Don Ross (guitarist)
| Don Ross | |
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Don Ross in 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Donald James Ross |
| Born |
November 19, 1960 Montreal, Quebec |
| Origin | Halifax, Nova Scotia |
| Genres | New-age, pop, folk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | Duke Street, Sony, Narada, CandyRat, Goby Fish |
| Associated acts | Men of Steel, Andy McKee |
| Website | www |
Donald James Ross, or Don Ross, (born November 19, 1960) is a Canadian fingerstyle guitarist. He is the only person to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship twice (1988 and 1996). His album Huron Street reached the top ten on the Billboard New-age chart.
Ross was born in Montreal, Quebec to Scottish and Mi'kmaq parents. He studied composition at the music department of York University in Toronto with David Mott, James Tenney and Phil Werren. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music in 1983, he studied philosophy at St. Hyacinth College and Seminary in Granby, Massachusetts while living at San Damiano Friary in Holyoke, Massachusetts and then started his novitiate for the Canadian custody of the Conventual Franciscans of Immaculate Conception Province at St. Francis Friary in Staten Island, NY. He decided to leave that pursuit and become a musician.
In 1986 Ross produced and published his first album, Kehewin, on cassette, and became a full-time musician. He performed as a duo with his wife, singer Kelly McGowan, in 1986 and 1987, and then in a trio called Harbord Trio with her and violinist Oliver Schroer. At the same time he was member of a New Age jazz quartet called Eye Music. He composed music for several theatre productions in Toronto dealing with First Nations life in Canada, such as The Ecstasy of Rita Joe (York University, 1989), Dreaming Beauty (Inner Stage Theatre, 1990) and Big Buck City (Cahoots Theatre, 1991). He has also composed music for the CBC radio serial Dead Dog Café. In 1987 some of his compositions were played by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
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