An architect of Canadian reggae, Bernie Pitters contributions to the Canadian music landscape are immeasurable. Pitters was born in Birmingham, England, moving with his father to Jamaica at the age of eight, after the passing of his mother. His intellect earned him a scholarship to Excelsior High School, where he would learn the keyboard from classmate Earl ‘Wrye’ Lindo, who would go on to play with Bob Marley and the Wailers. He became a member of the Otravis Band, later visiting Canada on tour. He made the move to the country in 1976 and joined up with Johnny Osbourne in the Ishan People Band, and would later join up with Leroy Sibbles’ band.

Pitters was self-taught and learned from his idols including Jackie Mittoo, who studied the keyboard with him. He played with another admired musician, Toots Hibbert, in Toots and The Maytals. Pitters was responsible for starting bands like Livestock, Hit Squad, and Reggae All Stars; he also had his hand behind the scenes in the reggae community. After an already illustrious career, in 2007, he became a founding and longtime member of The Human Rights. The group dedicated their album Reggae Strong (2021) to Pitters, with his image gracing the back of the album cover.

The master keyboardist was also a talented producer, working with R. Zee Jackson, Leroy Brown, Sly and Robbie, Treson, Blessed, and Jay Douglas, to name a few. After helping Douglas, a longtime collaborator, with his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, he praised Pitters’ immaculate producing ability. Pitters also contributed to Canadian legend, Bruce Cockburns album, Humans, receiving a gold record for the hit “Rumours of Glory”.

Pitters has won several awards in his career, topping the record for amount of awards given to any individual from the Canadian Reggae Music Awards, totaling 20, as well as inducted into the Black Musicians Museum in Toronto. Pitters has shared the stage with fellow legendary musicians like Gregory Isaacs, John Holt, Carol Brown, Jojo Bennett, and more. The incomparable keyboardist remains an important figure in the international reggae community. After complications with diabetes, Pitters passed away December 9th, 2023, at the age of 68. He is a foundational building block in the history of Canadian Black Music.