What Is Ross Valory’s Net Worth?
Ross Valory is an American musician who has a net worth of $10 million. Ross Valory is best known for being the former bass player for the band Journey. The band formed in San Francisco in 1973 and released its self-titled debut studio album in 1975. Valory played on all of Journey’s studio albums except “Raised on Radio” (1986) and “Freedom” (2022). Their 1981 album “Escape” reached #1 on the “Billboard” 200 chart, and Journey had success with the singles “Wheel in the Sky,” “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” “Any Way You Want It,” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” and “When You Love a Woman.” Valory has also played with The Storm, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch. In 2017, Ross and his Journey bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In March 2020, Ross was fired from Journey after allegedly attempting to take control of the company that controls the copyright to the band’s name. The move would have allowed Valory and drummer Steve Smith to license the band name outside of the other group members. Little did they know that the company they attempted to take over actually did not itself own the rights to the band name and other intellectual property. A different company called Elmo, which was formed by Steve Perry, Jonathan Cain, and Neal Schon in 1985, owned the rights.
Early Life
Ross Valory was born Ross Lamont Valory on February 2, 1949, in San Francisco, California. He was raised in Lafayette, California, where he attended Acalanes High School. During his youth, Ross played guitar, clarinet, and bass clarinet. According to his official website, “For Valory, music has been a lifelong obsession, beginning with growing up listening to his mother’s records–anything from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ to Ray Charles, Mozart to Brubeck– and she gave him his initial lessons on piano and ukulele. He sang in church choirs starting at age four and continued in competitive a cappella choirs, eventually singing with the Oakland Men’s Chorus.” When Ross was in high school, he joined his first band, Little Jimmy and the Goodtimers.
Career
Valory played with the band Frumious Bandersnatch, and after leaving the group, he performed on the 1971 Steve Miller Band album “Rock Love.” Frumious Bandersnatch’s manager, Jim Nixon, introduced Ross to the members of Journey, and in 1975, the band released its self-titled debut album.
Journey’s fourth album, 1978’s “Infinity,” was certified 3× Platinum in the U.S. and reached #21 on the “Billboard” 200 chart. The singles “Wheel in the Sky” and “Lights” went 2× Platinum. The band’s next two albums, 1979’s “Evolution” and 1980’s “Departure,” were also certified 3× Platinum, and “Departure” peaked at #8 on the “Billboard” 200 chart. “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” from “Evolution” was certified 2x Platinum, and “Any Way You Want It” from “Departure” went 4x Platinum.
Journey’s seventh studio album, 1981’s “Escape,” was certified Diamond (10× Platinum) and topped the “Billboard” 200 chart. That album featured their biggest hit, “Don’t Stop Believin’,” as well as two other successful singles, “Who’s Crying Now” and “Open Arms.”
“Rolling Stone” magazine included “Don’t Stop Believin'” on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” and in 2022, the Library of Congress preserved the song in its National Recording Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Journey’s 1983 album “Frontiers” reached #2 on the “Billboard” 200 chart and went 6× Platinum. The album featured the hits “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and “Faithfully,” which were certified 4× Platinum and 6x Platinum, respectively.
(Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Ross and drummer Steve Smith were fired from Journey during the recording of the 1986 album “Raised on Radio.” After the release of that album, the band went on hiatus until 1995. During this period, Valory performed on the Todd Rundgren album “2nd Wind,” and he formed the band The Storm with Smith and another former member of Journey, Gregg Rolie. The Storm released a self-titled album in 1991, followed by “Eye of the Storm” in 1996.
Ross reunited with Journey in late 1995, and the following year, they released the album “Trial by Fire,” which reached #3 on the “Billboard” 200 chart and went Platinum. The album featured the Platinum single “When You Love a Woman.” Next, the band released the albums “Arrival” (2000), “Generations” (2005), “Revelation” (2008), and “Eclipse” (2011), and “Revelation” went Platinum and reached #5 on the “Billboard” 200 chart.
Valory and Smith were fired again in 2020, and they were sued for “attempted corporate coup d’état” by their former bandmates, who alleged that Ross and Steve were trying to “assume control of Nightmare Productions because they incorrectly believe that Nightmare Productions controls the Journey name and mark.” An amicable settlement was later reached. In 2024, Valory released his first solo album, “All of the Above.”
Personal Life
Ross married Diane Oakes on March 28, 1971. The 1977 Journey song “Wheel in the Sky” started out as a poem Diane had written titled “Wheels in My Mind.” After Valory and Oakes divorced, Ross wed his current wife, Mary.
Awards and Nominations
In 1983, Journey received an American Music Award nomination for Favorite Pop/Rock Album for “Escape,” and in 1997, they earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “When You Love a Woman.” In 2004, the band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2011, the “Billboard” Touring Awards honored Journey with the Legend of Live Award. In 2017, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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