Ross Barrett was born in 1944 in Nelson, BC starting his life long commitment to music at the young age of 8, taking piano lessons with a local teacher. His newfound love metamorphosed into a longstanding relationship with the saxophone, which he first picked up as a teenager. At the tender age of 14 he started a band called Ricko and the Knights that performed at high school dances and social events. At the age of 18 he moved to Vancouver and enrolled into the Music Program at UBC, where he rigorously studied composition and flute, graduating with a bachelor’s in music.
Never one to shy away from the limelight, he worked as a performer during this time, playing his tenor saxophone in the cabarets on Hastings Street. He established himself as a unique and creative performer, visual artist, and composer. In high demand, his career has continued to lambast the city with performances, compositions, and paintings on an unrelenting basis. He continued to work as a full- time freelance musician, specializing in saxophone, flute, piano, and composition. He has worked in the film and TV industry as both a composer and actor.
