There are some people who just seem to quietly hold a scene together: not by force or ego, but by sheer conviction, warmth and belief in others. Ross Graham was one of those people. A fierce champion of the independent Northern Ireland music scene, he left behind a legacy that spanned punk, pop, country and every conceivable corner of creativity that dared to grow here. His was a name that surfaced again and again: in stories, in laughter, in all the moments when things might not have happened at all if not for him.

Ross passed away on Wednesday, 8th October, after a period of illness. His loss has left a real ache: one felt not just by his family and friends, but by the countless artists, managers and dreamers he quietly guided along the way. Across decades, and through so many worlds within our small but stubbornly creative industry, he was there: helping, connecting, believing and giving shape to possibility. Not everyone – indeed, very few of us – have it in them to make that happen across the decades.

Much like the late and greatly missed Lyndon Stephens – another titan of our music world – Ross never sought the limelight. He seemed to prefer to stand just beyond it, gently pulling the strings, steering others toward their moment. Forget applause: only progress. And when he saw potential, he threw himself behind it without hesitation.

Manager, producer, friend, director, former CEO of the Northern Ireland Music Industry Commission, beloved husband, father, father-in-law, granda, brother and friend: Ross was all of these things, and to so many he was also a constant. A presence. A reminder that our scene could be more generous, more ambitious, and that little bit more human.

Here, we let some of the people who knew the real Ross speak about their memories of him, together forming a portrait of a man whose heart and humour can never truly be measured.


Northern Irish punk legends The Outcasts – whose place in music history Ross helped cement – captured what so many felt in the immediate aftermath of his passing:

“Really sad news today, Ross Graham manager, producer & friend of The Outcasts died today! After Terry [sic; Hooley] dumped us Ross took over everything from 1981 to when we broke up 1st time round & without him we wouldn’t be the band we are today. Our heart goes out to Nu & family.”

That early role managing The Outcasts in the 1980s set the tone for the decades that followed: Ross as the steady hand behind the chaos, the one who saw not just the noise but the potential beneath it.

Joe Dougan, Director of Shine Promotions and one of NI’s leading live music figures, reflected on Ross’s influence on his own career:

“Ross was a fabulous character, and always incredibly supportive of me and my endeavours – from my time in a band in the old NIMIC offices, to when I started promoting and he supported my visiting SXSW in 2006, through countless other experiences over the years – lunch with the great Bob Lefsetz being a standout.”



“There were so many laughs, and so many encouraging words, but Ross knew everyone and always knew what to say, and how to get things done. We’ve lost a gentleman. I owe him a huge amount. I feel the music industry in this country will miss him sorely, and I personally will miss Ross greatly.”

Dougan continued: “That said – he’ll no doubt be survived by all the brilliant anecdotes we all have. I’m pretty sure there is a Ross Graham story for every occasion!”

For many, Ross was there at the very beginning: the person who first opened the door.


Charlene Hegarty, now Musicians’ Union Regional Officer for Northern Ireland and one of the most respected advocates for local artists, reflected on his early kindness:

“When I started in the industry at the age of 17, Ross and Sandra at NIMIC were among the first to meet me with encouragement, a steer in the right direction and access to opportunity,” said Hegarty. “I will forever be grateful for that. Glad to have called Ross a friend in the end – he was energetic, untamed and sharp as they come. He cared a lot for the musicians of NI and was the best craic on a night out. I will miss his wisdom and his dark humour. My love to Nu and the family.”

Through Generator NI, Ross brought structure, support and – crucially – international reach to countless artists. Among them was one of our most acclaimed artists, the great Mark McCambridge, aka Arborist, whose collaboration with Kim Deal – of Pixies and Breeders fame – began under Ross’s watch:


“I first met Ross through his Generator NI project about 10 years ago,” said McCambridge. “Between himself and Mark Gordon they were instrumental in making the Kim Deal collaboration happen back then.”

“I also had the pleasure of Ross’ company on a trip to Nashville for a songwriting and Americana UK event. We talked a lot about books – I still have his copy of Twenty Thousand Roads – and George Jones soothed our hangovers as Ross chaperoned us around the city. He’s the only man I know to ever describe dessert as ‘puddy’. He’ll be a great loss to the music community here on many levels.”


Co. Armagh songsmith, Conchúr White, another artist whose path Ross helped shape, recalled the generosity and humour that defined their time together:

“Ross and Mark took me to the U.S. a few times, and I was fortunate enough to perform in Nashville, Los Angeles, and Austin with their help. I shared some great moments with them. Ross’s energy was infectious, and I loved hearing his stories about U2, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Lou Reed.”

One memory that stands out was in 2015, when I was in L.A. I had a day off and mentioned I might take a bus tour to see a bit of the city. Ross offered to drive me instead. We went along Mulholland Drive, through Topanga, and ended the day swimming in Malibu. I didn’t pay for a thing – he wouldn’t have it.”

“The opportunities I received supported by Ross and Generator were hugely important for my progression personally and professionally. The musicians I know who worked with Ross usually say the same thing: the time spent with him was mostly spent laughing.”

That laugh – that singular spark – was part of what made him unforgettable.

Casting his mind back, David McConnell of Northern Ireland Screen said: “You meet certain people life that stick in your brain and make a deep impression and Ross was one of those and unfortunately I hadn’t seen him in a few years but the memory of his booming voice and laugh was easy to reminisce when I heard the very sad news of his passing. His passion, desire and dedication to support local artists was always at his heart and he will be sorely missed.”


Beyond the frontlines of artist development, where he very clearly thrived, Ross helped guide institutions. At the Nerve Centre in Derry, where he served as a long-time board member, his leadership left a deep mark. Posting on their website, organisers of the arts and community venue said:

“Nerve Centre was saddened to learn of the passing of former board member Ross Graham on 8 October 2025. Ross served on Nerve Centre’s Board for 18 years, from 2001 until 2019. He joined at a pivotal moment in the organisation’s history, shortly after the move into our purpose-built premises on Magazine Street, bringing his 35 years’ experience in the regional, national, and international music industry to the organisation.”

“His broad range of creative and business experience was an invaluable support at a time of the organisation’s growth and development, and he remained as a long-serving board member of Nerve Centre.”

“During his tenure as a board member, Ross also held senior roles in the wider music sector, including Chief Executive of the Music Industry Commission in Northern Ireland and Programme Director of FFWD NI, a major music industry development initiative. He later led Generator NI, a skills and talent development programme that delivered creative industries projects across Northern Ireland and beyond.”

His passion for music and raucous laugh will be sorely missed from the music scene here. As The Outcasts said on his passing, ‘Without him, we wouldn’t be the band we are today.’ At Nerve Centre, we echo those words: ‘Without him, we wouldn’t be the organisation we are today.’ Our thoughts are very much with his wife, Eunice (Nu), his children, Jaime, Charles, and Henry, brother, Bill, and grandchildren, Arthur and Caoimhe.”


Sarah McBriar, founder of world-bearing Belfast electronic festival and conference AVA, and one of the most significant cultural voices to emerge from NI in the past decade, reflected on how Ross’s belief helped shape her early vision:

“Ross and Mark Gordon were two of the first in NI to believe in me and AVA, and Ross played a particularly magnetic role in getting Tourism NI to invest in AVA year one and help Boiler Room come to Belfast! Not least all the incredible work he and Mark did with Generator NI and Output. A huge hole in our world and the Belfast / NI music scene. He was a joy to be around. I remember fondly sharing a few late and poolside G&T’s with him in Mumbai when we went on that very fun trip. I’m so sad to hear of this news.”


Currently Interim Head of Innovation Programmes at Queen’s University Belfast, Sharon Young worked closely with Ross across several industry development programmes. She remembers the everyday joy and rhythm of working beside him:

“I worked with Ross and the Generator team on the music mentoring programme and Output over 2 or 3 years. I got to spend quite a bit of time with him as we had a little shared office above the Limelight and then in Ormeau Baths (now Ormeau Labs) where we met loads of local artists, managers, promoters, DJs and music businesses. We drank plenty of great coffee and always had a lot of laughs; it took me a while to get to know him and for us to really trust each other.”

“I think he thought I was a bit ‘businessy’ at the start, but after a while we developed a really good working partnership and got to know each other better. I kept him organised, and he kept me entertained with that big laugh. At SxSW, we shared a crazy fun house and one day on a walk through the streets of Austin, we realised our biggest love was actually our spaniels. The last time I saw him was around a year ago at Rowallane Garden in Saintfield, walking the dogs. In his happy place, and mine. Go safely Ross, I’ll miss your warmth and big heart. X”

Celebrated Tyrone musician and producer Mark McCausland, who performed at Ross’s funeral, was another who spoke of that unmistakable smile and the laughter that always followed it.

“Ross was one of those rare diamonds – as soon as you saw him, you couldn’t help but smile,” he said. “The kind of friend anybody would want in their corner, he was always there with his hand stretched out to pull you up to the next level. A generous soul if ever there was one, he found happiness in seeing his friends do well. When I think of him now, I can still hear his laughter, and can almost see him standing there with a glass of gin in hand.”

And from John T. Davis, the pioneering Northern Irish filmmaker whose landmark documentaries – including Shellshock Rock, Dust on the Bible, and Route 66 – captured the soul of this island’s counterculture. His creative bond with Ross stretched across decades and disciplines:

“Time just seems to slip away these days. It must be at least ten years since I spoke to Ross, so I was shocked and deeply saddened by his sudden passing. We go back a long way, we shared similar musical tastes and attitudes to life, Ross’s contribution to the post production of Shellshock Rock was immense and greatly appreciated. In later years we collaborated on various film and video projects, The Outcasts’ ‘Winter,’ the country music video show Heartaches and Heroes, and most notably in Nashville researching material for Heart on the Line, my film about the songwriters, and what a trip that turned out to be!”

“The last real connection I had with Ross was in the making of Tailwind, the feature documentary about the air war here in Northern Ireland during WW2. Ross kindly introduced me to his father Marcus, who was a B24 Liberator pilot. These are the facts, the stories surrounding them should be left to the imagination! Thank you Ross xx.”

Though this only begins to touch the countless lives he influenced, together these memories form a resounding chorus – a portrait of a man who gave chances, lifted others, and never once asked for credit. Ross Graham’s legacy isn’t bound to any one scene or era. It lives on in the laughter, the stories, the songs, and the friendships he sparked — and in the countless people who can say, with gratitude and pride, that they knew him.

May he rest in peace.