James Pitts - A Band On The Rise! Part 1.
James Pitts Band is a blues-rock power trio based out of Allenstown, New Hampshire and they are doing some amazing things. A band that's been together just over two years and hasn't even recorded their first CD yet. However they've gathered over 6000 likes on Facebook, over 7000 Reverbnation fans, they can be found on the Top Tens - Best Blues Rock Bands - Top Ten List and recently they broke the Top 40 bands on Reverbnation which in itself is a feat considering how many bands are on Reverbnation. In May the band won the 2018 Granite State Blues Challenge and they will be heading to Memphis in January to participate in the International Blues Challenge. The James Pitts Band is fronted by guitarist James Pitts a veteran player who has spent the last 25 years performing throughout the country. Over the years James has been lucky enough to cross paths with some great players who he learned a lot from. James originally a Massachusetts native got his first taste of playing with a live band while sitting in with Big Boy Guitar and The Drive By Bloozin a band fronted by Mighty Sam McClain guitarist Pat Herlehy in the 90's. James recalls "Pat was great he really kind of took me under his wing so to speak and helped me get out there and play". James spent years playing around Mass and New Hampshire in various bands and had made a decent name for himself as a guitarist. In 2000 James and his wife moved to Hutchinson Kansas and remained there for 15 years. Over that time he fronted a popular mid-west band named Brick River for nearly 10 years, Brick River played all over the mid-west, they opened shows for or performed with acts like Pat Travers, Little Milton, Bill Murray, Brian Howe, Odell Reed, Michelle Blackmon, King Midas and many more. Eventually, he spent some time playing guitar for Ray Drew who was Bobby Blue Blands guitarist, he said: " I learned a lot playing with Ray, he was a great mentor to me". While he was living in Kansas he would go on to win the Battle Of The Blues guitar competition in 2013, and he would even be voted best guitarist.
In 2015 James and his family moved to New Hampshire and he immediately jumped back into the local music scene and was doing well until he suffered a severe case of Vertigo that left him unable to perform for nearly a year. In October 2016 he finally felt like he could perform without getting dizzy and put together The James Pitts Band on October 7th by October 30th the band was opening for world renown guitarist Eric Gales. The James Pitts Band continues to climb and is currently waiting to start recording their first CD. The band has some great originals like Misery, Just Fighting These Blues, We're Gonna Boogie, Come To Play The Blues, Hey Baby, Though You're Gone, Dear God, Once Again My love, You Better Run, Never Gonna Find It In Me, Evil, Our Loves Grown Cold and many more. They also have a lot of great covers they perform and they have some great crowd participation tricks and dance songs. Some of their originals have even been called hit songs for the genre by radio DJ's, music critics and even well-known blues artists who have heard the songs performed live. The James Pitts Band is prepping to make some big moves in the near future and everything is pointing towards that, we can't wait to see what the future holds for them.
Below you'll find some quotes about the band from other artists as well as concertgoers who have seen the band live. The most talented group of musicians I have seen in years!! Can't wait to see them again, wish everyone could experience them. -Barbara May (concertgoer) Great guitarist and vocalist. The entire band was awesome! -Peter Perry (concertgoer) Great band & always a good time! Looking forward to seeing them play again soon! So enjoyable to listen too - they do an amazing job! -Tara Brousseau (concert goer) Awesome group...very talented musicians. Should check them out if you haven’t already. -Lorraine Cordosi (concert Goer) I've seen the James Pitts Band a couple times and I am blown away every time. These guys are amazing. -Francis Simon (Live Music Reviewer) "Everybody who Knows this band loves this band. Everybody who Discovers this band, goes out to see them. This ain't no flash. This is a lot of high octane talent"! - Billy Copeland (Bill Copeland Music News) "James is an excellent guitarist, that knows a little bit of something about tone" -Eric Gales (World Renown Blues Guitar Phenom) "James is one of the finest guitarists I ever worked with. He's an incredible player" -Ray Drew (Former Bobby Blue Bland Guitarist) I got to jam with my old pal James Pitts who just moved back to New England from Kansas. Got Dang can that boy pick. Look out N'England.... James bout to rip shit up. -Pat Herlehy (Mighty Sam McClain Guitarist/Sax Player and Big Boy Guitar Front Man) You can find the James Pitts Band online at: MoGuitar site JamesPittsBand.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jamespittsbandnh/ Reverbnation https://www.reverbnation.com/jamespittsband Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thejamespittsband/ Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvs6DQam3JhHIFQKikyojvA If you get the chance to see the James Pitts Band I highly recommend checking them out.
