"Blues transcends any and all racial inequality, it pulls you in to a place where you can identify with the writer and what they might have been going through. Those struggles that we identify with fit any class or race of people. Which is one reason that Blues will never die."

Black Cat Bones: Blues Rock Experiences

Black Cat Bones is a five-piece Blues/Rock Band Formed in 2004, with core members Charles Pitts and Jeff Daniels. Introducing Troublemaker, the latest studio album release from the Tuscon, Arizona-based Rockin' Blues band Black Cat Bones. New album “Troublemaker” (2024) in the band’s fifth studio album and their first since their 2019 release “Tattered and Torn.” The new album offers listeners eleven new original songs. "Troublemaker" was recorded in Tucson, Arizona by producer Billy Yates (The Outlaws) known for his Southern-rock style. Formed in 2004, Black Cat Bones is a Rockin’ blues band that continues to delight audiences with an eclectic mix of classic Rocking Blues standards and original blues-rock compositions, delivered by the soulful vocal stylings' of founding member and lead singer Charles Pitts, who also serves and the band’s prin-cipal songwriter based Rockin’ Blues band Black Cat Bones. Band’s album “Tattered and Torn”, set out to form a band that would stand the test of time and enable them to grow as songwriters and performers. Their debut 'Firecraker' (2006) is a blues/rock live recording of all Original material.                (Photo: Black Cat Bone)

The lineup of members has changed, and the Band has matured as evidenced by the 2013 Release 'Too Far Gone' Which explores other elements like Jazz, and Soul and is a culmination of 6 years of preforming live and writing music along the way. 'Blues For Now' (2015) is the latest offering which features Local musician guests such as Tom Walbank, Connie Brannock, and Tom Fetter. “We set out to form a band that would stand the test of time and enable us to grow as songwriters and performers. Our influences include Blues greats B.B., Wolf, Muddy, and the like. Plus, Blues/Rock kings Johnny Winter, Savoy Brown, and ZZ Top. Our stage experience includes many festivals, club dates, and mid-sized venues in the Southwest region and club dates on the east coast. Our dual lead guitars, soulful vocal stylings, and tight rhythm section make up Black Cat Bones. We are committed to bringing our fans Modern Blues/Rock that is on the cutting edge, for years to come!”

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the Blues and Rock Counterculture influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

Charles: It has made me run the gamut of music I’ve been into in the past. I started being into blues rock when I was in my teens but before I started playing (about the age of 26) I had toyed around with heavy rock and punk rock and what not. This music encompasses a little of everything I love and it has allowed me to travel a band spread the love with people who enjoy it as much as I do.

Jeff: It has influenced my reaction to what goes on more than my views in particular. Blues music in general is an expression of a good feeling, or an outlet for a frustrating one. Playing Music in general opens your horizons and begs you to go beyond your immediate surroundings and share it with as big of an audience as possible. Which is what we've done with the release of "Tattered and Torn".

How did the idea of band Black Cat Bones come about?

Charles: The band came from the remnants of another band called The Wiseguys, which itself was a spinoff from another band called Uncle Big and the Wiseguys which featured a fantastic guitarist by the name of Dave Orr who, sadly is no longer with us. I was a big fan of those guys and Jeff, and I had also been friends since grade school and played together in our little junior high school band. So, we already knew each other. When Dave left the Wiseguys, I came in with some songs that I had written and held the post down for awhile along with a kid named Haz Olvera who was also a real kid wonder on the guitar. I imagine he must be incredible now. But that initial lineup didn't last very long. This was all in the late 90's about 98 or so. A lot of things happened in between, but the decision was made to reform in about late 2003, under a different name. I wish we would have chosen a more original one. So, Jeff and I got a lineup together and between us have been keeping it together ever since. We had both played in different kinds of bands in the past, but decided we wanted to stick with a blues/rock format. I think the other genres have plenty to keep them going.

"Playing Music in general opens your horizons and begs you to go beyond your immediate surroundings and share it with as big of an audience as possible." (Photo: Black Cat Bone, 2022)

How do you describe Black Cat Bones' sound, music philosophy and songbook? What is the story behind band's name?

Charles: It is a combination of blues; heavy rock soul and jazz primarily and generally borrow from those. Of course, there is the nod to sounds in the past, but we try and make that as current as we can. I have to confess I simply stole the name from the U.K. band not aware at the time of how easy it is to look something up on the internet, but it is a type of African charm.

Jeff: We draw our sound from the artists that have inspired us, but try not to trap ourselves inside a box. We're careful to not be cliché when picking cover songs and focus more on a particular groove than just a popular song. Our philosophy is to create songs that connect our music with a feeling, a story or an experience.

How do you want new album (Troublemaker, 2024) to affect people? Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album Troublemaker?

Jeff: I believe people will identify with the songs, as they are written from experiences of the human condition. We all have similar experiences and emotions in life and Troublemaker reflects just that. We recorded Troublemaker in my Home studio in the dead of summer. I live in Tucson AZ so the temps were in the 100’s outside. When we would do a take we would have to shut down the air conditioning and fans in order for the mics to not pick up the sound of the air. Talk about Hot takes!

Charles: The song list is for the most part a collection of our latest songs, although the song 'Junkie' was written quite a few years before it was actually recorded. The sound is the usual combination of heavy rock and blues and soul and jazz but we are always looking for different ways to use it. The album itself was a bit of a chore because there was a lineup change during the process. But it wouldn't be Black Cat Bones - at least this version of that name- if something like that didn't happen. But working with a producer to the degree that we did was a relatively new experience and I think it paid off. During the early part of it my older brother had a stroke, which drove the song 'Anything Can Happen".

How do you think that the band have grown since started and what has remained the same about the music-making process?

Jeff: Songwriting, like any other skill, can come more naturally to some people. Chuck has always been one to bring many ideas to the table for each of our records. But, it’s also a craft that can be honed and improved on with practice and experience. Richard and I have been able to bring in more musical ideas as time goes on. Also, this time around with Troublemaker we have Billy Yates as a producer, which is different than any of our previous albums. I think it was his input and attention to detail that made the difference in getting us on the U.S. charts.

"We draw our sound from the artists that have inspired us, but try not to trap ourselves inside a box. We're careful to not be cliché when picking cover songs and focus more on a particular groove than just a popular song. Our philosophy is to create songs that connect our music with a feeling, a story or an experience." (Photo: Black Cat Bone, c.2005)

What is the driving force behind your continuous support for your music? Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues/rock? What's the balance in music between technique and soul?

Jeff: Making music is my passion. I think musicians in general are reluctant to give up something that brings them such joy in life. I recently read an article about how Stevie Ray Vaughn’s debut on the scene wasn’t very well received. Because blues was not thought of as a commodity in the music industry at that time. They basically revived the blues scene from the shambles it was in. For that reason, we have an obligation to our genre and really blues in general. To keep expanding and thriving.

Charles: There's actually a lot of technique in soul, different ways of doing it. I think people tend to view musical virtuosity as being somewhat soulless, but I think that depends on your emotional approach. I was never one of those types to go too nuts, I like to keep a certain control to it, I feel the emotion can be conveyed without getting too dramatic, so to speak. As far as the importance of preserving blues/rock I feel like this music has seriously moved me. The combination of sounds really got me going when I was a kid and continues to do so now. And I can put parts of my favorite kinds of music into it. It doesn't seem so much now, but when we were kids, blues rock was a young person's entry into the blues. My dad had a few records and my older brothers, and I would listen to them and make the connections. So, if it could keep that going, I think that's important.

What moment changed your music life the most? Who are some of your very favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music?

Jeff: We reached a milestone musically around 2013 as a band. When we broke into entertaining live for 4 hours at a time. We were only doing Hour and a half for the longest time, but the clubs wanted us to play from 9 to 1. At the time I remember thinking Wow we’re in the big leagues now. Artists in our genre that inspire me are the Blues rock cats that keep releasing cutting edge music! Mike Zito, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales, Albert Castiglia, and the like. Kudos to those cats for continuing to inspire me to write badass music and make better and better recordings!

Charles: I had been playing around with different types of music for years but when I began playing with Jeff, whom I'd know for years and the other original members of The Wiseguys (who would come and go over time) that was the most comfortable I'd ever felt and set the path for the future. It didn't seem like much at the time, but it really did change everything. Up to that point I'd been sort of scrambling around, but it was all sort of right in my backyard. I had been playing rhythm guitar in punk rock bands and that sort of thing, and then I'd heard the album Johnny Winter And live and decided that was the sound I wanted. So, I started writing songs in that vein. And that just happened to coincide with the forming of the band back then in the late 90's. So, the inspirations have always been blues, like Albert King and then heavier rocking blues like ZZ Top or Savoy Brown. Lately it goes back a bit further. Each album usually has some new impetus.

"It is a combination of blues; heavy rock soul and jazz primarily and generally borrow from those. Of course, there is the nod to sounds in the past, but we try and make that as current as we can. I have to confess I simply stole the name from the U.K. band not aware at the time of how easy it is to look something up on the internet, but it is a type of African charm." (Photo: Black Cat Bone)

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

Charles: I don't know a whole lot about the latest music, but highly based on the personality. I like the way there was a certain anonymity to some of the music in the 70's and 80's.

Jeff: I miss that fact that mainstream music used to have a real Rock and Blues presence on the radio. Now there is Classic rock and New rock (which is mostly hard rock) on mainstream radio. But it seems that whole genres are left out of the playlists and it's not as easy as it once was to discover new music. As an example, you won't hear us or anyone in our genre (on mainstream radio), because we don't fit in either category. Regardless we will keep doing what we do for many years to come.

If you could change one thing in the musical world and it would become a reality, what would that be?

Charles: We'd hit it big! Aside from that I would not make it so demographic. Music should be for everybody.

Jeff: It's hard to know the credibility of some of the industry folks that are out there. In a world of what is now largely DIY. There's a lot of conflicting information, and It's hard to know who to trust and if your business decision is going to pay off. We have independently released four records now and have a lot of solid contacts in the industry. If there was anything, I would change it would be to have better information regarding music business contacts, the services they offer, and how to best utilize those services.

What would you say characterizes Arizona's blues scene in comparison to other US local scenes?

Charles: The only other place I was at for any length of time was on Cape Cod and where we were at, we didn't see much. But I have noticed the bands in Arizona are kind of dressed down. The other guys in other places like to wear suits and top hats and the like.

Jeff: Arizona has a very good music scene. Blues is appreciated and celebrated in the State of Arizona. There are many great players and bands on the scene here. I would hate to live anywhere where it wasn't like that. I have Heard that Los Angeles is not like that, which is surprising to me. When we played there, I got the sense that there is a lot of great talent there but maybe just not a lot of venues that support the scene and the musicians that live there.

"I miss that fact that mainstream music used to have a real Rock and Blues presence on the radio. Now there is Classic rock and New rock (which is mostly hard rock) on mainstream radio. But it seems that whole genres are left out of the playlists and it's not as easy as it once was to discover new music. As an example, you won't hear us or anyone in our genre (on mainstream radio), because we don't fit in either category. Regardless we will keep doing what we do for many years to come." (Photo: Black Cat Bone)

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

Charles: One of the greatest experiences was playing the local blues festival, which we get to do again in 2020. Watching Clay Brown, Hurricane Carla and Amochip Dabney play sax in the studio was great to witness.

Jeff: In 2017 we played the Tucson Blues Heritage festival with Big Llou and his blues review, which featured many well-known and talented players Bob Corritore, Jimmie 'Primetime' Smith, and Johnny Rawls to name a few. That was a BLAST!

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in music paths?

Charles: That if you want something to get better it takes a certain work ethic. As a kid playing music, I never wanted it to be like school or a job. I have a somewhat more mature attitude towards it now.

Jeff: Lessons come at every turn in the music business. There's a fine line between having fun and remaining professional and experience in those matters are hard lessons for some. although I will say that there is still learning and adapting even after many years in the business.

What is the impact of Blues n' Rock music and culture on the racial and socio-cultural implications?

Charles: I think it brings people together by presenting a type of music that is basic and has roots and that everyone can enjoy.

Jeff: Blues transcends any and all racial inequality, it pulls you in to a place where you can identify with the writer and what they might have been going through. Those struggles that we identify with fit any class or race of people. Which is one reason that Blues will never die.

Black Cat Bones - Home

(Photo: Black Cat Bone)