Ross Childress

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Collective Soul

Ross was the lead guitarist and co-songwriter of internationally renowned rock band Collective Soul from 1993 to 2001. He grew up with and had played with the original band members before their signing to Atlantic Records in early 1994. Ross left the band in September 2001 after they released their greatest hits compilation 7even Year Itch. Much debate still exists regarding the reason for his departure. The band released a brief statement on their website urging fans to understand that the situation was very personal.

During his time with Collective Soul, Ross was known for his metallic sound and heavy grunge riffs, he became one of the best guitarists of 1990's modern rock. He combined various effects and versatility into his play, showcasing his skills during hundreds of live gigs/performances all over the world. He often did take a "whatever fits the song" kind of approach. However Ross was able to creatively improvise on stage often adding in more complex elements, letting his playing do the talking, such as extended solos or expanded guitar parts. He along with songwriter Ed Roland penned many catchy and memorable "hooks" as evident on Collective Soul's most popular songs. Ross sang, wrote and performed the song "Dandy Life" off their 1999 release Dosage. This was the first time that a member other than Ed had sang lead on a studio recording. There were always elements of metal and blues influences in his playing, and a lot of the Collective Soul songs have a distorted grunge sound.

Projects

In 2004/2005 Ross returned to recording music as a studio musician for the Trevor Hurst project entitled "Hurst". He contributed in many ways, including co-writing & producing. The band recruited a few other muscians to join. The album has done moderately well in Canada since its release in June 2005. Ross played a few shows, but decided not to play live and remain in the background.

More recently, November 2006, Ross was mentioned on the myspace.com page of Atlanta based Metal/Rockabilly band "The Hot Rods" as being the producer of their debut album "Rumble Seat" slated for release in January 2007.

In December 2006, a myspace.com page for Ross appeared. It spoke of a new project entitled "Ross Childress Experience", consisting of himself on vocals/guitar, and two musician friends on bass and drums.