The presence and contributions of Don Ross in the world realm of fingerstyle guitar has been nothing short of significant.
Ross will be making a duo appearance with Calum Graham, 22-year-old, award-winning fingerstyle guitarist who cites Ross as one of his greatest mentors, to Legacy Guitar and Coffee House Jan. 24 at 8 p.m.
Considered a preeminent force, Ross has some 30 years logged furnishing his musical resume — from teacher to professor to mentor, from virtuoso guitarist to composer to recording artist.
“I am music,” Ross admits, with no pretenses. “It’s as integral to my being as having brown hair or a bad knee.”
The duo of Ross and Graham released 12:34 in the summer of 2013, achieving critical acclaim and launching a series of mini-tours in promotion of the album, including talk of a possible coast-to-coast tour in the coming months.
“He writes music that has a maturity to it,” said Ross of his co-artist.
“Somebody like Calum has the talent to rise above the fray…as long as he doesn’t give in to discouragement.”
Rewind to 1986, when the Montreal native chose the path of more resistance as a full-time musician in the arena of fingerstyle guitar (think classical guitar performed on an acoustic, with steel instead of nylon strings).
Armed with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Ross quickly began a recording career that to date, has earned him the title as the only person to have twice won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championships (1988 and 1996) and has resulted in more than 20 records, a worldwide fan base and global touring circuit, which Ross attributes “…as a result of being silly enough to stick with music.”
“I became known as a guitar player,” said Ross, who said some of his fans have difficulty viewing his work as a vocalist in the same capacity as his fingerstyle work. “You tend to get pegged by whatever you do first.”
What Ross did was develop a sound referred to as ‘heavy wood’ — a worldly approach based on advanced, percussive techniques that blends elements of blues, jazz, folk and classical together.
“I developed this kind of wonky technique and amalgamated style that has proven to be interesting to young people in particular,” said Ross, who has played in a variety of duo, trio and even orchestral arrangements over the years, but stands by his go-to solo show.
For many musicians there comes a low point. Ross’ came in 2001, when the virtuoso lost his wife and fellow musician, Kelly, leaving him running his home life in solo format, with three kids to care for.
“For a period of almost two years, I shut down creatively. I was playing live music but not writing any…” said Ross, adding that he eventually drew himself out of the trenches and began writing once again.
His passion led him to meet and marry P.E.I. singer/songwriter, Brooke Miller, in 2005.
“I heard one of her songs on CBC Radio, flipped out and thought she was great,” said Ross, adding that he met his would-be wife at a festival, produced her first album and has since enjoyed a 10-year musical partnership where the two continue to perform together whenever time warrants.
Now spending half his time in Beijing, China, where he works one-on-one with a 16-year-old prodigy, Ross fills his tour schedule whenever he returns to his home, which is currently in Toronto.
Tickets to ‘Live at Legacy: Don Ross and Calum Graham’ can be purchased at legacyguitar.com.
