After four years as a reporter at WSB in Atlanta, Dave Ross joined KIRO Radio in 1978 as a news anchor, and started hosting his own talk show in 1987 . Since then he has become known to Seattle listeners as head of the Eastlake Avenue Crusaders for Common Sense, and picks up a modest out-of-town audience as a daily commentator on the CBS Radio Network. He has served as Charles Osgood’s fill-in since 1992.
On-location broadcasts: Washington, DC in 2007 for the convening of the new Congress, Baghdad in April 2004, Doha, Qatar to cover US Central Command in 2003 during the Iraq War, Jerusalem in April 2002, Ground Zero in September 2001.
Other assignments have included the Pope’s historic trip to Great Britain and Argentina in 1982, a three-week journey through China in 1984, the Soviet Union in 1987, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the revolution in Czechoslovakia in 1989, the Middle East in 1990 during the first Gulf War, the Yeltsin revolution in Moscow in 1991 (and a return visit in 1992), the Rodney King riots in LA later that same year.
Dave has been recognized with a Marconi nomination and the 2001 and 2005 Edward R. Murrow Awards for Commentary.
From 1983-2004 he hosted and produced Chip Talk, which began as the first daily radio report on computers, syndicated by the Associated Press. He was part of the 1995 Launch Team for C-NET.
In 2004, Dave took a leave of absence to run for an open seat in Washington's 8th Congressional District. He was recruited by the Democrats, who felt a moderate could win the suburban swing voters east of Seattle. He easily won the Democratic primary but was defeated by now-Congressman (and former King County Sheriff) Dave Reichert in November, and was back on the air the next day.
Dave's now out of politics, but serves on the boards of the Transportation Choices Coalition, and the Economic Opportunity Institute. He is a past trustee of the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society, past president of the St. Monica’s school commission, a past member of the Eastside Board of Catholic Community Services, and was on the steering committee of the Campaign 5000 African-American community development bank.
He's a regular speaker and moderator in the Seattle area; out-of-town appearances range from the California Library Association to the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers to the Association of Sheet Metal Contractors.
Dave’s summer hobby is Gilbert & Sullivan, and come July you'll find him playing the comic baritone in the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s summer productions at Seattle Center. Videos available at www.pattersong.org. In ‘96 and ‘99 he performed at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Buxton, England, and most recently appeared in the title role in the 2007 production of “Princess Ida.” He's also called upon to perform with local orchestras -- usually to narrate Aaron Copeland's Lincoln Portrait, or The Night Before Christmas..
Occasionally, Dave will do a singing commentary. His latest hits include “Tap Three Times" the first Larry Craig parody to use the obvious Tony Orlando soundtrack.
You can find these and other songs at www.daveross.com.
He and Patti have been married 34 years. They have two grown daughters.
Dave has written enough commentaries to fill several books, but feels they are more effective as mp3's than text.
9/1/2007