Ross Tompkins (May 13, 1938, Detroit – June 30, 2006, St. Augustine, Florida) was an American jazz pianist.Tompkins attended the New England Conservatory of Music, then moved to New York City, where he worked with Kai Winding (1960–67), Eric Dolphy (1964), Wes Montgomery (1966), Bob Brookmeyer/Clark Terry (1966), Benny Goodman (1968), Bobby Hackett (1965–70), and Al Cohn and Zoot Sims (1968–72). He moved to Los Angeles in 1971, playing with Louie Bellson, Joe Venuti, and Red Norvo in the 1970s and Jack Sheldon in the 1980s. He was perhaps best known for his longtime association with Doc Severinsen's The Tonight Show Band, in which he played from the 1970s until 1992. He recorded prolifically for Concord Jazz as a leader in the second half of the 1970s.Tompkins died of lung cancer in 2006.
Worked with such musicians as Benny Goodman, Eric Dolphy and West Montgomery.
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Jazz pianist who performed with Doc Severinsen's "Tonight" show band from the early 70s and stayed with the outfit until Johnny Carson's retirement in 1992.
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1971-1992
TV Series musician - 293 episodes
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Mike Hammer, Private Eye
1998
TV Series
Ross
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
California's Gold
1999
TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Trying to Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon
2008
Documentary
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1976-1989
TV Series
Himself - The Tonight Show Band: Piano / Himself - Pianist
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 22nd Anniversary
1984
TV Movie
Himself - Pianist
Known for movies
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1971-1992) as Music Department
Trying to Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon (2008) as Himself
$800,000
