Darrell Ross, Nashua, NH
Drummer, Rick's Continentals Band
Darrell Ross joined The Continentals Rock & Roll Band as the drummer after meeting Stan Suire in the school band at Northeast High School in Meridian, MS.
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| Rick's Continentals RAP Records Recording Studio Left to Right Rick Spence Ray Vaughn Darrell Ross Stan Suire Bob Minnis |
Darrell became a good friend to all the band members as they played and worked together in the band. Early on, Darrell performed many of the groups vocals, especially those numbers by the Beatles. His hallmark became his drums solo performance in the Ventures number "Wipeout" at every band concert. During this song, the band members would leave the stage while Darrell remained on stage to perform and his percussionist skills often received cheers and much encouragement from the audience. Darrell's role in the band was very important. He was the timekeeper for the band. Every number performed was based on the drum beat and time set by Darrell, the drummer. And Darrell was a great drummer as evidenced by his performance in the "Wipeout" Recording.
The band recorded Wipeout at RAP Records Studio. Wipeout is included on their Back To The Beginning Album released in 2009.
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| Photo From Live It Up RAP Records Studio |
Darrell performed as the drummer for the next three years and was with the band when the name changed to Rick's Continentals, recording as drummer on their hit record, "Live It Up, " backed by "Cold Lonely Winter," at RAP Records recording studio.
After leaving the band, Darrell accepted a music scholarship to East Mississippi Jr. College. In college he played the piano and played tenor sax in the school's marching band and concert band the second year and never got to play drums again. After two years of being a music major and hanging out with the group, Rick's Continentals, Darrell joined the Army,
Darrell met his wife, Isabella, 2 years after arriving on station in Germany and they were married in July ‘76, on the hottest day in the last hundred years. In December ‘77, his oldest daughter, Rebecca was born and in March ‘78, Darrell returned to the USA and was stationed at Ft. Bliss, Tx. After serving in the military, Darrell retird and moved to Nashua, NH where he worked in corporate security and later as the Director of Disaster Services for the American Red Cross in Manchester, NH. Darrell finished his degree in Behavioral Sciences and began working as a Licensed Nursing Assistant for Alzheimer, Parkinson Disease, and Dementia Patients and retired from this position in 2006 after open heart surgery.
Darrell Lee Ross, 61, of Nashua, NH passed away Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at his home after a lengthy illness. He was born June 27, 1949 in Newport, RI, son of the late Donald and Dorothy (Studerus) Ross and was husband to Isabella “Isa” (Kusters) Ross, of Nashua whom he had been married to for 34 years. He was also predeceased by one sister, Diane Walters who died in 2004. Besides his wife, whom he married on July 2, 1976 survivors include two daughters and one son-in-law, Rebecca Ross, of Nashua and Jessica Jolly and her husband Kirin, also of Nashua. Also three brothers and three sister-in-laws, Donald Ross and his wife, Brenda, of Meridian, Miss, Duane Ross and wife Misaho, of Japan, and David Ross and his wife Ellen, of Gallatin, Tenn. and one brother-in-law, Charles “Whitey” Walters, of Meridian, Miss. Also his favorites, three grandsons, Logan, Wesley, and Noah Jolly, all of Nashua.
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our friend Darrell. We will always remember you as you were. Fun loving with a cheerful nature, always joking around with your quick wit and sense of humor. Keep up the beat. Someday, we will join you because it is our destiny. We will miss you until then.
