Scott Ross (television personality)


Scott Ross is a former American radio disc jockey, now better known as an interviewer for The 700 Club on the Christian Broadcasting Network.

Biography

Born in Scotland, Ross and his parents emigrated when he was nine years old. Ross' career began in the 1960s as a DJ and assistant program director for WINS radio in New York City. There, Ross gained connections to some of the era's best known rock groups, including the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. He was the master of ceremonies for one of The Beatles' concerts at Shea Stadium. During this time, Ross met the singing group The Ronettes and dated two of its members. One of them, Nedra Talley, eventually became his wife. Ross and Talley celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary in 2019.
Ross later became a born-again Christian, and focused his professional efforts on the nascent contemporary Christian music genre. In the early 1970s, Ross started a new syndicated radio show, The Scott Ross Show, which at its peak was carried by more than 200 stations.
During this same period time he became a close friend of Harald Bredesen, pastor of First Reformed Church of Mount Vernon, New York, and was so impressed by Bredesen, who himself was on the Board of Directors of CBN, that he was invited by Bredesen to join him in Bredesen's selection of elders of his charismatic fewllowship when Bredesen was preparing to relocate go California.
He ended up at CBN, which at the time also included The Family Channel among its outlets. He began as a personality on CBN's local radio station. His sometimes controversial comments often aroused the ire of the largely conservative Christian audience. Ross was a featured interviewer of The 700 Club, often talking with guests from the entertainment world, some of which he had worked with before his religious conversion. For three years, he hosted Scott Ross Straight Talk which was of a format similar to The Phil Donahue Show but from an evangelical Christian perspective. Ross was twice nominated for CableACE awards for this show.
Ross's various interviewees have included singers such as Johnny Cash, Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, Steven Spielberg, Noel Paul Stookey, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire, and music promoter Marty Angelo, as well as spree killer David Berkowitz. He remains with CBN and his interviews are still featured on The 700 Club. Over the years, Ross has filled in for Robertson on the show.