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Roger Allen Pitts

What People Say . . .

"Pitts played the guitar with expertise equal or greater to the greats of our day, and his skill as a pianist and keyboardist kept everyone intrigued throughout the concert"
- The Sillsbee Bee, Sillsbee, Texas
"Class and dignity-one of the better programs I have seen in the last ten years."
Jeff Travis, principal Jewell KS Jr./Sr. High School
"In Roger’s case, I think he has hit on a spectacular way of keeping the art of music alive and exciting. He is doing something that too many of us won’t do – embraced change. He shows complete respect for the “traditional” methods, but has added technology - the necessary component to keeping today’s youth engaged."
- The Daily Union, Junction City KS
"Roger plays classical music with symphony musicians, jazz with jazz musicians, blues with blues players, and makes its all look easy."
Norm Castle, Studio owner/engineer
"You said he plays guitar, . . . you didn't tell me he sold his soul to the devil to become a guitar virtuoso!"
Anonymous, overheard at a sound check
Biography
While growing up in Kansas City, Roger was originally a self-taught guitarist playing mainly by ear. He was accepted and graduated from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri with a degree in music composition and guitar studies. Roger studied guitar with the amazing Douglas Niedt and was promoted through the program quickly, actually being asked to skip ahead a semester. Years after graduation, Roger went back to pick up the guitar portion of a master’s degree.
While at the Conservatory, he was also studying jazz piano and arranging with John Elliot, legendary pianist and educator (Pat Metheny, Bobby Watson, Steve Cardenas, etc.) and playing piano in jazz ensembles.
Since then, Roger’s been a guest composer as part of “The Conservatory Presents” program, selected to be a Kennedy Center Teaching Artist, has won a fellowship award from and was a touring artist with the Kansas Arts Commission and Mid America Arts Alliance with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, has done award-winning soundtracks for video and television and has multiple guitar and keyboard endorsements. He tours as part of the KS State Touring roster and has a touring region through the Midwest.
Roger has appeared on numerous recordings, but also has two solo albums, "Seven Wonders" and "Waiting for the Sun". He has had endorsements with 5 guitar companies (Dean, Parker Fly, Alvarez, Schecter, and currently is with Ibanez Guitars), as well as Korg Keyboards. When not performing or recording tracks for Nashville producers from his home studio in Kansas City, he teaches guitar and piano online for students literally coast-to-coast.