Bill Pitman was a guitarist and bassist of the Wrecking crew of Los Angeles session musicians. He died at the age102.
The New York TimesConfirmedPitman, who was a musician and actor, died at home in La Quinta California on Thursday. The cause of Pitman’s death was not revealed. However, he suffered a broken spine from a fall. He spent the last month of life recovering.
Pitman, a member the elite Wrecking crew, was used on albums by Nancy Sinatra and James Brown. Pitman was the drummer for the Beach Boys. Today! Summer Days (And Summer Nights!));for Pet Sounds,Pitman contributed the acoustic guitar on that classic LP’s opener “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.”
The Wrecking Crew also helped producer Phil Spector bring his Wall of Sound to life, with Pitman playing on A Christmas Gift to You From Phil Spector. Since the Wrecking Crew worked largely anonymously and interchangeably in the Sixties, it’s difficult to pinpoint which session musician contributed to what song. However, Pitman is credited with playing the ukulele on B.J. Thomas’ Oscar-winning 1969 single “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.”
In 2009, Pitman appeared in a documentary about the Wrecking Crew. “During one year, Pitman logged an astonishing 425 recording sessions, many of which resulted in multiple sides,” a Facebook page connected to the film stated in 2016. “Despite his contributions to chart-topping records by the Mamas & the Papas, the Everly Brothers, and Jan & Dean, Pitman found the rock music he was asked to play unmemorable; expressing genuine surprise when some of the tunes became wildly successful. Producers jokingly claimed that if Pitman thought a record was terrible, then they probably had a hit on their hands.”
Following his tenure in the Wrecking Crew, Pitman remained an in-demand session musician, working extensively on scoresFor film and television. According to the New York Times, Pitman’s work — both as a musician and composer — could be heard on TV series like Green Acres, Star TrekThe Sonny and Cher Comedy HourAs well as in movies such as Ridgemont High: Fast Times, Dirty Dancing Goodfellas.