Gene's Amazing Generosity

As I have already mentioned, Gene always had time for his fans - if anyone has ever been to one his concerts - you’ll know what I mean. His concerts are like a private party for friends - there is such a rapport between Gene and the audience. Some fans will travel from town to town, trying to attend as many of his concerts as possible. There is a genuine admiration and respect for Gene, and as I got to know him, I could understand why.

I never could understand why celebs stayed at Stratters, it was large and ideally located on Oxford Street, but hardly the last word in luxury. Gene was a millionaire and could afford to stay at the best hotels and yet he chose Stratters, and for the most part, even stayed in the smallest room - the one we kept in reserve for staff who had to stay overnight. Gene had a permanent booking at Stratters, and no matter how busy London might be - there were occasions when every hotel in London would be filled to the rafters, but there would always be a room for Gene at Stratters - even if it was the smallest lol! Eventually I discovered that Stratters had a contract with The Frankly Boyd Agency, a show biz Agency that made all the arrangement for visiting celebs. So it wasn’t really a case of any of them choosing to stay at Stratters, they were booked in there by the Agency, of course they could leave if they didn’t like it - but Gene just happened to like staying here. He was basically just an ordinary guy - so an ordinary hotel just suited him fine.

Amongst the other celebs who stayed at Stratters were film star Dean Stockwell - nice but slightly weird lol! American pop singer Johnny Thunder - lovely guy, The Rolling Stones - more of them later >:( grrrrr. As already mentioned - the gorgeously yummy Richard Beymer, Freddy Cannon - American pop star and Wes Farrell - song writer, Wes was a great looking guy and really nice, Freddie was a loud mouthed big head - the absolute antithesis to Gene, Little Richard - lovely well-mannered guy. Johnny Burnette - American pop singer, David Whitfield- famous UK singer of the 50's, Ketty Lester (her classic hit ‘Lover Letters Straight From the Heart’ always a great favourite of mine), Big Dee Irwin, Del Shannon. And when I first went to work at Stratters - almost all the contestants for the Eurovision Song Contest, which was being held in GB that year. There would be a constant stream of others popping in to see whichever celeb was staying at Stratters. Craig told me that he?d popped in to see Freddie Cannon in the early hours of the morning (best time to miss me Craig lol!) And apparently Mike Hurst DID pop in to see Gene, but not whilst I was on duty - we never did meet up again.

What could have been the ground floor frontage on Oxford Street to Stratters, was, in fact, taken up by Dolcis shoe shop, the entrance to the hotel was down a narrow side street, so I often wondered how the fans ever found it, or indeed, how they found out that Gene was in town, as he often came privately on business. But no sooner was he in town than fans would gather outside the hotel, hoping to catch him as he came and went. On one occasion, three young fans turned up one weekend, but Gene was away for the day, the fans came and went throughout the day, as no one could be sure when he would be back. When the weather turned bad, Mitch, the Head Porter, invited them to sit in the hotel, but as soon as it cleared up, they were shoo-ed out again. Gene finally arrived back at midnight, and the fans were still there! I?d left a note for Gene telling him about them and asking if he would leave signed photos that I could pass on, assuming they would be back the next day. The nightporter told Gene that the fans had been waiting for him all day, so Gene had them put up in the hotel for the night - at his own expense, and made sure they had everything they needed.

I heard all about this when I came in to work the next morning. Gene came to see me later and told me that he had arranged for the three to see his concert that evening, and would I ?chaperone? them. I was delighted to do this, I was touched by how overwhelmed the three fans were by it all and was pleased to act as ?mother? lol!

We travelled by coach down to the theatre and went back stage to see Gene in his dressing room. The fans were taken to seats right in front of the stage and I watched the show from the wings, where I was also able to keep an eye on them. It was the first Gene Pitney Concert I had been to, and it was quite a revelation. In between singing, Gene would sit on a high stool in the middle of the stage and read out letters he?d been sent by the fans, there would be squeaks of joy as the name of someone in the audience was mentioned. He?d ask them to identify themselves, then he?d speak directly to that person. There?d be a question and answer session and he?d also sing requests. Gene genuinely held his fans in great regard.

During the interval we all chatted in Gene?s dressing room, and the three fans came round to see him after the show. Then we all caught the coach back to London, the thee fans clutching large signed photographs of Gene, and taking home wonderful memories of their favourite pop star. A Star indeed, Gene. Mwah!

http://www.gene-pitney.com/music.html