15/03/2020
This is the magnificent Ross Inglis.
Ross was my 1st guitar teacher and 1st Guitar Hero and Mentor. I was having lessons with him at the time this clip was recorded.
Ross is the man who shaped my ear and guided me to a world of wonderful music and musicians.
At one of my early lessons, I asked him to direct me towards people I should be listening to. He filled a page of great musicians and albums. People like George Benson, Earl Klugh, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Joe Pass, Howard Roberts and Pete Carr to name a few. Over the coming months, I purchased everyone of the recommended albums. Wow! what a journey and feast for my ears and mind.
Ross's record collection was greater than most record stores around. I would marvel at the size of it and how he knew exactly where to find each record.
Saturdays were my favourite days of my week. After my lesson with him, Ross would take me with him to his residency at "The Weathercook" Wine and Cider Tavern in Drummond St Carlton, in his Light Blue HK Holden. I felt very privileged and it still remains one of my most favourite memories on my teenage years. I came to learn you can get drunk on Apple Cider :-) I wonder if anyone remembers that awesome venue?
Those were the days! The Grainstore was the place to be and I was there at least 3 days of the week. Fusion during the week, upstairs and downstairs,seeing bands like Pyramid and Crossfire. The smooth vocals of Peter Roberts with Street Life and the Network Horns on Fridays and Saturdays with the powerhouse drumming of Virgil Donate. I was fortunate to grow up as a young muso with these guys as inspiration. I'm forever grateful to them all.
Ross is a totally awesome man and brilliant guitarist/musician. I hold him with the highest esteem. As a result of his investment in me, I now invest myself into my guitar students. It's a wonderful life and I'm so grateful for the trust my students place in me.
One thing that use to blow me away about watching Ross play and his perfect pitch was that he would occasionally tweak the tuning of his guitar "as he was playing, even in solos". If you watch carefully, you'll see him doing it in this song. A living "Legend"!
Network at The Grainstore, early 80's.
