Ricky Ross
Background information
Born	December 22, 1957 (1957-12-22) (age 49)
Origin	Dundee, Scotland
Genre(s)	Rock Pop Alternative Rock
Occupation(s)	Musician Songwriter Producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals Guitar Piano Keyboards
Years active	1983 — Present
Associated acts	Deacon Blue
Website	Ricky Ross

Ricky Ross (born Richard Ross, 22 December 1957 in Dundee, Scotland) is a male singer and songwriter, most famously with the Scottish rock band, Deacon Blue.

Biography

Ricky Ross is the co-founder of Scottish rock/pop band Deacon Blue. He formed the group in 1985 when he was told by music industry folk he would need to form a band to showcase his increasing repertoire of material. Up to this point he had played keyboards in a local band called Woza.

In 1984, and before the formation of Deacon Blue, Ross had released a solo album, So Long Ago on the Glasgow independent label Sticky Records. After the band's breakup 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 very minor release 'What You Are' became his first solo release on a major label and as such is regarded as his debut solo album.

Ross released another album, New Recording on his own label in 1997.

After Deacon Blue's reunion in 1999 and their release of the 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' short-lived Papillion label, in 2002. Papillion had released Deacon Blue's Homesick album in the previous year.

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

In 2005, Ross released the album Pale Rider through P3 Music.

Trivia

• Prior to forming Deacon Blue, he recorded a solo album, So Long Ago, and performed songs from the album at the Greenbelt Festival (Christian Arts), an event he would return to later in his career.

• Ross is a Dundee United supporter and wrote the "Proud to Be An Arab" song.

• Ross is married to fellow Deacon Blue singer Lorraine McIntosh. They have 3 children: Emer, Georgia and Seamus.

• His song The Undeveloped Heart on the album New Recording and Ooh Las Vegas (Deacon Blue (1990)) contains a quote from the song "My Heart Beats Like a Dream" by Scottish singer-songwriter David Heavenor giving him a name check in the lyric.

Discography

Ricky Ross has recorded both with the band Deacon Blue and as a solo artist.

Main article: Ricky Ross discography

For Ricky Ross' discography with Deacon Blue, see Deacon Blue discography.

Albums