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Doctor Ross

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For the fictional character, see Dr Doug Ross.
Doctor Ross
Birth nameCharles Isaiah Ross
Born(1925-10-21)October 21, 1925
Tunica, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedMay 28, 1993(1993-05-28) (aged 67)
GenresDetroit blues
Occupation(s)Musician, singer
Instrument(s)Guitar, harmonica, drums
Years active1951–1993

Doctor Ross (October 21, 1925 – May 28, 1993),[1] also known as Doctor Ross the Harmonica Boss, born Charles Isaiah Ross in Tunica, Mississippi, was an American blues singer, guitarist, harmonica player and drummer.[2]

Ross's blues style has been compared to that of John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson I. His recordings for Sun Records in the 1950s include "The Boogie Disease"[3] and "Chicago Breakdown". Within the lyrics of "The Boogie Disease", Ross notably sang "I may get better / but I'll never get well".[3]

Biography

In 1951 Ross's records began to get airplay in Mississippi and Arkansas. He recorded with Chess Records and Sun with a group that included folk instruments, such as the washboard .[2]

In 1954 Ross moved to the Detroit area and began working for General Motors in Flint, Michigan.[2][4] He recorded some singles with Fortune Records, including Cat Squirrel and Industrial Boogie. He recorded an album issued by Testament Records and toured with the American Folk Blues Festival in Europe in 1965.[2] (Cat's Squirrel (sic) was covered by the supergroup Cream on their debut album Fresh Cream"). Ross recorded an album for Blue Horizon while he was in London and worked with Ornament Records in Germany in 1972.[5][self-published source?] Following this, he participated in the American Blues Legends '74 tour and album promoted by UK based Big Bear Records.[6] During the 1970s, Big Bear promoted around a dozen tours of the UK and Europe featuring Ross, recording two albums along the way, The Harmonica Boss and Live At Montreaux.[7]

Ross and his music were popular in Europe, more so than in his home country.[2] He died in 1993, at the age of 67, and was buried in Flint, Michigan.

On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Doctor Ross among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.[8]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Label & Cat No
1965 Call The Doctor Testament T-2206
1965 The Flying Eagle Blue Horizon LP1
1971 I'd Rather Be An Old Woman's Baby Than A Young Woman's Slave Fortune F-3011
1972 Live + Well Ornament/ESCEHA CH-7.101
1972 His First Recordings Arhoolie F1065
1972 Live At Montreaux Big Bear 18
1974 The Harmonica Boss Big Bear 2
1979 Jivin' The Blues Big Bear/Intercord INT 146.409
1982 One Man Band Takoma TAK 7087
1991 I Want All My Friends To Know JSP CD 243

Singles

Year Titles (A-side, B-side)

Both sides from same album except where indicated

Label & Cat No
1952 "Country Clown"

b/w "Doctor Ross Boogie"

Chess 1504
1953 "Come Back Baby"

b/w "Chicago Breakdown"

Sun 193
1954 "The Boogie Disease"

b/w "The Juke Box Boogie"

Sun 212
1958 "Industrial Boogie"

b/w "Thirty Two Twenty"

DIR A101/B102
1960 "Sugar Mama"

b/w "I'd Rather Be An Old Woman's Baby Than A Young Woman's Slave"

Fortune 538
1961 "Cat Squirrel"

b/w "The Sunny Land"

Fortune 857
1963 "Cannonball"

b/w "Numbers Blues"

Hi-Q 5027
1963 "Call The Doctor"

b/w "New York Breakdown"

Hi-Q 5033
Year Title Label & Cat No
1966 American Folk Blues Festival '65 Fontana 885 422 TY
1972 The Harmonica Blues of Sonny Terry, Doctor Ross, Hammie Nixon, Sonny Boy Williamson Storyville SLP 222
1974 American Blues Legends '74 Bear 1
1986 National Downhome Blues Festival Vol. 4 Southland SLP-24

References

  1. ^ Ankeny, Jason. "Doctor Ross | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  2. ^ a b c d e Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. p. 163. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  3. ^ a b Robert Palmer. Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
  4. ^ Robert Palmer. Deep Blues. Penguin Books. p. 242. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
  5. ^ Wirz, Stefan (January 8, 2010). "Ornament Discography". American Music. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
  6. ^ Simpson, Jim (2019). Don't Worry 'Bout The Bear. Brewin Books. pp. 119–125. ISBN 978-1-85858-700-4.
  7. ^ Wirz, Stephen. "Illustrated Big Bear Records Discography".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ Rosen, Jody (25 June 2019). "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
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