Clyde Pitts, Jr.

Visitation: 11am until 2 pm Monday, March 28, 2011 at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Richland with graveside services following in Richland City Cemetery.
Clyde Pitts, Jr.
Richland

Clyde Pitts Jr., 72, died Sat. March 26, 2011 at the Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, MS. Visitation will be held Monday March 28, 2011 from 11am-2pm. at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Richland, MS with graveside services following at Richland City Cemetery.

Clyde Pitts was born in Jackson, MS and has been a music business professional for the past 50 years. He is known by many of the biggest names in country music as a singer, musician, lead guitarist, and song writer. Known specifically as a “song writer”. He has recorded for Columbia, Monument, Challenge, Everest, and other record companies in his career. In 1959, he left Mississippi for California where he lived in Los Angeles and Hollywood. His first professional job was playing lead guitar with Wynn Stewart. There he met and became close friends with steel guitarist, Ralph Mooney. Pitts formed his own band and worked various clubs in Los Angeles. Pitts’ first song recorded on a major label (RCA) was “Almost Alone” performed by Gordon Terry in June of 1960. During the early 1960’s, he had several songs recorded by many artist.

Quite a number of songs were written during the next years by Pitts and his close friend Carl Belew such as “Even the Bad Times are Good”. Other songs written or co-written by Pitts have been hits and in the national charts such as “Sweetheart of The Year” and “Happy Anniversary” performed by Ray Price (a top ten hit in 1969); “Sad Situation” performed by Skeeter Davis and later by Tracy Nelson. He has had songs recorded by Conway Twitty, Charley Pride, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charley Walker, Jody Miller, Eddy Arnold, and Slim Whitman.

Survivors include his wife, Judy Pitts of 31 years; son, Jeffrey Pitts of Richland, MS; two brothers, Jerry (Jan) Pitts of Jackson, MS, and Don (Shay) Pitts of WI, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Cletus Brooks and Mr. & Mrs. Clyde Pitts Sr.

Memorials may be made to the Richland City Cemetery Fund or charity of choice.

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