A man for all seasons

As a radio talk show host he broadcasts his opinions across the South Coast. As a private investigator he prowls for bad guys all over the country. And as the lead singer of a Bon Jovi tribute band he performs on stages around the world.

Ken Pittman is leading an interesting but challenging life, with success he attributes to his reliance on family, faith, and friends – and a good sense of humor.

For Pittman, there have been days he didn’t want to face and days he didn’t want to end. But ultimately he would rather make you laugh than cry. “I’ve had a lot of turmoil and loss in my life, but I’ve always had faith that God will take care of me, and I haven’t been wrong about that yet,” he says. “I’ve never felt alone, even when my nose was barely above water.”

Today the 56-year-old father of six is above water. A Dartmouth resident, he reflects upon the years of his youth on the east side of Brockton, an education in life that has had an influence on him every day, good or bad. When he was only 11 months old, his father, Paul, died of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In August 2002, his wife Kristin died in a car accident, leaving him with three young children. But Pittman’s confidence and determination have led to careers as a talk show host, a detective, and a rock musician.

Many faces

“I come from a long line of entertainers,” Pittman says. “My father was the Director of the Boston College Marching Band, and my mother was a Rockette. My grandfather Joe Madden was a famous comedian. Since the age of five it was my job to make my sisters and my friends laugh – I’ve been doing impressions all my life, something that helps when I sing the music of other performers.”

And he sings the music of other performers a lot. His band Living On A Bad Name plays the music of Bon Jovi throughout America, the Caribbean, and Europe, from festivals to cruise ships, doing more than 50 shows a year. It’s a gig he’s had for 12 years. And the whole time, the band’s drummer has been his son Keith Pittman, now 25.

“Ken’s a fun guy to be around,” says guitarist/bandmate Ethan Brosh of Newton. “He’s got a great ear and he sings in tune all of the time. He loves to laugh, he makes jokes. We’ve been able to see a lot of the world because of the shows he’s booked for us and we have a great time hanging out together.”

“He’s funny all the time,” Keith says of his father. “He’s very personable, he can talk to anyone about a lot of different things. People are comfortable talking to him.”

And he’s comfortable talking to others. In January of 2004 The Ken Pittman Show was launched on WBSM in Fairhaven, airing during the vaunted 2 p.m to 6 p.m. slot. He would hold that position until 2012 when the station changed ownership. With no notice, the new company canceled Ptttman’s show. At the time he had five children and a baby on the way.

“It took everything in my power to find the energy to make ends meet,” he says. “We were just keeping our noses above water, asking for extensions on our bills. It was embarrassing.”

But Pittman’s fortunes would eventually reverse – in 2016 he was invited to return to WBSM, taking the Saturday slot from 9 a.m. to noon.

“I like the Saturday morning show, it’s underrated,” Pittman says. “You’re reaching a lot of the soccer moms and people who are out doing errands, I love it.”

“Ken is exactly what you want in a talk show host,” says Michael Rock, Director of Content at WBSM and Fun 107. “He’s an avid reader who knows about a lot of things, he’s very well rounded. If you bring up any topic he’ll be able to banter about it.”

Politically conservative and a practicing Catholic, Pittman says his urban upbringing affects his perspectives on the news of the day.

“Growing up on the east side of Brockton we had people from all corners of the world, a high percentage of minorities,” he claims. “We’d have Little League games and birthday parties, and people’s color or background didn’t matter. Being an athlete, you only cared how well people could play their sport.”

Finding faith

Since 2007 Pittman has been at the helm of Pittman Investigations, a job that has taken him around America pursuing cases such as stalkers, cheating spouses, insurance fraud, missing persons, and background investigations. In the last two years his stable of employees has grown to include his 20-year-old-son Paul, who recently partnered with him on a five-day surveillance investigation in New Orleans.

But Pittman still approaches the future while being rooted in his past.

“Every year growing up, someone from my school or neighborhood died, whether it was from drugs or something similar,” he says. “I escaped the trappings of Brockton because of the choices I made in who I surrounded myself with. I benefited from the people who taught me how to be a good friend. I stay in touch with all of my childhood friends, I value my friendships.”

And according to Rock, the people around Pittman value him too.

“He’s a religious person who walks it like he talks it,” Rock says. “If a friend or family member needs him he’ll happily drop what he’s doing and rearrange his day to help them. As a dad, he’s a great role model.”

Today Pittman lives with his wife Andrea in Dartmouth. In addition to Keith and Paul, his children include Nina, Nicklaus, Marty, and Elena. He describes his wife as “a virtuous girl from a virtuous family who keeps me grounded. She’s the most beautiful girl in the world.”

“I can only imagine what my father was thinking when he was lying there dying, leaving an 11-month old, a three-year old and his bride. Because I’ve been through a lot, I don’t take a lot of things too seriously. I don’t worry about the small stuff. But as we go forward we realize we’re not guaranteed to see the people we love around us next Christmas. We take a lot of things for granted. I love my kids and I love my wife. I’m grateful for every day I have with them.”

Sean McCarthy has been a freelance journalist for 27 years. He lives in New Bedford.