Ross Ward

Born Sydney Auustalia in 1954. 1969-1979 Appeared on national television’s ‘Uptight’ with The Flying Circus in 1969 (aged 14), as the fill-in bassist for his older brother Warren. Spent two weeks spent touring with a band. Formed ‘Stonehenge’ with Tim Gaze and Nigel Maccara. Toured with Ronnie Burns, Stevie Wright and Mike Furber, and others. Held down a residence at Sydney’s “Whiskey au Go-Go” for a year before joining ‘Cinamon’, a rock band from Sydney’s inner-western suburbs, and toured the East Coast for the next two years into 1973. Played guitar on album releases by John J. Francis and Aidan Nolan in the mid-seventies, made a few guest appearances in later versions of ‘Blackfeather’, worked with rocker Jimmy Taylor, played guitar on other sessions and then teamed up with ‘Cinamon’ cohort Phil Doherty in ‘Nusa’ to round out the 70’s. 1980-1990 ‘Nusa’ morphed into ‘Speed Limit’, and released a six track mini-album, and two singles on Polygram subsidiary Airborne records in 1981,then a touring schedule for the next few years, along with supports to Aussie act at the time, plus a share of spots with internationals such as ‘The Cure’ and ‘Canned Heat’. In 1984 Ross founded the R & B Band, which for the next ten years included a number of guest musicians including regular guests included drummers Richard Harvey, Rudy Miranda, Bruce Stephens; guitarists Steve Edmonds and Phil Emmanuel, as well as vocalist/harp player Dave Tice. 1991-2000 Joined Lucky Starr’s band for a year or so, then Sydney band ‘Bandanna’, returned in 1992 with some line-ups of the ‘R & B Band’, until 1995 then relocating to Byron Bayand then formed ‘Ward’s Xpress’ in 1997. The band released the E.P. ‘Toe The Line’ earning them a ‘Dolphin Award’ for ‘Best Blues’. 'Wards Xpress’ also recorded and released another two C.D.’s, 1998’s ‘South Bound Freight’, and ‘Wire-Fire’ in 2000. The band had an almost seven-year residence at one local Byron venue. 2001-2010 By 2002, he’d begun a solo touring schedule, released his first solo effort, ‘Transit Lounge’ in Nov. 2003, earning the ‘Bluesoz CD of the year Award’ in 2004. Commended 2009's 'Man Of The Road' tour. 2010-2015 In early 2010 relocated back to Sydney reunited with s drummer Bruce Stephens, and Al Britton on bass. with several l resident Sydney gigs, and regular shows in Newcastle and Wollongong. In March 2012, Ward’s Xpress released the ‘Five Lanes’ EP, . A few months after release the EP was no.1 on the Australian Blues & Roots Airplay Charts, and stayed in the top 25 for a record 18 months. Appeared at Blues Fest in Byron for two show's, then a spot on inaugural 'Deni Blues & Roots Festival' ( now called 'The Big Sky Festival ). That all happened on the same weekend ( Easter 2103 ), with the Xpress slotting in between Steve Miller and Santana at Deni. Ward's Xpress took a break in the first half of 2014, with just a hand-full of local gigs before picking it all up again. A retrospective 'Ward's Xpress' CD 'The Back Roads' was released in july, 2015. The album contains a selection of track's all five of the band's previous releases. The compilation went to no 1 on the Australian Blues & Roots Chart 'Most Played' list in September 2015 and stayed there for 3 months!