Born in Brooklyn, NY, Roger Rossi came from a family of talented musicians. His brother was a professional pianist. His father, a concert violinist and graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Bellini, Palermo, Sicily, performed on the great stages of Italy including Teatro Massimo.

Roger Rossi studied piano from Mary Findley Ades in Brightwaters, NY and James Ball, Professor of Piano Studies, Crane School of Music, Potsdam, NY. Throughout his 50+ years as a professional, he has performed a wide variety of music throughout Canada, New York, New England, and Florida.

Some of Roger's credits include being: a piano accompanist and music director for Canadian recording star Tommy Desmond; and later with Columbia recording artist Gene Stridel; Lead Pianist of eleven at the Huntington Town House, Long Island; Bandleader in the main dining room of the 5-star Boca Raton Hotel & Club, Florida, for 3½ years; and Choir Pianist at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church, Singer Island, Florida for 15 years.

He is a Past President of Rotary, Wellington, Florida where he received the Spirit of Rotary Award, and the Paul Harris Fellowship. Rossi is a published author, penning From The Piano Bench: Memorable Moments With Mobsters, Moguls, Movie Stars and More (Aslan Publishing) 70 short stories of his encounters with famous people including Itzhak Perlman, Princess Diana, John Kennedy Jr., Liberace, Perry Como, Joe Louis, Jack Nicklaus, Shelley Winters, Rodney Dangerfield, Evel Knievel, and more.

After a lifetime career of professional entertainment, Roger Rossi has created this musical gem, an up-to-date setting of Ave Maria. Although classical in nature, he’s inserted addendum lyrics within the Hail Mary text, pleading for divine guidance to solving today’s compelling problems. This exceptionally beautiful composition may in time, find itself in company with the settings of Franz Schubert and Charles Gounod.