Tracker Pixel for Entry

From Musician to Musician: A Conversation with Ross Pederson

Music | January 29th, 2020

photo courtesy of John Peterson

by Gerardo Gomez
gomezg@uni.edu

Drummer and Fargo native Ross Pederson always saw himself following in his father’s footsteps as a musician. He currently finds himself in New York City playing with many world class professional musicians and groups, including the Grammy-award winning group The Manhattan Transfer. I had the pleasure of talking with him about his upcoming show at The Hotel Donaldson on Tuesday, February 4th, but most importantly I had the opportunity to learn his story about his passion and dedication for music and his art.

His beginnings in music started young, with his father teaching him to play trumpet and his mother teaching him piano. He found his home with the drums during his high school years attending Fargo South High School, coming home from school to play on his brother’s drum set while his brother was participating in afterschool athletics. During that time, his influences were Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix., Ross’s craft developed to become more than just a hobby. He grew to be very impassioned with his instrument as it became a part of his daily life.

To Ross, the decision to pursue his passion and go to the University of North Texas was a no brainer. He loved what he was doing as a musician and how he was growing as a person. At UNT, he was presented with many opportunities. One such opportunity was having professors at the school that were world-class musicians but did not tour because of their interest in student growth. In the music world, this is a rarity, especially at schools with the reputation of quality such as the one at North Texas. This presented Ross with many other opportunities such as consistently getting feedback from his professors and constantly being able to practice and perform with friends and peers who were also trying to develop their skills.

While at North Texas, Ross was the drummer for the award-winning UNT One O’Clock Jazz Band. He was also one of the original members of the highly acclaimed group, Snarky Puppy, traveling with the band to play in New Orleans. As Ross says, the band was just “Paying their Dues,” essentially saying that in order for them to be taken seriously and climb the ranks, the band would have to take risks, including playing for free. After North Texas, Ross moved to New York City to do what he wanted to do, be a professional musician. He saw this as a way to get a head start on his professional networking career, and he has been there ever since.

I am an aspiring musician and Ross’s story might seem as if it was easy, but it took a lot of effort and time to get to where he is now. It is a story to look up to that makes one reflect on their dedication to their work, and how much they are willing to sacrifice to get to that next level in their lives. Still, there is no reason to be worried about failing or underperforming. Unfortunately, in many musicians’ minds, this is a persisting and nagging observation that enables fear to exist. So, how did Ross deal with that? How did he overcome moving from a Midwest town to Texas and then to New York City only to end up playing with some of the world’s most highly respected groups? Kindness, honesty, and persistence. Don’t take it from me, take it from Ross: “The less that you feel inadequate or jealous, the less likely you’ll be vibed. If you do your due diligence, you do your homework, you show up on time, you're a nice dude, and play your ass up, You’ll do really well”

Ross will be performing at The Hotel Donaldson on Tuesday, February 4th from 7-9pm with no cover charge. The performance will include Broadway performing bassist, Julia, Michael Marmorstein on keys, and his father John Pederson on trumpet/flugelhorn/vocals.

[Editor’s note: Gerardo Gomez is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Northern Iowa studying Music Education with an Emphasis in Jazz Studies.]

IF YOU GO:
The JP Quartet
Tuesday, February 4th from 7-9pm
HoDo, 101 N Broadway, Fargo

Recently in:

By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…

By HPR Staff We’re all a part of building strong, healthy and inclusive communities. But the region’s non-profit organizations do a lot of the heavy lifting. Now it’s time for these organizations to step into the spotlight.…

Friday March 7, 8 p.m.The Aquarium, 226 N. Broadway, FargoDJs and drummer teams compete head to head and have the opportunity to compete for the national championships in November. DJs are judged on performance and creativity.…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com 2025 marks us halfway through the roaring 2020s. Boy, am I glad I didn’t bob my hair for this go-around. It feels like we’re off to the wrong roar, opening Pandora’s box of what-the-Fox…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comLennon: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can!”On January 8, 2025, Timothy W. Rybeck of “The Atlantic" magazine published “How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days” with the…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com As a food enthusiast, there’s nothing better than attending a local event featuring hotdish. And as far as hotdish events go, no place does it better than the fine folks at Brewhalla and Drekker…

Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Writer/director/performer Katarina Zhu’s feature debut “Bunnylovr” premiered to mixed reviews in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Despite the lack…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Everyone has heard the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” However, it is safe to say there are far more than a thousand in Mickey Smith’s photographs. When one hears…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…

By Gilbert Kuipersgilbertkuipers@outlook.com I live in North Dakota District 24 and have been challenging the district Republicans about their understanding of climate science for years. There has been no serious response to my…