Ricky Ross is going it alone with a new solo album and memoir due later this year. 

Fresh off the road in support of Deacon Blue’s 2021 release ‘Riding on the Tide of Love’, Ricky will release ‘Walking Back Home’ – his first autobiography – on August 4.

In the book, the musician revisits his formative years growing up in Dundee, his early forays into music and the beginning, extraordinary success, fall-out, and re-emergence of Deacon Blue. 

Looking back candidly on his life and career, he revisits the people and places that have meant the most to him, as well as his relationship with faith, politics, and the ever-changing challenges of being a musician.

Alongside the publication, a new album, ‘Short Stories Vol. 2’, will also be released on August 5.

The LP was recorded at home, then augmented with sumptuous strings and brass, alongside contributions from his fellow Deacon Blue cohorts Lorraine McIntosh and Gregor Philp.

He says: “I’ve always been interested in telling stories. Most of the stories have become songs but some stories take a little longer. 

“I hope people might enjoy the stories as much as I have enjoyed writing them down.”

The album and book will be supported by a tour in September and October 2022 with Ricky at the piano, presenting songs from across his entire career and sharing stories from his memoir. 

‘Walking Back Home’ and ‘Short Stories Vol. 2’ are both available to pre-order now. 

The full list of tour dates is as follows:

20 September – Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen
21 September – Perth Theatre, Perth
23 September – Queen’s Hall Edinburgh
25 September – GRCH New Auditorium, Glasgow
27 September – Fire Station, Sunderland
28 September – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
30 September – Varieties, Leeds
1 October – Cadogan Hall, London
2 October – Town Hall, Birmingham
4 October – St George’s Hall, Bristol
5 October – G Live, Guildford
7 October – The Stables, Milton Keynes
8 October – The Corn Hall, Diss
9 October – Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne