Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer.Pitney charted 16 top 40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top 40 hits, and 11 singles in the top ten. Among his most famous hits are "Town Without Pity", "(The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance", "Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa", "I'm Gonna Be Strong", and "It Hurts To Be In Love". He also wrote the early 1960s hits "Rubber Ball" recorded by Bobby Vee, "Hello Mary Lou" by Rick Nelson, and "He's a Rebel" by the Crystals. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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