Ross Tompkins was born May 13, 1937, in Detroit but spent most of his childhood in Florida. Louis Armstrong was his earliest jazz influence, though he would eventually find inspiration in the piano playing of Duke Ellington and Earl "Fatha" Hines.

Tompkins studied piano at the New England Conservatory. After school, he found work almost immediately with Al Cohn's band. Throughout the 1960s, Tompkins performed and recorded with a variety of jazz leaders, including Wes Montgomery, Zoot Sims, Kai Winding, Benny Goodman, Bob Brookmeyer and Clark Terry.

As a versatile and swinging player, Tompkins was the perfect piano player for Doc Severinsen's Tonight Show Orchestra. Tompkins made the move to Los Angeles in 1971 and found plenty of opportunities for work outside of the NBC studios. In addition to gigs and recordings with his own trio, he was also an in-demand sideman, playing and recording with Louis Bellson, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis and Jack Sheldon. Tompkins stayed with the Tonight Show Orchestra until Carson and Severinsen left the show in 1992. He continued to record and perform for much of the rest of his life.

Ross Tompkins died in June 2006 at his home in St. Augustine, Fla.

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Set List for Ross Tompkins on Piano Jazz:

Every Time we Say Goodbye (Porter)

Like Someone In Love (van Heusen, Burke)

You and the Night and The Music (Schwartz, Dietz)

In The Wee Small Hours Of the Morning (Elliot, James)

Just Squeeze Me (Ellington, Gaines)

Where Is Your Heart (from Moulin Rouge) (Auric, Engvick)

This Time The Dream's On Me (Arlen, Mercer)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Arlen, Harbug)

Glad To Be Happy (Rodgers, Hart)

It's You Or No One (Styne, Cahn)