Lighting up the Casino Rama stage on Friday night will be Canadian country artist Josh Ross. Known for hits like “On a Different Night” and “First Taste of Gone,” Ross is preparing as he brings his Later Tonight tour to our region. While he says he loves writing his own music, every once in a while he’ll sing a song written by someone else. “I’m such an advocate for writing my music as much as I can and releasing stuff I feel is me and is fun,” Ross tells CTV News. As it turns out, his most recent single was written by none other than Chad Kroeger, the frontman for Canadian rock band Nickelback. Ross was on tour with Nickelback in 2023 and when Kroeger suggested a song he had written would be well suited for Ross, things seemed to click from there. “I listened and I was honestly like really surprised just that he could kinda dial in more what I do versus the Nickelback side of things,” Ross says. That song? “Drink Things Through,” his latest single about having an argument with a partner over some drinks at the bar before everything spirals. Being on the road so much, Ross says it’s a special night when friends and family come out to see him perform, even if nerves may be high. “I get more nervous playing in front of family members than I do in front of 5,000 people,” Ross says. With this being one of the last stops on the tour, he says plenty of loved ones will be in the audience. Having had a full year of recording new music, he says performing live is his favourite part with his upcoming Rama performance expected to be full of new music and production. “It’s exciting because things have grown as the years have gone on,” Ross says. He’s excited to end the tour on a high note, saying he’s “looking forward to going out with a bang.” “It’s the end of my year party for me,” Ross says.
