Russ began his piano lessons at 4 years old, got kicked out at 7, took up drums at 10 and at 12 started a short lived band with Michael J. Fox called “Walrus”. Later he wrote the inspirational songs, “Got a Song in My Heart”, “Wind of the Spirit”, “Dancing in a Field” and many others for a year round “camp in the city” program called Rise Up, this was his initiation as a recording artist.