ROSS RICE has been a professional musician for 23 years. After finishing a Bachelors of Music Composition degree at University of Memphis in 1983, he then went to the REAL University of Memphis music: the Memphis club scene. Working his way through the ranks, he ended up in a group called The Coolers, which featured Donald "Duck" Dunn, Stax Records house bassist (Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, but, most notably, Booker T. and the MG's). This became the premier rhythm section in town, backing up Charlie Rich, Ron Wood, Jerry Lee Lewis, Joe Walsh, and Luther Ingram, among many others.

After 2 1/2 years, Ross left to form Human Radio, which signed with Columbia records, and had a minor hit in 1990, "Me and Elvis", the video of which was briefly in heavy rotation on MTV (back when they actually showed music videos). After a coast-to-coast tour, and several years in Nashville, the band broke up, and Ross continued writing and performing, co-writing songs on albums by Susannah Hoffs (Bangles) and Adrian Belew (Talking Heads, King Crimson). A batch of publishing demos found its way to Steve Earle, who promptly signed Ross to his new E-Squared label. Ross' CD "Umpteen" was released in 1997 to international critical acclaim (also released on Sony Japan).

Ross relocated back to Memphis, and became a mainstay on the local scene, producing and performing frequently. As a sideman, he contributed to CD's by Steve Earle, Jill Sobule, Steve Forbert, Tim Easton, Amy Rigby, Banyan (w/ Stephen Perkins, Jane's Addiction), Garrison Starr, Swan Dive, and the Bloodthirsty Lovers. He appeared on tour with Banyan, Rob Wasserman's Space Island, Todd Snider, Eek-A-Mouse, Scott Miller and the Commonwealth, Kim Richey, Jamie O'Neal, Willie Waldman Project, Mark Farner (Grand Funk RR), and most recently, Peter Frampton. Ross has recently relocated to the Hudson Valley of New York, to pursue a less volatile quality of life for himself and his family.

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