FGH-0019: Interview with Don Ross – National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion & Composer

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Summary, Episode 19:

In 1988, Don became the first Canadian to win the U.S. National Fingerpick Guitar Championship. He won again in 1996, still the only two-time winner of the competition.

Don has toured regularly since 1989, across Canada, the USA, a dozen European countries, Japan, Taiwan, China, Australia, Russia and India.

He has played live and on recording with U.S. guitarist Andy McKee, Canadian singer/guitarist Brooke Miller, Canadian guitarist Calum Graham, & Toronto bassist Jordan O’Connor. Don composes scores for television, radio and film, and does production and recording engineering for a variety of other musicians.

He’s released numerous CDs and DVDs for the Candy Rat Record label, including his new album, A Million Brazilian Civilians, on CD and see-through orange vinyl.

(Timestamps are for audio version of the podcast.)

• 2:49 Welcome Don!
• 3:52 Don’s earliest musical influences.
• 6:50 Don as a composer first, guitarist second.
• 8:40 Discovering Leo Kottke’s approach…music with humor.
• 9:20 Exposure to modern composers Steve Reich, Xenakis, John Adams.
• 10:40 Don talks about composing for film & TV.
• 15:44 We discuss alternate tunings and why Don Does uses them.
• 22:33 Why composes away from the guitar.
• 24:04 Music – Don plays his composition – “A Million Brazilian Civilians.”
• 27:33 Don’s relationship to classical guitar.
• 31:04 I ask Don about his live sound setup.
• 32:50 Keep it simple…we talk pickups, pedals and other guitar nitty gritty.
• 34:53 Don tells his “pedalboard on the highway” mishap story.
• 39:46 What are Don’s hobbies outside music?
• 41:25 His best advice for musicians.
• 44:47 The guitar tablature “trap.”
• 50:22 Ending credits & podcast contact info.
• 53:14 Music – Don plays his composition – “Seven Seven Four.”

Don’s Links:

• https://donrossonline.com/
• Don on Facebook
• Don on Youtube
• Don on Twitter
• Don’s band project is called “Don Ross – Louder Than Usual”

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