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John A. Ross (composer)

1940–2006

United States

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Biography

John Andrew Ross (December 15, 1940 – June 12, 2006) was an African American jazz musician, composer, musical director, and choral conductor. Ross was born and raised in Roxbury, Massachusetts and remained in the Boston, Massachusetts area for his whole life. While growing up in Roxbury, Ross's home was frequently visited by his father's college roommate, Langston Hughes. The relationship shared between Hughes and Ross would later manifest as Ross becoming the musical director of Langston Hughes's gospel play "Black Nativity". Acquaintances of Ross, recall him as a welcoming man with a glowing presence and a knack for fine foods.

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Black heritage reference ↗

Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-20

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