Ricky Ross (musician)

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Ricky Ross
Ricky Ross of Deacon Blue at SSE Hydro Glasgow (2018) (cropped).jpg
Ross performing with Deacon Blue at the SSE Hydro, Glasgow, 2018
Background information
Birth nameRichard Alexander Ross
Born (1957-12-22) 22 December 1957 (age 66)
Dundee, Scotland
Genres Pop, alternative rock
Occupation(s)Singer, musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
Years active1983–present
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1990)​
Website rickyross.com

Richard Alexander Ross [1] (born 22 December 1957) is a Scottish musician who is the lead singer of the rock band Deacon Blue. Alongside his discography with Deacon Blue, Ross has released a number of solo albums: his first, So Long Ago , was released in 1984.

Contents

Biography

Early life

Ross was born in Dundee, Scotland, in 1957 and attended the High School of Dundee, an independent school. [2]

Deacon Blue (1987–present)

Ross is a founding member and lead singer of the rock band Deacon Blue. The band released their debut album, Raintown , on 1 May 1987 in the United Kingdom and in the United States in February 1988. Their second album, When the World Knows Your Name (1989), topped the UK Albums Chart for two weeks, and included "Real Gone Kid" which became their first top ten single in the UK Singles Chart. [3]

Deacon Blue released their fourth album, Whatever You Say, Say Nothing , in 1993. The band split in 1994. Five years later, the band held a reunion gig, and this led on to a new album, Walking Back Home , with the band now working on a part-time basis. The band released another album, Homesick , in 2001. Though Graeme Kelling died from pancreatic cancer in 2004, the band has continued and 2006 saw Deacon Blue returning to the studio to record three new tracks for a Singles album – including the track "Bigger than Dynamite". Deacon Blue's next album was The Hipsters , in 2012. [4] The band released another album, A New House , in September 2014. Believers , was released in September 2016. A concert recording of their return to the Barrowlands, Glasgow, was released on 31 March 2017.

The band's tenth studio album City of Love was released on 6 March 2020. In February 2021, they released their eleventh studio album entitled Riding on the Tide of Love to commercial success in both the UK and their native Scotland.

As of 2012, Deacon Blue's total album sales stood at six million, [5] with twelve UK top 40 singles, along with two UK number one albums. [5]

Solo work (1984–present)

Before the formation of Deacon Blue, he released a solo album So Long Ago , on the Glasgow independent label Sticky Records. After the band's break-up in 1994, Ross resurrected his solo career and Epic released his second solo album What You Are in 1996. As Ross's first solo album So Long Ago was a minor release on a relatively minor label, What You Are became his first solo release on a major label and as such is generally regarded as his debut solo album for a major label.

Ross released another album, New Recording , on his own label in 1997. After Deacon Blue's reunion in 1999 and the release of their Walking Back Home and Homesick albums, Ross entered into a new publishing deal with Warner Chappell UK, and released another solo album, This Is the Life , through Chrysalis Records's short-lived Papillion label, in 2002. Papillion had released Deacon Blue's Homesick album the previous year.

As part of his publishing deal with Warner Chappell, Ross began co-writing with other artists. He currently spends more time writing than on his solo career or Deacon Blue projects. To date he has written for and with James Blunt, Ronan Keating, KT Tunstall, David Sneddon, Cathy Burton, Gareth Gates, Emma Bunton, Will Young and Jamie Cullum among others.[ citation needed ]

In 2005, Ross released the album Pale Rider through P3 Music. In September 2009 Ross and McIntosh released The Great Lakes, an album on the Cooking Vinyl label.[ citation needed ]

Ross released a collection of songs in 2013, the 12-track Trouble Came Looking, on the Edsel Recordings label. He also performed a wide-ranging UK acoustic tour in support of the album which saw him play small, intimate venues, alongside Gregor Philp.[ citation needed ]

Ross released the album Short Stories Vol. 1 with the label earMUSIC on 15 September 2017. The album incorporates new songs with a mix of Deacon Blue song's such as "Wages Day" and "Raintown".[ citation needed ]

Other work

Ross currently presents Another Country with Ricky Ross on BBC Radio Scotland and has covered for Mark Radcliffe, Bob Harris and Dermot O'Leary on BBC Radio 2. He also occasionally broadcasts for Radio 2 from the yearly Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow. For his broadcasting, Ross won the International Country Broadcaster of the Year Award from the Country Music Association in 2014.

He is also the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Abertay University. [6]

Personal life

Ross is married to Deacon Blue member Lorraine McIntosh and they have four children together. They married on 12 May 1990. [7] [8]

Discography

Solo albums

with Deacon Blue

EPs

Singles

YearTitleAlbum UK Chart [10]
1996"Radio On"What You Are35
1997"Good Evening Philadelphia"58

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deacon Blue</span> Scottish band

Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop rock band formed in Glasgow during 1985. The line-up of the band consists of vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime and drummer Dougie Vipond. The band released their debut album, Raintown, on 1 May 1987 in the United Kingdom and in the United States in February 1988. Their second album, When the World Knows Your Name (1989), topped the UK Albums Chart for two weeks, and included "Real Gone Kid" which became their first top ten single in the UK Singles Chart and reached number one in Spain. Deacon Blue released their fourth album, Whatever You Say, Say Nothing, in 1993.

<i>Raintown</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Deacon Blue

Raintown is the debut album by Scottish pop rock band Deacon Blue. The album, written largely by lead singer Ricky Ross, was released in the United Kingdom on 26 May 1987. It proved a commercial success and has to date sold around a million copies, peaking in the UK Albums Chart at no. 14 and remaining in the charts for a year and a half.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Prime</span> Musical artist

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorraine McIntosh</span> Scottish singer

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<i>When the World Knows Your Name</i> 1989 studio album by Deacon Blue

When the World Knows Your Name is the second album by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. It was released in 1989 and attained the number 1 chart position in the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Riches</i> (album) 1988 compilation album by Deacon Blue

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<i>Our Town – The Greatest Hits</i> 1994 greatest hits album by Deacon Blue

Our Town – The Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits compilation album by the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. The album reached the top spot of the UK Albums Chart in May 1994 for two weeks, and has been certified Platinum. It was also their second and final number one album to date. It is also notable for being the 500th number one album since the charts inception in 1956.

<i>Riches & More</i> 1997 compilation album by Deacon Blue

Riches & More is a compilation album for the Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. It combines the Riches with the Four Bacharach & David Songs EP. However, this compilation does not include the piano version of the song "Raintown", which was the fifth track on the initial release of Riches.

<i>Walking Back Home</i> 1999 studio album by Deacon Blue

Walking Back Home is an album by Scottish pop rock band Deacon Blue released in 1999. It was their first album since reforming that year after disbanding in 1994. A part studio/part compilation album, it contains nine of their earlier songs coupled with eight brand-new or previously unreleased songs.

<i>Homesick</i> (Deacon Blue album) 2001 studio album by Deacon Blue

Homesick is a studio album by Scottish rock band Deacon Blue. Released in May 2001, it was the band's fifth studio album. It includes the single "Everytime You Sleep", which reached No. 64 in the UK Singles Chart. Homesick was Deacon Blue's final album to feature guitarist Graeme Kelling, who died in 2004.

<i>The Very Best of Deacon Blue</i> 2001 greatest hits album by Deacon Blue

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dignity (Deacon Blue song)</span> 1987 single by Deacon Blue

"Dignity" is a song by Deacon Blue, which was the band's first official release. It is one of their most popular songs and it is usually played as the final song at concerts. It received the most public votes for the 1980s songs in the Scotland's Greatest Album contest run by STV in 2011, and was featured on the 12 track compilation. It was also sung at the closing ceremony at the 2014 Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When Will You (Make My Telephone Ring)</span> 1987 single by Deacon Blue

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chocolate Girl (Deacon Blue song)</span> 1988 single by Deacon Blue

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<i>What You Are</i> (album) 1996 studio album by Ricky Ross

What You Are is the second solo album by Scottish rock musician Ricky Ross. It was released in 1996 on the Epic Records label, 12 years after his debut solo album, So Long Ago (1984). What You Are was the first solo album Ross released after the breakup of the band he fronted, Deacon Blue.

<i>The Hipsters</i> 2012 studio album by Deacon Blue

The Hipsters is the sixth studio album released by Scottish pop group Deacon Blue. The album was released by Demon Music on 24 September 2012, making it their first studio album in eleven years. The album's lead single, "The Hipsters" was released on 23 September 2012.

<i>Riding on the Tide of Love</i> 2021 studio album by Deacon Blue

Riding on the Tide of Love is the tenth studio album by Scottish band Deacon Blue released on 5 February 2021. The lead single from the album, the title track "Riding on the Tide of Love", was released on 27 November 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "Works written by: ROSS RICHARD ALEXANDER". ACE Title Search. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers . Retrieved 24 November 2008.
  2. ↑ "Deacon Blue's Ricky Ross in Concert". High School of Dundee. 11 June 2013. FP, Ricky Ross, Class of 1976, Deacon Blue's front man ...
  3. ↑ "DEACON BLUE – full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "Deacon Blue". Rickyross.com. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Deacon Blue & Ricky Ross Official Site – About". Deaconblue.com. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Ricky Ross to receive Honorary degree from Abertay University". Abertay.ac.uk. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  7. ↑ Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ Watt, Laura. "Ricky Ross in tribute to tragic mum Andrea Kearney". Daily Record . Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  9. ↑ "Deacon Blue Share "Riding on the Tide of Love" Lyric Video - Watch + Listen". Rock 'N' Load. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021. Deacon Blue will release Riding on the Tide of Love, which features eight brand new songs, on February 5 via earMUSIC.
  10. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 471. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
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