Pitney

One of the most interesting and difficult-to-categorize singers in '60s pop, Gene Pitney had a long run of hits distinguished by his pained, one-of-a-kind melodramatic wail. Pitney is sometimes characterized (or dismissed) as a shallow teen idol-type prone to operatic ballads. It's true that some of his biggest hits – "Town Without Pity," "Only Love Can Break a Heart," "I'm Gonna Be Strong," "It Hurts to Be in Love," and "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa" – are archetypes of adolescent or just-post-adolescent agony, characterized by longing and not a little self-pity.

One of the unsung heroes of the rock and roll era, Gene Pitney crossed paths with a wide array of rock royalty while amassing a sizable string of hits. Pitney arrived on the scene in the late Fifties as a gifted songwriter, capable musician and incredible singer. His dramatic tenor, given to piercing climaxes, was among the more remarkable voices of the age. In Australia and New Zealand, Pitney is one the most successful recording artists of all time. Achieving an astonishing 27 Top 40 hits, 12 of which made the Top 10.