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Russ Moss It seems music has always accompanied my life. As a child growing up in rural Warren County, Georgia, I heard all kinds of music beamed from distant radio stations. Blues, country, rock and roll, R&B, blue grass, easy listening, gospel, classical, soul and spirituals. It settled into my being. It became a comfort, a way of expressing a range of emotions, joy, grief, excitement, fear, accomplishment, anger, hopelessness and the unspeakable! Music was my comfort when my mother and father separated, leaving my brothers and me to bounce from relative to relative, eventually landing with a great uncle for ten years of hard labor on a share cropping farm. A song to hum, to whistle or to sing made the chores just a bit more bearable, the sunrises and sunsets just a bit more beautiful and the wonders of country living a bit more magical! My very first teenage performances at school and church programs permanently hooked me to music’s balm. Whether on stage or in the audience, that feeling of magic has continued. After completing high school in Georgia, listening to my mother’s jazz record collection and discovering live music in the clubs and bars in Buffalo, New York opened another door. It helped me adjust to the faster pace of urban living. I discovered new tunes that got me through some mind numbing factory jobs necessary to save money for school. While completing a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration at Benedict College, in Columbia, South Carolina, the college concert choir came to my rescue. I had an opportunity to tour the Eastern United States and perform a wide variety of music. After college, a career shooting television news footage began in South Carolina. The often crazy newsroom schedules made bands and choirs impossible. Getting a guitar and taking lessons became my active link to music. A job offer from WJZ-TV brought me to Baltimore, Maryland. Again that ever changing newsroom schedule continued for a few more years. I found a great guitar teacher, Steve Herron, in Annapolis, Maryland. Through Steve’s teaching, I gained an important tool to assist my songwriting. Once my cameraman’s schedule was stable enough, I sought out jam sessions, connecting and performing with other musicians: Keith Miller, Stef Scaggiari, Ron Elliston, Ronnie Wells, Ethel Ennis, Keter Betts, Mark Russell, Greg Grainger, Aleta Greene, Sue Matthews, The Annapolis Junction Big Band, The Baltimore Songwriters Association and others. As a result I have performed at a number of clubs in the region, including the King of France Tavern in Annapolis, Cabaret at Germano’s in Baltimore, private parties, festivals and other events. Since my retirement from CBS Corporation my autobiography is underway. My still photography remains a passion. Some exhibits are in the pipeline. Volunteer work for the Benedict College Alumni Association , Baltimore City Forestry Board and the Reservoir Hill Community is ongoing. Songwriting and some performing will keep the music playing. “Right Now” is my most recent recording. “Sizzle” is my first and there is more to come. Contact Russ Moss: 2006 Park Avenue
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