[This is a continuation of a series of articles on two outstanding West Virginia music dealers, Charles Gorby and Fred Ross. Gorby and Ross were not only music dealers, but contributed much to music education in our state. Younger teachers need to know how much they did].

It seems as though Fred Ross has always been involved with music--even when he was doing something else. He started playing piano when he was seven years old, and then learned to play the violin. When he was in the eighth grade, he became a member of the All-State Orchestra and may have been the youngest member of that group.

There was no band in Pennsboro High School where he was a student. One day in 1933 when Fred was a junior, a band organizer came to town driving a Stutz Black Hawk. He recruited Fred to show him to the homes of prospective band members. Fred joined, also, starting on trumpet. But after two weeks of playing he changed to clarinet. The band progressed rapidly and soon was able to perform at the Ritchie County Fair.

After high school Fred received a scholarship to study engineering at West Virginia University. He arrived in Morgantown in 1935, during the dark days of the depression. Times were tough. Music helped get Fred through his years at WVU by playing in dance bands on the side. He was in the ROTC band, WVU band, and the orchestra. He also worked in the library for extra money. During his sophomore year Fred changed his major to music. The WVU band director at that time was Bernard McGregor, and the vocal teacher was Frank Cuthbert.

After two years at WVU Fred received a scholarship to the Ernest Williams School of Music in Brooklyn, which was affiliated with New York University. At the school he became acquainted with several outstanding teachers. Among these were Robert Hoffman, first chair clarinetist in the Goldman Band (Fred's clarinet teacher); Leonard Smith, who later wrote the Treasury of Scales ; Eric Leidzen, the noted arranger; Pierre Henroit, instructor in strings and theory; Georges Bererier, flute instructor; and Percy Grainger, composer and composition instructor. Fred also met such nota- bles as Vincent Bach and Ferde Grofe. After a couple years Fred left New York to play in the Les Brown Band and the National Symphonic Band. Eventually, he grew tired of the travel involved with bands and returned to his home state and Parkersburg.

In Parkersburg Fred worked at the Ames Shovel Company. Always the musician, he continued to play in several dance bands. One of these was the Coliseum band which he later directed. While playing at a dance he met his future wife, Gerri. After daughter Mary Ann was born, Fred and his family moved to Clarksburg. He continued to play in bands while working at the White Electric Company.

During War II he joined the Army Air in aviation cadet and played in four different Army Air Force bands. After two years in the service Fred returned to Clarksburg where he organized his own band called the Freddy Ross Band. He was enjoying the experiences with area musicians, but soon other events would give him the opportunity in music for which he had been waiting. (To be continued).