Rindy and Marv first performed together in the 70's at Western Oregon University where they fell in love and got married. While completing their teaching degrees, they began gigging in bands with Rindy playing sax and singing Marv's guitar-driven compositions.
After teaching three years in Central Oregon, they took very early retirements and formed Seafood Mama - a wildly popular dance band that played every smoky hippy bar between Seattle and Portland in the late 70's.
In 1980 they recorded Marv's song, "Harden My Heart" - which became their first hit and led to Geffen Records signing them. Over the next decade they released four albums under a new name, Quarterflash (quarterflash.net) garnering gold and platinum records and tours with Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, and assorted big-haired 80's acts better left unmentioned. It was an exciting-tumultuous-insane era and the Rosses lived out many a fantasy including Marv writing a song with Burt Bacharach and Rindy appearing on Merv Griffin with Richard Simmons.
In 1991 they formed Ross Productions (rossproductions.com) to create music for NW audiences. Their first project was a commission from the state of Oregon to produce a musical based on diaries of immigrants on the Oregon Trail. From that project came The Trail Band and nine CDs of traditional Americana music. (trailband.com) Also, the Rosses gained a deep interest in Native American music and Marv began to write his second play, "The Ghosts of Celilo" (ghostsofcelilo.com) - a Broadway-styled musical featuring Native American music and culture. "Ghosts" was presented in October by Artists Repertory Theatre at The Portland Center for the Performing Arts to rave reviews and 13 sold-out performances.
Recently, Marv & Rindy were awarded Western Oregon University's Alumni Award of Excellence and they are releasing a new Quarterflash CD, "Goodbye Uncle Buzz".
Hi Rindy & Marv,
Rodney H. here from the Southern U.S.;
I've listened to and loved your music for the past 27 years or so--I'm trying to get "Take another picture" CD on EBAY (I already had greatest hits CDs but now want all the individual albums).
God Bless you both and keep making the good music.
Jul 30 2008, 05:53 AM
Quarterflash was truly an amazing group. One of the best from the 80's. Still love 'em...
Jun 18 2008, 12:42 PM
I'm gonna harden my heaaarrt. I'm gonna swallow my tearrrs. I'm gonna turn. and. lea-heave you-hu heeeeeerrre!