I'm so sad to hear this. I didn't know him well, but any interaction online that i had with him, he was always kind. I feel so sorry for his boys.

Rest in peace Ross 

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It's alright now.....people get through this somehow....

This is such sad news.  I didn't know Ross except for his posts on this board but it was very clear that he loved his boys more than anything in the world.  I feel sad especially for them, having to deal with the loss of their father at such a young age.  My most sincere condolences to his family and all his many friends.  We will surely miss not hearing from you anymore, Mr. Bluetunes!

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Don't waste the time, the time that isn't lost (Jim Cuddy)

Very sad news.  It's hard to believe that he is gone.  I thought that somehow, despite reading that he was on life support, that he would make it.  Ross had mentioned a while back here on the board that he had been diagnosed with COPD, an illness that gets progressively worse.  But somehow I still thought he was going to be OK.  Besides his love for his sons, I know that Ross was a very forgiving person and he did not hold grudges.  We can honour Ross's memory by behaving as he did:  forgiveness and reaching out.

Ross, please accept this post as my farewell to you.  I will keep your sons in my thoughts and prayers. 

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The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.

Indeed a sad day in Blue Rodeo Land.......  Ross may you rest in peace......You will be missed by many

I'm so sorry to hear about Ross passing away.  I didn't know sick he really was and thought it would only be a matter of time before he'd be back posting again.  He was so proud of his sons and his love for them always shone through in any post where he referred to them.

My condolences to his family and close friends.  He will be missed here at the discussion board.

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"Over straight and crooked miles
Falling out of favour or embraced
Wondering where was love...
It hadn't happened yet"
~Ron Sexsmith~

Nearest to all things
Patiently waiting
So let the angels sing
Silently weeping

I was just thinking about Ross the other day and wondering how he was doing. How very sad to hear this news. You're right, GG, if we could all be so kind, the world would be a better place indeed. Carol, I'm sorry for your loss of a good friend. I had no idea you had become such good friends. Hugs to you.

I'm not sure what the outcome of this request will be yet but I'll tell you about it anyway. A friend of mine (Linda) who was a part of this board for a very short time a few years ago was very touched by a few of Ross's posts here, so touched in fact that it inspired her to write a song about him. She is a very talented singer-songwriter. She actually sang "House of Dreams" at the Meet and Greet in Stratford about 3 years ago. I've asked her if she would mind sending me the lyrics or maybe posting them herself. So stay tuned ...

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"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

A truly sad day for the Blue Rodeo community has lost a dear friend, Ross Rutledge. I, like many only knew Ross from his witty, lively, colourful and always heartfelt posts here at the Discussion Board. I extend my deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and especially to his two sons and to those of you here who knew him personally. I was particualrly touched by Carol's and Christian's stories about Ross. I sensed from his posts that Mr. Bluetunes was a unique and caring individual as are we all in our own special ways. His posts enlivened discussions and I could tell he was a music lover and a genuine fan of Blue Rodeo.

I will greatly miss his presence here. May he rest in peace.

Heart-Like-Mine:

I was just thinking about Ross the other day and wondering how he was doing. How very sad to hear this news. You're right, GG, if we could all be so kind, the world would be a better place indeed. Carol, I'm sorry for your loss of a good friend. I had no idea you had become such good friends. Hugs to you.

I'm not sure what the outcome of this request will be yet but I'll tell you about it anyway. A friend of mine (Linda) who was a part of this board for a very short time a few years ago was very touched by a few of Ross's posts here, so touched in fact that it inspired her to write a song about him. She is a very talented singer-songwriter. She actually sang "House of Dreams" at the Meet and Greet in Stratford about 3 years ago. I've asked her if she would mind sending me the lyrics or maybe posting them herself. So stay tuned ...

I heard back from Linda right away! She says in her email "I just re-read the lyrics and they seem HIGHLY and WEIRDLY appropriate." And then she was going to have a good cry. Something in Ross' spirit moved her right away. I remember her writing this song shortly after Stratford. Maybe someone in Toronto who plans on attending the funeral could print these lyrics out for the family or put them up at the funeral home. Or let me know where the funeral home is, and I can fax them to them. Anyway, here's Ross' song, written by Linda Lucas. 

In Some Special Place

 

In some special place

Where I’ve allowed no one to enter or pass through

I wear a different face

’Cause I’ve found someone so different in you

You’ve moved me with your tears

You’ve saved me with your arms

You’ve kept me warm, love

And sometimes left me cold

You’ve melted all the years away

And left me feeling old

I’ve let myself be bought and then be sold

Looking for my grave

 

Stop clinging to my soul

Like a shadow on the wall

I can’t help the trembling

But I’ll prevent the fall

Even to my grave

 

In this special place

The blues are lazy sweet and smoky as your heart

I need a moment’s grace

The way you turned me upside down right from the start

You spoke through my guitar

You have altered who I am

Still I stand and watch you walk away

You’re sure that I will follow

Yet where you are today

You can’t drag me down or make me stay

Or lead me to my grave

 

Stop clinging to my soul

Like a shadow on the wall

I can’t help the trembling

But I’ll prevent the  fall

Even to my grave

 

In this special place

I’ve gathered up the strength I need to go

In my memory’s lace

Threads of you will weave; somehow I know

I’ll hear your name in crowds

I’ll wonder where you are

But rest assured, love

I will let you go

Some places they are sacred

And you ought to know

You don’t have the right to come and go

And that’s all I’ve got to say

 

Stop clinging to my soul

Like a shadow on the wall

I can’t help the trembling

But I will never fall

Even to my grave.

 

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"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

How extremely sad!  My deepest sympathies go out to the loves of his life, Justin & Jesse. He was so very proud of them & never hesitated to let his love for them shine here. My sympathies to his mom, family & friends. My prayers are with all of you.

  Goodbye mrbluetunes~you will be very missed~  

 

Thank-you Carolk for letting us know.

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"How the best things are won with sacrifice"

     Good men must die, but death can not kill their names - Proverbs

     R.I.P.  Mr. Bluetunes

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HUH?

Thanks for posting the lovely lyrics written by your Linda HLM.  Did she meet Ross or was she just inspired by his posts?   Either way it is very touching.

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Greg Keelor met Jim Cuddy and then I met you people. Serendipity is a marvellous thing.


"I guess I don't know if I believe in God but
I know a song can make you feel good once
in a while." ~Greg Keelor~

My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. 

 I am quite new here so I never had the chance to know him on the board but from what has been written he sounds like a wonderfull person who loved his family.

He will be in my thoughts and prayers.

HazySoul:

Thanks for posting the lovely lyrics written by your Linda HLM.  Did she meet Ross or was she just inspired by his posts?   Either way it is very touching.

She never met Ross in person, Hazy. She read his posts on the board. Shortly after that time she attended the Stratford concert, she became interested in the board and was inspired by his posts and wrote the song as a result of that. I think the song will be on her new cd which will be released later this year.

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"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

OMG I just got an email telling me of Ross' death very very very sad indeed.  I have met him on a few occasions and he has emailed me many times and I was on his facebook etc so I knew him to a point------and though I have had the opportunity to meet him face to face, I know that some were sooooo much closer to him than me and have never met him.

He would always give hugs, he LOVED giving them and receiving them.  He was a very warm, gentle man and yeah, his family ALWAYS came first.  He would be there in a pinch if you needed him, and he always seem to find the right words to comfort you.  I know that he has made me feel so much better a few times just by the words that were said.

I knew that he was sick, but didn't know to WHAT extent  I guess you can't tell that through emails and posts.  I knew that he had wanted to go to so many shows and each time, something had come up and you don't think twice about it, just that "something came up"---but now looking back, that something might have been his illness.

He loved his sons beyond LIFE and his heart was full of love and giving. To all his friends, to all those he has touched in his life, to his lovely boys, his mom and family and to all that knew him but didn't have the opportunity to meet him----he will be missed cause he had a heart of gold. I will miss his posts, I will miss his emails and I will miss his cyberspace being as that is how most of us remember him by.

He is in a better place, a peaceful place with no more pain or sadness. We're the ones that are dealing with this sudden loss.  I will be thinking of his boys as they were his life and I am certain they knew that. They must be devastated--my heart aches for them right now as they have lost their mentor, their teacher, their friend and most important THEIR DAD.

WE MISS YOU ROSS.

GOD BLESS

R.I.P.
 

I am truly saddened to hear news like this. I wish I had had the chance to get to know Ross myself.

I think the best thing that any of us can do is to live life to the fullest. As a mom, I can understand how Ross felt about his sons and they are in my thoughts now.

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Love and understanding are the best answers I've heard yet.


"I love winter, I love snow. I can't get enough of the stuff. For me there's sort of a serenity to it. I like the silence of winter, the way it's just hushed." -GK