Orbison, Bobby Vee and Ricky Nelson. This collection showcases the best of Pitney’s early work, and gives an insight into one of America’s most gifted musicians, a man who found his own voice.
