Big Pete Pearson is considered to be Phoenix’s King of the Blues. Big Pete is simply an amazing blues singer. He has been fronting bands in the Southwest since the 1950’s. Bob and Big Pete have a long history of playing and recording together which started almost immediately upon Bob’s arrival in Phoenix in 1981. Here are some memorable photos of this master of the blues.
Early 1980s! Bob Corritore, Big Pete Pearson, Bob Tate, Larry Rhymes.
Big Pete Pearson needs no mic!
Big Pete Pearson In A Groove
Big Pete Pearson Blues Band – 1984
(front row – Matt Roe, Big Pete Pearson, Emerson Carrethers
back row – Bob Tate, Jed Allen, Elmer Scott, Bob Corritore)
Big Pete Pearson & B.B. King
Big Pete Pearson With Then-Wife Karen After Receiving A Keeping The Blues Alive Award From The Phoenix Blues Society
The Original Hymn Revivers Publicity Photo – Big Pete Pearson’s Gospel Roots – 1950s
Big Pete Pearson Is To The Far Left, His Wife Is The Woman With The Beehive Hairstyle Two Down From Pete
Big Pete Pearson Blues Band – Elmer Scott, Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Bernard Williams (Former Sax Player of Dyke & The Blazers), Larry Rhymes, Matt Roe, Dr. Fish – 1983
Big Pete Pearson Blues Band, early 1980s.
Top row: Bob Corritore, Big Pete Pearson, Elmer Scott. Middle row: Bob Tate, Dr. Fish.
Bottom row: Emerson Carrethers, Matt Roe, Larry Rhymes.
Patti Williams sings as Big Pete Pearson and Sam Taylor watch! Early 1990s, Rhythm Room, Phoenix.
Big Pete Pearson, a fan, Finis Tasby, Marco Fiume Blues Passions Festival, Italy, 2005. Photo by Bob Corritore.
Big Pete Pearson and Rhythm Room All Stars (Bob Corritore, Chris James, Big Pete Pearson, Patrick Rynn, John Rapp) at the 2006 Bay-Car Blues Festival, Grande-Synthe, France. Photo by Jocelyn Richez.
Bob Corritore, Big Pete Pearson at the Rhythm Room, Phoenix, 2007. Photo by Dave Blake.
Big Pete Pearson with Patrick Rynn, Henry Gray, Billy Flynn. Photo by Dave Blake.
Photo by Dave Blake
Bob Corritore and Big Pete Pearson, 2008 at the Rhythm Room. Photo Dave Blake.
With The Rhythm Room All-Stars – Chris James, Brian Fahey, Big Pete Pearson, Bob Corritore, Patrick Rynn – 2009 (Photo by David Blake)
Bob Corritore, Chris James, Big Pete Pearson, Patrick Rynn, Henry Gray, Billy Flynn at the Rhythm Room. Photo by Dave Blake.
Big Pete Pearson at the 2009 Ottawa Blues Festival. In the background to the left are the Texas Horns and to the right Bob Corritore.
Backstage at the Tucson B.B. King Show (Photo by Kim Danielson)
Wonderful photo of Big Pete Pearson by Roze Hanks.
Bob Corritore - Official Website 
I am a friend of Big Pete’s from Colorado & will be in Phoenix soon. Please have him call me @ 970-560-2767
Thanks
Barbara
hi bob, I’m a phx native and blues lover, lived walking distance from chars back in the day. anyway I had a restaurant called Tia Marias in the early 90’s in north phx and Big Pete played there for sunday brunches a few times. We shared a few Presidente brandies or ten. I met my wife during one of these shows and we are celebrating are twentieth anniversary. as a surprise I am taking her to the botanical gardens on May 13 to see Pete. Was hoping to really blow her mind with a shout out from Pete. saw your blog and that I’d give it a try!!! Our names are Tony and Glynnis Bohannon 602 339-3020 bohfam@cox.net trying to keep it on the down low. Really miss living “downtown” and hitting the blues circuit. Thanks for anything you can do Tony B
Big Pete Pearson
In the local Blues dive Big Pete would sing his songs
about life, living and love sometimes gone
He would sing about a lonely heart
and how a woman could do you wrong
The stories he sang could overcome you
as you listened to the sorrowed news
I would set, drink and try to understand
the message of Big Pete’s blues
After a set I would buy him a shot
he would say how everything was great
Then once again he would take to his stage
singing about life’s burden and weight
He seemed to sing how life was a bomb
lit by a slow burning fuse
How no one seemed to understand
except me and Big Pete’s blues
One night in a joint on the east side of town
we drank and he sang the night away
In between songs we sat side by side
talking about what comes with the day
As he left to sing another night filled song
he said “your life should be as you choose”
And in my head I thought how no one understood
except me and Big Pete’s blues
Now I haven’t seen Pete for awhile
but I hear he is still givin shows
I bet he still takes a nightly drink
and sings the blues on how life goes
As for me I hit a wall one night
now I am still trying to find the clues
To understand the joy of life
that was a part of Big Pete’s blues
s. Lemuel Kennedy
June 2002
Pete has been a friend of mine over 40 years. I’ve have followed him all this time. Would be great to talk to him again. 480 343 4434.
I saw Big Pete Pearson in a club in Phoenix on a business trip in the early 80s. Great blues evening. One of the photos above includes Sam Taylor. After his retirement, he returned part-time to Long Island, NY where he established a popular band and played regularly for several years. Thanks for the good memories with these fine photos. (
It seems like so many have stories about seeing Pete and their anniversary. The 13th of June,2022 is our 35th, and yes we listened the Pete all those years ago. Did not think I would ever hear him live again. We had moved away from Arizona so I didn’t think I’d ever see him perform again. I had heard he retired. Then I see him pop up on venues in Northern Arizona, and hey I live there now. I can go see him. So for our 35th anniversary I have gifted my husband and myself two tickets to see Pete. I simply can not wait!
Laura
I got one of Pete’s first tapes..I remember traveling with him when Delmas was the drummer..I remember when Bob first came on..how do I get Pete’s cds.. and how is he doing?