Keith J. Pittell, a musician and former bartender with deep ties to West Hollywood’s rock ‘n’ roll scene, died December 10 at the age of 74.
Pittell was born on October 19, 1950, in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Prairie Village, Kansas. He graduated from East Shawnee Mission High School in 1968 and attended Arizona State University, where he studied English. In the early 1970s, Pittell relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. He worked as a lead guitarist and songwriter, performing with multiple bands, including the 1980s rock group L.A. Reds.
In addition to his music career, Pittell spent decades bartending at prominent West Hollywood venues such as The Troubadour, Whisky a Go Go and Gazzarri’s. He later taught bartending, helping train others in the craft throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1993, Pittell married Ana Melendez, and the couple lived in West Hollywood for over 35 years. Pittell retired in 2012 and returned to Kansas in 2016, where he performed locally with the trio Suzie and The Uninvited.
Pittell is survived by his wife, Ana Pittell; his sons, Kevin and Ryan Pittell; and his daughter, Heather Pittell.
