Bourse-Cellini Cap Formerly Owned by Doctor Ross

This cap was worn by one-man band and Blues musician Doctor Ross. 

Isaiah Ross, known as Doctor Ross (1925-1993) was a Blues musician and artist who performed predominantly as a one-man band, including singing and simultaneously playing guitar, drums and harmonica. Adding to his performances, the left-handed Ross played his guitar upside down. Ross’s habit of carrying his harmonicas in a black medical bag secured him the nickname Doctor Ross. 

Originally from Tunica, Mississippi, Ross toured and played venues in the area, eventually leading to airtime on some Memphis based radio stations in the 1940s. Shortly after he began his recording career with Sun Records with his first record, “Country Clown,” released in 1951 on Chess Records. In October 1953, he recorded “Cat Squirrel,” which was covered many times down the years and notably appears on the debut albums of bands Cream and Jethro Tull. Ross eventually moved to Detroit to work at General Motors and continued playing at venues in the evening. He eventually started touring Europe, first with the American Folk Blues Festival in 1965, and would continue touring and playing music until his death in 1993.