Dr. Ross
BOOGIE DISEASE !
'Doctor' Isaiah Ross 1925 - 1993
Born in Tunica, Mississippi, Isaiah began his musical journey when, in his own words, "Dr Ross would slip in and play his father's harmonica while he be in the field at work." When one of his elder sisters bought him a harmonica at the age of nine, he would use it to entertain the younger children while the adults worked in the fields.
From children's entertainer Isaiah progressed to playing at country suppers in Helena, Arkansas, with local bluesmen such as the guitarist G.P. Jackson and pianist Willie Love. Like many bluesmen these 'country suppers' were where Isaiah honed his art. After serving in the Army (1943 -1948), where he saw service in the Philippines,Isaiah returned to Helena and met up with old friend Wiley Gatlin who taught him to play guitar.
In 1950-51 the Korean War saw Isaiah recalled into the Army, this time only travelling as far as Fort Worth, Texas where he served as an instructor. It was during his time that Isaiah picked up the 'Doctor' nickname through his love of reading medical books.
With his legendary eye, or should that be ear, for talent Sam Phillips tied Dr Ross to a five year contract. The deal was soon to sour though with Dr Ross quickly became disillusioned with life as a professional musician and returned to supplementing his income with various day jobs. In 1954 he stopped recording for Sam Phillips, claiming that he "saw too little reward", but being a man of honour the good Doctor held true to his contract and refrained from recording until the contract expired in 1958. The recordings which Dr. Ross had laid down at his sessions for Sam Phillips would later find 'cult' status in the 1980's amongst an army of young fans searching out the roots of 1950's Rock-a-Billy and Rock 'n' Roll music.
These are more than just transitional recordings though, they stand alone as definitions of the Memphis Rockin' Blues scene of the early 1950's, conjuring up images of smoke filled Juke Joints and Country Suppers. Sam Phillips was perfecting his legendary 'echo' effects, whilst waiting for the 'White Negro' and Dr. Ross was following a progression toward becoming the one man blues band of the 1960's Folk & Blues scene, but if neither had given the world anything else these recordings would have more than sufficed.
The Dr Ross story did continue though and as soon as his Sun Records contract expired in 1958 the "Doctor" was back in the studios. The complete Dr Ross one man blues band experience was debuted on a remake of his final recording on Sun 'Industrial Boogie', a John Lee Hooker inspired look at life in his new home town of Flint, Michigan which was released on his own DIR (Dr Isaiah Ross) label.
By the mid sixties Dr Ross had caught the attention of the European Blues scene and like many such artists he was bewildered by the adoring knowledgeable, enthusiastic fans he found. As well as his un-compromised style of play fans thrilled at his stories of magical places such as Memphis or Mississippi and of mysterious players such as Joe Hill Louis or Willie Nix.
From the Sixties onward Dr Ross played most of his gigs and did most of his recording work in Europe enjoying his cult status. Dr Ross proved something of a quandary to Blues aficionados by played both his Harmonica and Guitar 'upside down', with high notes of the Harp to the left and strumming his acoustic Guitar left handed without ever re-stringing it.
On his last visit to Britain in 1991, for the 3rd Burnley Blues Festival, he delighted packed houses in Burnley and Newcastle with his own unique 'boogie' Blues. Typically he would open his set by assuring everyone suffering with a case of the 'Blues' that the 'Doctor' would cure their ills. The assurance came with a warning, however, that they might contract the highly infectious 'Boogie Disease'. He would then build his set up, beginning with Blues and Boogies such as 'Blues in the Night' and 'Baby Please Don't Go', accompanied only by his harmonica. Tension would then be increased with the addition of acoustic guitar for numbers such as 'That's Alright Mama' and harmonica / guitar boogie instrumentals. The build up was completed with the introduction of bass drum and cymbal giving stomping drive to legendary numbers such as 'Chicago Breakdown' and 'Cat Squirrel'. True to his word Doctor Ross, having cured everyone of the blues, gave them a dose of his 'Boogie Disease' complete with the immortal line 'I ain't never gonna get well, but I might get better!' Doctor Isaiah Ross spent the whole of his life 'getting better' then passed away in January 1993, suffering a heart attack after playing a local gig in Flint, Michigan.
Doctor Ross THE Harmonica Boss 1925-1993
Recommended listening:
Dr Ross - Boogie Disease Arhoolie CD 371 22 Tracks from Sun Records 1951-54
Call the Doctor Testament TCD 5009 17 Tracks of Dr Ross as a one-man blues band from 1965
Blues and Boogie From Detroit CMA/Ornament CM 8006 Recording of a German concert in 1972
I Want All My Friends To Know JSP JSP CD 243 Recording of his appearance at the 1991 Burnley Blues Festival
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