Born in Flemingsburg, Kentucky,[1] he began his career in 1928 as a member of Zack Whyte's territory band in Ohio.

[1] Chittison moved to New York in the early 1930s and found work as an accompanist to Ethel Waters, Adelaide Hall, and Clarence Williams.

[1] Chittison and Coleman left Lewis' group in 1938 and formed a band that worked extensively in Cairo, Egypt, and traveled as far east as India.

In October 1959, Chittison arrived in Boston and was employed as the resident pianist at the Red Garter bar in the Lenox Hotel.

[2] He also had a reoccurring role as the piano player in the Blue Note Bar on the radio series, Casey, Crime Photographer.