Raymond Perry 'Ray' Ross, Jr., of Morehead, Kentucky, passed away after extended heath difficulties Monday afternoon, February 16, 2015, at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington. An Ashland native, Ray was born November 18, 1944, in Huntington, West Virginia, the son of the late Raymond Perry and Rhea Savage Ross. Ray was retired from Morehead State University where he was Assistant Professor of Guitar for 27 years. In addition to teaching and overseeing MSU's jazz guitar and electric bass students over the years, Ray also taught Music Theory, Class Guitar, Guitar Ensemble, Music Reading, and also assisted and guided students who required directed studies on an individual basis. Ray was a member of the MSU Faculty Jazz Ensemble, where he performed on guitar and sometimes bass, as well as writing several pieces they recorded and performed. Ray was a student favorite in the music faculty, keeping his coffee pot full and his door open. Ray was also instrumental in the creation and development in the traditional music program at MSU, which is now the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music located in Morehead, and includes a Minor in Traditional Music. Ray was also the faculty advisor for BUG, the Brotherhood of University Guitarists guitar student organization, where he hosted many gatherings famous for fellowship, spicy chili, and impromptu musical performances. Ray enjoys a teaching and musical legacy that includes many successful current songwriters and musicians in the Nashville area and well beyond. Ray was an extremely accomplished musician in a variety of disciplines and on several instruments. In addition to guitar, Ray was an outstanding pianist and trombonist, performing professionally on all three, and also played drums, banjo, and bass. Ray performed with many nationally recognized recording artists including Roy Clark, Bobby Goldsboro, Michelle LeGrande, Buddy Rich, Smokey Robinson, Lena Horne, Merle Haggard, The Judds, Dottie West and many others. Beginning in his high school years at Russell High School, in Russell, KY, Ray has always maintained his own band which performed for private functions, concerts, and a multitude of other venues. He has also performed professionally with many former students, often staffing his band with current and former students. Several of Ray's former students have gone on to successful song writing and publishing careers, as well as current and past performers with artists such as Kathy Mattea, Ricky Skaggs, Justin Moore, and Billy Ray Cyrus. Ray attended Marshall University in Huntington for two years and later received his Bachelors of Science in Music Education at Pikeville College, Pikeville, Kentucky, in trombone performance. He helped support his family by playing music and serving as staff photographer to the college. From there he travelled to Denton, TX, where he studied trombone performance at North Texas State University and received his Masters of Music in Jazz Pedagogy and Performance. While at NTSU, Ray performed with the One O'clock Lab Band and recorded Lab '75 and Lab '76 (both recordings were Grammy finalists), and he performed as a regular member of the Ray Price Band, Jesse Lopez Show, The Tommy Loy Dixieland Band, and the Six flags Over Texas Dixie Band in addition to numerous other performances in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. In keeping with family tradition, Ray also served for two years as the Dallas Fort Worth area local Musicians Union's business agent. Prior to attending college, Ray worked in the rigger's shop at Armco Steel, Inc., in Ashland. Ray is survived by his wife of 27 years, Karen Cassity Ross; two sons, Raymond P. 'Rocky' Ross, III of Morehead, and Bradley Conrad Ross of Lexington; two step-daughters, Sheryl Ann Stern Ortega and Shelley Sluss Taliaferro, both of Morehead; one granddaughter, Megan (Brandon) Laycock of Florence; four step-grandchildren, Marco David Ortega II, Gabriel Alan Taliaferro, Faith Marie Taliaferro, and Madison Marie Ortega, all of Morehead; and three great-grandchildren, Kyli Kirkpatrick, Brynnlee Laycock, and Sofia Jade Ortega; a very special cousin, Daniel Norton, III of Lexington, and many students and others who have been 'adopted' at some point in his life. Visitation will be 4-9 p.m., Friday, February 27, 2015, and funeral services will be conducted Saturday, February 28, 2015, at 1 p.m., with the Rev. Molly Smothers officiating, both at Northcutt and Son Home for Funerals, 400 Fraley Drive, Morehead, KY. Burial will follow in Brown Cemetery. A celebration of Ray's life will follow the burial, details to be announced. Pallbearers: Marco David Ortega II, Gabriel Alan Taliaferro, Matthew Morphew, Steve Leslie, Frank Oddis, and Tom Stephens. Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105; (web) www.stjude.org; (phone) 800-805-5856 To leave a condolence or sign the guestbook, please visit www.northcuttandson.com Visitation: Friday, February 27, 2015, 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. Funeral: Saturday, February 28, 2015, at 1 p.m. Interment: Brown Cemetery