Ross’s road to fame

Keith Ross tucks his trademark blue fiddle under his chin, positions his bow and plays a soulful slice of “Faded Love”.

“When I play that in Texas, everyone from Oklahoma stands up and puts a hand over their heart,” he says.

He picks up the pace next with one of Don Messer’s downeast-style tunes.

Afterward, Ross says, forcing a playful grimace, “It’s a nasty instrument, the fiddle. It’s so dependent on your personality. It’s almost like having your own voice. It’s a soul thing.”

It can’t be easy to explain the connection between fiddler and fiddle, especially after 55 years in music. Ross, who was raised on a farm in Ste. Croix, Hants County and played in his early years at places like the Dyke Restaurant Dance Hall in Falmouth, knows one thing: “I may be ready to relax and put my feet up and take it easy one day,” but for now retirement is simply a faraway notion.

Ross has played enough venues and won enough awards to satisfy the hungriest performer, but the tall, lanky contest judge, music instructor, studio musician and sideman who turned 72 early this week has another big feather for his cap.

Recently, Ross received word he would be inducted this month into Nova Scotia’s Country Music Hall of Fame. He reacted with typical country cool.

“I don’t get excited a lot, but I got as excited as I get,” Ross says with a laugh. “Obviously, I’m very honoured.”

A long-time member of the King’s Fiddlers, Ross started playing guitar music professionally in 1952. A few years later he switched to the fiddle. In the early 1970s he formed his own country-rock band, The Novas, which played throughout the Annapolis Valley.

In years to follow he performed all over the Maritimes, across Canada twice and in a number of American States.

“I haven’t run my own band since 1982, but there are so many musicians around, if I call them they just come and play.”

Ross lives in New Minas with his wife Bernice, about whom Ross jokes, “She’s in charge of dressing me and collecting the money.”

Ross, who at one time worked as a car salesman in Windsor and owned Ross Music Sales with his family for 21 years, remains breathtakingly busy given his age.

He’s a popular performer in this neck of Canada, but in truth, a lot of his playing takes part in the States, including in Texas, where he and Bernice spend the winter months.

“I’ll do 25 concerts in Texas this winter,” he says.

His ties to the Lone Star State date back to 1981 when, in California, Ross met by chance his favourite fiddler of all time, Johnny Gimble, “ a great western swing-style fiddle player.”

“Have you ever been to Texas?” Gimble asked.

“I said no and he said if you ever do, I live in Austin and here’s my phone number.”

The Rosses took him up on the offer and ended up forging friendships and ongoing concert dates.

“This is our 10th year to winter in Texas” says Ross, “and it’s beginning to get a little busier than I planned. Last year I did 27 concerts squeezed into January and February.”

And Ross, who has 12 CDs under his belt, has little time in these parts to relax, which is just the way he likes it. He’s looking forward to a “pre-induction concert” at the Hants County Exhibition in Windsor Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. He will perform also a gospel music fundraising concert at the United Church in Ste. Croix Sunday, Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. Advance tickets are available at Moe’s Place Music Centre in Windsor.

But Saturday, Sept. 15 is the really big show. He heads to the Wandlyn Inn in Bridgewater where, with four other people, he’ll be inducted into the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame.

In addition to Ross, this year’s inductees are Lynne Crowell, a singer/songwriter from Barrington who has been performing since she was about four; and Roy and Frances Rudolph, a country duo that performed a number of years ago.

Located in Lunenburg, the centre is marking its 10th anniversary with a special show titled “The Changing Tides of Country Music”, featuring music of the past and today.

Hall of Fame president Arthur Brown says the show sold out in June.