‘When our brother’s suffering, we’re going to rally.’ Concert to benefit State College musician

Pittsburgh Pirates great Willie Stargell once said there’s nothing he values more than the closeness of friends and family.

Well, some of Stargell’s immense heart has made it to Centre County — specifically to local musician and entrepreneur Mark Ross, who was recently diagnosed with splenic sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer affecting fewer than 20 Americans annually. His friends and family will hold a benefit concert, “Songs for a Friend: A Celebration to Benefit Our Brother, Mark Ross” at The State Theatre at 7 p.m. Jan. 18. All proceeds will be donated to Ross and his family.

“As musicians, we really do feel in this community like we are family,” said local musician and event performer Molly Countermine. “When our brother’s suffering, we’re going to rally.”

The event will be packed full of performances by local musicians and others who have enjoyed Ross’s musicianship and friendship over the years, which is something that is, as I can attest, easy to do. His personality is larger than life and his enthusiasm for music and nurturing the goodness in those with whom he comes in contact is unwavering.

Musicians scheduled to play include The Blue Hornet Band, Felix and the Hurricanes, Tyne and the Fastline, Triple A Blues Band, Ted and the Hi-Fis, Miss Melanie, Strayer, Hannah Bingman, Raven & the Wren, Jaime Davis, Noah Figlin, Jason McIntyre, Jason Tutwiler and special guests.

Many of the acts are intimately connected with Ross, who continues to make an impact on the local music scene.

“It was like learning from the master,” said Ted and the Hi-Fis bassist Rene Witzke, who played and toured with Ross in the early ‘90s. “He’s not that much older than me, (but) he was more like a father figure than anything else.”

Tutwiler, a friend and collaborator, concurred.

“It started off with him being my mentor,” Tutwiler said, “then it shifted to him being like a brother. He’s been a really good friend. He’s my brother.”

Tutwiler also credits Ross with helping to prepare him for life on the road as a professional musician.

MacIntyre, a State College native, sees Ross as a professional mentor who helped MacIntyre transition from a career in baseball to music. But mostly, he sees him as a friend.

“Mark is one of my best friends,” MacIntyre said. “People just feel that love because it’s real. He’s got a heart as big as anyone I’ve ever met.”

Like Tutwiler and MacIntyre, local musician Brian Cleary — who took on the guitar role in Miss Melanie when Ross retired — considers Ross a musical guide and much more.

“This is a chance to give back,” Cleary said. “He’s a loving man. He loves his friends. He’s a family man. He treats everyone like family. It’s just so cool to be able to have him as a friend.”

Ross’s influence is not limited to interactions with musicians. Longtime friend Roy Love discussed Ross’s accomplishments as a children’s book author and youth sports coach, fondly recalling a time when Ross paid Love a home visit to make sure his daughter would continue to be on Ross’s softball team.

“He’s a mainstay in the local music community,” Love said, “and honestly is just such a great person.”

For Ross’s part, this event is deeply moving. His children have come home to help and support him and his wife during this time. Friends throughout Centre County have shown support in a way Ross describes as being utterly amazing. Because he operates from his heart spaces, he’s able to receive the goodness flowing toward him, and it’s clear through his tears of gratitude how much this all means to him.

“The amount of love and support and generosity from the community has been overwhelming to me,” Ross said. “I can’t thank everybody enough from the bottom of my heart and soul.”

Hopefully, if he’s feeling well enough, Ross will play a song or two at the event, possibly even with his son. But whatever the case may be, Ross’s optimistic nature and inherent graciousness are seemingly impenetrable, even as he juggles treatments in New York City, wavering energy, continuously varying medications, and everything else that comes with battling an aggressive form of cancer.

I’m sure Stargell is looking down on Ross — a lifelong Pittsubrgh Pirates fan — and smiling.

“This could be worse,” Ross said. “I could have this and nobody would care. (The support) makes me want to try even harder.”

For information on the show, contact 272-0606 or thestatetheatre.org. To donate, visit https://ci.ovationtix.com/34634/store/donations/32901.

This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 5:00 AM.