Jake Pitts

Jacob Mark Pitts was born on August 21, 1985, in Idaho, USA, to Mark Pitts and Carolyn Pitts. He has an elder sister Sarah Pitts-Lowry. He was creative from childhood, and took art in his middle and high school. He was a quiet child, and had no friends in school. He was always bullied in school.

When he was ten, his father bought him an acoustic guitar, but he didn't play it for three years as he had no interest. But when he began listening to the Metallica rock band, he picked up his guitar and tried to recreate their sound. He was inspired by the band, and wanted to take up music as his career. His mother, who was a classical pianist and composer, gave him lessons in music and harmony theory, which helped him understand music, and made him capable of writing songs the way he writes today. He also followed rock and heavy metal artists like Van Halen, Paul Gilbert, Scorpions, Buckethead, Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Randy Rhoads (Ozzy Osbourne), Avenged Sevenfold, and Mötley Crüe, and they have all influenced him in one way or the other.

On January 18, 2014, his mother passed away. Jake wrote the song ‘Carolyn’, in her memory, which is about her period of illness. He later said that his mother’s death made him concerned about his own health, leading him to start working out and eating healthier. He has also opened a fitness company called Get Mean Fitness with his friend Matt Yani.

Jake Pitts went to Los Angeles Recording School in 2006, and is a certified recording engineer. He was the lead guitarist in the bands ‘The Perfect Victim’ and ‘80 Proof Riot’ before he joined Black Veil Brides in 2009, three years after it was formed. He had always wanted to write and produce songs, and the chance to do so came through his friend Jinxx, who is a Black Veil Brides member. Jake got the opportunity to write and record an album for the band. He accompanied the band on a tour, and became close friends with the band members. Thereafter he joined the band as the lead guitarist. He also formed a new band called 'Aelonia' with his wife, wherein he sings and plays guitar. He produces for other bands such as New Years Day as well.

He has written a few songs for Black Veil Brides. In 2010, he wrote the song ‘We Stitch These Wounds,’ followed by the song ‘Set the World on Fire’ in 2011. ‘We Stitch These Wounds’ charted in the Billboard Top 40 and at peaked No. 1 on the magazine’s Independent Chart. Jake also wrote the song ‘Wretched & Divine’ in 2013, and ‘Black Veil Brides’ in 2014. The band released its first concert DVD ‘Alive and Burning’ in July 2015.

Black Veil Brides’ fifth studio album, and the follow-up to 2014's ‘Black Veil Brides IV’ will be released in September 2017. Jake Pitts has worked with John Feldmann on the new upcoming album.

The musician has quite a number of awards in his kitty. He received the Kerrang! Awards for three consecutive years—2011, 2012, and 2013—in the categories Best International Newcomer, Best Single ‘Rebel Love Song’, and Best live Band–Black Veil Brides, respectively. He also won the Revolver Golden Gods for three consecutive years—2011, 2012, and 2013—in the categories Best New Band, Best Guitarist and Song of the year (‘In The End’) respectively. He was declared AP Magazine Guitarists of the Year 2013.