In 1963, Jan Carritt studied guitar and was mentored by Tim Hardin, who wrote "Reason To Believe", "If I Were a Carpenter" and "Misty Roses". Bob Dylan called Tim Hardin "the greatest living songwriter".

In 1969, Jan moved from Boston to Washington state where he helped form an original rock band, Mineral Water, which played taverns, bars, concerts and festivals around the Northwest. When the band broke up in 1972, he moved to western Massachusetts and played a club circuit in New England from Princeton, New Jersey, to Boston, Cape Cod, New Hampshire and Vermont. In 1974, he moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, where he skiied and played for two years.

In 1976, he moved to Southern California, and played around the Los Angeles area, including four years at Pancho's in Manhattan Beach. He appeared many times at the famous Palomino Club in North Hollywood, and also at Disneyland with Mackenzie Colt from TV's Hee Haw.

His band, the Redneck Roundup Band, included many notable studio and road musicians such as Doug Atwell, from the Palomino house band, Sneaky Pete (who played with Linda Ronstadt, Flying Burrito Brothers), Al Perkins (Dan Fogelberg, Debbie Boone), Sid Page (Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks), JB Crabtree, (Sweethearts of the Rodeo), Arnie Moore (John Stewart), Dennis Fetchit (Hoyt Axton), David Vaught (The Association) and Laura Sinclair Carlson (Bonnie Raitt), and Vince Gill when he was not on the road with Pure Prairie League.

Jan has lived in Arizona since 1981. He has appeared with Russ Skaggs and Dr. Ron Rutowski  who both worked with Glen Campbell, and other top local musicians such as Mike Breen, Steve Thomas, Mike Smith, Danny Sneed, Don Paddock and Gary Hudson.