Rosa “Rambling Rose” Pryor, a native Baltimorean, has been an R&B music enthusiast since 1957. She started
as a singer, songwriter and musician, playing saxophone and piano for the group she founded, “Little Johnny and the
Twilight’s”. Rosa and the Twilight’s had an opportunity to meet and open for great performers such as The
Shirrelles, The Chantels, Ruby & the Romantics, Jimi Hendrix and Sam Cooke. Her commitment to every aspect of the music
industry is a testimony of her deep soul felt love for the artistry in its entirety.
As an entrepreneur since 1966, Rosa helped other musicians establish
their careers. She gathered local neighborhood children from their nests, pruned and greased their musical wings, and sent
them soaring into flight. Her passions nourished more than 20 music groups. She coordinated, trained, counseled, and managed
them individually and as a group.
Starting in 1969, she assisted, managed and produced many professional,
local R&B, Pop and Jazz musicians and singers. Because of her unyielding passion and diligent efforts, Rosa soon became
known as one of the top promoters and managers in Maryland. She became a professional, licensed booking agent and established
her own promotional/marketing agency called, Rosa Pryor Productions, which booked many of the jazz musicians in the Baltimore/Washington
area. She has also lent her talents to Washington, D.C., New York, New Jersey, Delaware, California, Pennsylvania, North &
South Carolina, Detroit and Chicago, etc. She proved an invaluable asset to local nightclub and bar owners as a business developer,
consultant and manager.
In 1971, the late, Ida Peters, the Afro-American Newspaper Entertainment
Editor quoted Rosa as being, “…the most talked about, popular and the only Black female promoter in Maryland/Washington
Metropolitan area ….”
Rosa’s trade name is “Rambling Rose”, a name that
was given to her by the late great Nat “King” Cole when she was touring in the 50’s. Red has always been
her favorite color and when she used to perform, she always gave out her favorite flower, a long stem red rose, which became
her signature.
Rosa “Rambling Rose” Pryor was the Entertainment Editor,
Account Executive and Entertainment Columnist for the Baltimore Times and the Annapolis Times for ten years before she resigned
in November 1998. From 1997 to 1998, she wrote an entertainment column for the "Buzz N’Around Baltimore Magazine". Rosa
is the co-author of a collector’s item book called, “African America Entertainment In Baltimore”, which
was published in June 2003 and sold out first print in six weeks and now the book is in its third print. She began her research
to write this book on the legendary Pennsylvania Avenue clubs and entertainment of its heydays in 1989.
“Rambling Rose”, as her readers affectionately call her
is currently an entertainment columnist and reporter with the Afro-American Newspaper, and has been since 1999; The Informer
Newspaper, The Northwest Voice and she freelance for other periodicals and have over 180,000 readerships. Rosa is a long time
member of the National Association of Black Journalist, (NABJ).
Rosa is the founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of the Rosa Pryor
Music Scholarship Fund, Inc. created in 1991. The fund provides money for aspiring musicians, ages 5-17, to pay tuition and
purchase instruments. She is also founder & CEO of an entertainment company with her husband, William “Shorty”
Trusty, called RoseGarden Entertainment Enterprises, Inc. This is a company that provides entertainment, local and national
for clubs, casinos, hotels, social events and racetracks.
Rosa “Rambling Rose” Pryor, a native Baltimorean,
has been an R&B music enthusiast since 1957. She started as a singer, songwriter and musician, playing saxophone and piano
for the group she founded, “Little Johnny and the Twilight’s”. Rosa and the Twilight’s had an opportunity
to meet and open for great performers such as The Shirrelles, The Chantels, Ruby & the Romantics, Jimi Hendrix and Sam
Cooke. Her commitment to every aspect of the music industry is a testimony of her deep soul felt love for the artistry in
its entirety.
As an entrepreneur since 1966, Rosa helped other musicians establish
their careers. She gathered local neighborhood children from their nests, pruned and greased their musical wings, and sent
them soaring into flight. Her passions nourished more than 20 music groups. She coordinated, trained, counseled, and managed
them individually and as a group.
Starting in 1969, she assisted, managed and produced many professional,
local R&B, Pop and Jazz musicians and singers. Because of her unyielding passion and diligent efforts, Rosa soon became
known as one of the top promoters and managers in Maryland. She became a professional, licensed booking agent and established
her own promotional/marketing agency called, Rosa Pryor Productions, which booked many of the jazz musicians in the Baltimore/Washington
area. She has also lent her talents to Washington, D.C., New York, New Jersey, Delaware, California, Pennsylvania, North &
South Carolina, Detroit and Chicago, etc. She proved an invaluable asset to local nightclub and bar owners as a business developer,
consultant and manager.
In 1971, the late, Ida Peters, the Afro-American Newspaper Entertainment
Editor quoted Rosa as being, “…the most talked about, popular and the only Black female promoter in Maryland/Washington
Metropolitan area ….”
Rosa’s trade name is “Rambling Rose”, a name that
was given to her by the late great Nat “King” Cole when she was touring in the 50’s. Red has always been
her favorite color and when she used to perform, she always gave out her favorite flower, a long stem red rose, which became
her signature.
Rosa “Rambling Rose” Pryor was the Entertainment Editor,
Account Executive and Entertainment Columnist for the Baltimore Times and the Annapolis Times for ten years before she resigned
in November 1998. From 1997 to 1998, she wrote an entertainment column for the "Buzz N’Around Baltimore Magazine". Rosa
is the co-author of a collector’s item book called, “African America Entertainment In Baltimore”, which
was published in June 2003 and sold out first print in six weeks and now the book is in its third print. She began her research
to write this book on the legendary Pennsylvania Avenue clubs and entertainment of its heydays in 1989.
“Rambling Rose”, as her readers affectionately call her
is currently an entertainment columnist and reporter with the Afro-American Newspaper, and has been since 1999; The Informer
Newspaper, The Northwest Voice and she freelance for other periodicals and have over 180,000 readerships. Rosa is a long time
member of the National Association of Black Journalist, (NABJ).
Rosa is the founder, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of the Rosa Pryor
Music Scholarship Fund, Inc. created in 1991. The fund provides money for aspiring musicians, ages 5-17, to pay tuition and
purchase instruments. She is also founder & CEO of an entertainment company with her husband, William “Shorty”
Trusty, called RoseGarden Entertainment Enterprises, Inc. This is a company that provides entertainment, local and national
for clubs, casinos, hotels, social events and racetracks.
