The Wrecking Crew guitarist Invoice Pitman has died, aged 102
Invoice Pitman, a famend guitarist and member of iconic collective The Wrecking Crew, has died on the age of 102.
As reported by The New York Instances, Pitman died on Thursday August 11 at his dwelling in La Quinta, California. No reason for loss of life has been revealed, nonetheless the guitarist and bassist reportedly spent the final month of his life recovering from an accident that left him with a fractured backbone.
Born on February 12, 1920, Pitman was raised in a musical family, as his father labored as a employees bassist for programming at NBC. His journey with music started at age 5 and thru highschool, making common treks from New Jersey to Manhattan as an admirer of the native jazz scene. He started enjoying in jazz golf equipment round LA in 1951 (at age 31) and his profession catapulted after scoring a daily gig in Peggy Lee‘s backing band.
He went on to carry out recurrently for The Rusty Draper Present, a radio gig that he caught with for 3 years earlier than being poached for session work by artists like Al Hendrickson, Howard Roberts, Buddy Wealthy and Crimson Callender. His intro to rock’n’roll got here on the hand of Phil Spector, who, after an opportunity assembly with Pitman, recruited him into his cohort of big-name session gamers.
Although unnamed on the time, this cohort – which featured a fluctuating roster of members all primarily based in LA – would go on to be dubbed by member Hal Blaine as The Wrecking Crew. Their first hit was Spector’s 1958 single ‘To Know Him Is To Love Him’, which led to Pitman being invited to all of Spector’s future recording classes.
As a member of The Wrecking Crew, Pitman carried out on albums by the likes of The Byrds, Nancy Sinatra, James Brown, The Monkees and lots of others.
A few of his most revered contributions embody work on The Seaside Boys‘ ‘Good Vibrations’, Bob Dylan‘s ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, The Ronettes‘ ‘Be My Child’, Frank Sinatra‘s ‘Strangers In The Night time’ and Barbra Streisand‘s ‘The Manner We Had been’.
Pitman’s most recognisable work is alleged to be the acoustic guitar enjoying on ‘Wouldn’t It Be Good’, the opening monitor to The Seaside Boys’ 1966 album ‘Pet Sounds’. Along with his fellow Californians, Pitman additionally carried out on ‘The Seaside Boys Right now!’ and ‘Summer season Days (And Summer season Nights!!)’, each launched in 1965.
Elsewhere, Pitman labored on a litany of movie and TV soundtracks. His earliest contribution to cinema could be heard in Elvis Presley‘s 1961 movie Blue Hawaii, whereas later accomplishments embody scores for M*A*S*H (1970), Quick Instances At Ridgemont Excessive (1982), Soiled Dancing (1987) and Goodfellas (1990).
The Wrecking Crew’s success was celebrated within the 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew! – this was directed by Denny Tedesco, son of fellow Wrecking Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco.
On the official Fb web page for the movie, Tedsco shared a tribute to Pitman. “He was my dad’s buddy who performed guitar and golf with him,” he wrote. “It wasn’t till I obtained older did I perceive the affect that he made. Invoice may very well be heard from ‘Mr. Tamborine Man’ to ‘Good Vibrations’… He was an incredible man.”
The tribute was shared alongside a five-minute interview with Pitman that featured in The Wrecking Crew!, filmed when he was 82 years previous – watch it under:
Passing of Legendary Wrecking Crew member, Bill Pitman
We have misplaced one other buddy of ours final evening. Invoice Pitman has handed away. He was 102. Born on February 12, 1920Growing up, as a bit of child, I at all times knew who Invoice Pitman was. He was my dad’s buddy who performed guitar and golf with him. It wasn’t till I obtained older did I perceive the affect that he made. Invoice may very well be heard from Mr. Tamborine Man to Good Vibrations. A whole lot and a whole lot of Movie and tv. He grew to become the primary name with the Danelectro guitar for a few years. The interview I did with Invoice for the WC Film, he was 82 years younger. He was an incredible man. Greatest to his spouse Jan and his kids. Jr. Salt, we’ll miss you. Say hiya to Sr.
Posted by The Wrecking Crew on Friday, August 12, 2022
Pitman is survived by his spouse Jan and their kids.
Further reporting by Ellie Robinson.