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Episode 14: Ross Rice

Today on Songwriter Stories, we Dig Down Deep into the cosmic mind of earthy power-funk songwriter and Human Radio co-founder, Ross Rice.  Ross has rubbed professional shoulders with three of our previous guests: Brad Jones, Bill DeMain and Amy Rigby.  We discuss his band, his solo career, and his songwriting collaborators, including Adrian Belew and Susanna Hoffs. 

Another collaboration we highly recommend involved Will Owsley & Millard Powers.  We've included that story for you below. 

Photo by Jrew Raines

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Website

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Bonus Q&A:
Ross Rice and Owsley

Q: "Tell us about your Owsley collaboration."

A: "Human Radio was good friends with The Semantics: Will Owsley, Millard Powers, Zak Starkey [son of Ringo Starr].  I hung out frequently with them while they worked on their demos for their ill-fated Geffen record late into the evenings at the Sony Tree studio in Nashville.  I liked going to Will and Millard's on occasion, was generally welcome, they liked playing new stuff off of me and getting feedback, as I was an unabashed fan.

Will had 'Oh No the Radio' going, I was there early for that, offered 'got me by the ears'  ...one night they played me the verse and chorus fully complete and decided to have a bridge.  I rather boldly announced I had their bridge and proceeded to lay it out musically.  They liked it.  Suddenly the lyric just popped out of my mouth as I sang the melody as if I had written it already."

Just when I thought I would never
Get over the thought of you leaving
The sky opens up and the sunshine's
Giving me more to believe in
Then I hear it once again
No! No! No!

"Oh No The Radio"  (You can hear Ross' bridge at 1:48)

"It worked though they really didn't want to have the word 'thought' twice in the same line, but it sang just right, so they kept it.  It was an honor to have their trust in the moment, and you will never meet two more talented guys, I still miss Will a lot.  (Then there's Zak... incredible drummer plus a super cool hang... but that is a whole 'nother story.)"


 

Bonus Link:
Ross Rice's documentary:

"Memphis and Nashville:
The Music Highway
"

(YouTube)

 


  Album Artist Songwriter Producer Song
Human Radio (Human Radio) Human
Radio

(1990)

Currently
Not In Print

Human
Radio
See Songs > David
Kahne /
David
Leonard
Me & Elvis (Ross Rice) (YouTube)

I Don't Wanna Know (Ross Rice)  (YouTube)

These Are the Days (Ross Rice)  (YouTube)

Electromagnetisma (Kye Kennedy, Ross Rice) (YouTube)

Umpteen (Ross Rice) Umpteen

(1997)

Currently
Not In Print

Ross
Rice
Miss July:
Brad Jones,
Ross RIce

Dance Lessons:
Ross Rice
Brad
Jones /
Ross
Rice
Miss July (YouTube)
Here's how Ross Rice released the song.  Ross explains in the podcast that this is basically the same track as Brad Jones used,  On this version, Brad sings the backing vocals.

Miss July
Here's how Brad Jones released the song on his own debut solo album, "Gilt-Flake."  For this version, Ross Rice sings backing vocals.

Dance Lessons (YouTube)

Dwight (Ross Rice) Dwight

(2006)

Ross
Rice
Ross
Rice
Ross
Rice
Hard Times for the Revolution

Mr. Anti-Sunshine

Happy?

Beautiful Ghost

Over Arizona

Samsara (Human Radio) Samsara

(2016)

Human
Radio
Steve Arnold
Steve Ebe
Peter Hyrka
Kye Kennedy
Ross Rice
Ross
Rice
Super Solar Satellite

Follow You Down

Horizon Now

When You're a Boy (Sussana Hoffs) When You're
a Boy

(1991)

Susanna
Hoffs
Susanna Hoffs /
David Kahne / Scott Cutler / Ross Rice
David
Kahne
No Kind of Love
Here (Adrian Belew) Here

(1994)

Currently
Not In Print

Adrian
Belew
Adrian Belew /
Ross
Rice
Adrian
Belew
I See You  (YouTube)
The only song on this album not written solo by Adrian Belew was co-penned by Ross Rice.
Lynne Me
Your Ears

(2001)

Ross
Rice
Jeff
Lynne
Ross
Rice
Evil Woman

(Title / Artist / Album)

OPENING MEDLEY
Dig Down Deep / Ross Rice / Umpteen
Another TIme / Ross Rice / Umpteen
Electromagnetisma / Human Radio / Human Radio
(I Just Wanna) Hang With My Baby / Ross Rice / Dwight
Samsara-It's Real / Human Radio / Samsara
Words Fail Me / Ross Rice / Dwight

Another Planet / Human Radio / Human Radio
Me & Elvis / Human Radio / Human Radio
My First Million / Human Radio / Human Radio
I Don't Wanna Know / Human Radio / Human Radio
These Are the Days / Human Radio / Human Radio

No Kind of Love / Susanna Hoffs / When You're a Boy

I See You / Adrian Belew / Here

Miss July / Ross Rice / Umpteen
To See All / Ross Rice / Umpteen
On Earth Again / Ross Rice / Umpteen
Off My Mind / Ross Rice / Umpteen
Anything You Say / Ross Rice / Umpteen
 
Beautiful Excuse / Swan Dive / You're Beautiful

Blindman / Ross Rice / Dwight
Hard Times for the Revolution / Ross Rice / Dwight
Mr. Anti-Sunshine / Ross Rice / Dwight
Over Arizona / Ross Rice / Dwight

Samsara-It's Real / Human Radio / Samsara
Horizon Now / Human Radio /  Samsara
Follow You Down / Human Radio / Samsara
Walk in the Garden / Human Radio /  Samsara
Super Solar Satellite / Human Radio /  Samsara

 

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