Doctor Ross

Isaiah Ross (October 21, 1925 – May 28, 1993), known as Doctor Ross, was an American blues musician who usually performed as a one-man band, simultaneously singing and playing guitar, harmonica, and drums. Ross's primal style has been compared to John Lee Hooker, Blind Boy Fuller and Sonny Boy Williamson I. one of eleven children in a farming family of mixed African-American and Native American heritage. His first instrument was the harmonica, which he learned to play at age nine. Ross served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1948 in the Pacific Theater, and again from 1950 to 1951.

In October 1954, Ross moved his family to Flint, Michigan, and began working at a General Motors factory. In 1958, Ross recorded "Industrial Boogie," a Flint-centric take on "Boogie Chillen'" by John Lee Hooker, released on his own DIR imprint. From 1960 to 1963, Detroit-based Fortune Records released four singles by Ross, including 1961's "Cat Squirrel," which later brought Ross to the attention of rock audiences when the song was covered on the debut albums of both Cream and Jethro Tull. Following his Fortune singles, which were recorded with accompanists, Ross began recording most of his songs solo, providing vocals, guitar, hi-hat and bass drum played with foot pedals, and harmonica with a neck rack.

Ross's first album, Call the Doctor, was recorded as a one-man band and issued in August 1965. Ross recorded live albums in Germany and Switzerland in 1972. Two years later, Ross played on the Big Bear Records package tour and album American Blues Legends '74. In the latter part of his career, Ross was a frequent fixture at blues festivals in both the United States and Europe. His last album was recorded live in 1991 at the Burnley Blues Festival in England. After his death, a music scholarship in his name was established at Mott Community College in Flint.

Discography Studio albums Call the Doctor (Testament, 1965) Doctor Ross the Harmonica Boss (Fortune, 1971) Jivin' the Blues (Big Bear, 1974)

Live albums The Flying Eagle (Blue Horizon, 1965) Live + Well (Ornament, 1972) Live at Montreux (Polydor, 1972) The Harmonica Boss (Big Bear, 1974) One Man Band (Takoma, 1981) I Want All My Friends to Know (JSP, 1991)

Singles "Country Clown" / "Doctor Ross Boogie" (Chess, 1952) "Come Back Baby" / "Chicago Breakdown" (Sun, 1953) "The Boogie Disease" / "Juke Box Boogie" (Sun, 1954) "Industrial Boogie" / "Thirty-Two Twenty" (DIR, 1958) "Sugar Mama" / "I'd Rather Be an Old Woman's Baby Than a Young Girl's Slave" (Fortune, 1960) "Cat Squirrel" / "The Sunnyland" (Fortune, 1961) "Cannonball" / "Numbers Blues" (Fortune, 1963) "Call the Doctor" / "New York Breakdown" (Fortune, 1963)

Compilations His First Recordings (Arhoolie, 1972) Memphis Breakdown (P-Vine, 1987) Boogie Disease (Arhoolie, 1992) The Harmonica Boss (Fortune, 1995) Juke Box Boogie: The Sun Years, Plus (Bear Family, 2013)