He won the "Best Guitarist" in the State of Connecticut at age 15. He has won numerous awards since, including two songwriting awards from the Great American Songwriting Contest. The International Songwriting Contest (ISC) judge and renowned blues legend John Mayall subsequently recorded Pitchell's song "An Eye for an Eye" on one of his albums. Pitchell and his band, Texas Flood, won the BEST BLUES ACT in New England in a six-state vote.