ROCKVILLE--A hometown hero was honored Tuesday night for his contributions to Connecticut.
Gene Pitney, a 1960s singer-songwriter known for having 16 Top 40 hits, with four making it into the top 10, was born and raised in Rockville.
On Tuesday, a granite bench was dedicated in his memory at Fox Hill, overlooking the crooner's hometown.
Pitney died in 2006 at the age of 66, but is still beloved. His wife Lynne, former bandmates and local fans all turned out to honor him.
"He was never down. He was always up. Full of energy. And that's what kept our little band going," said guitarist Robert Terry.
Drummer Dick Spurling added, "I was proud to be a part of his band. Very, very proud. We had a lot of happy memories. This town was very fortunate to have him."
