Ross's own heritage is Swedish, and he has a wide repertoire of songs, dances and tunes collected from relatives and musicians both in the United States and Sweden. He has become a popular specialist at leading the songs and games for a traditional Swedish midsommar festival, and he also loves to sing old American traditional and popular songs.

Much of Ross's work in schools involves teaching children to dance and play song games. In recent years, Ross has also developed a one-string dulcimer building workshop, which has proven very successful. He first learned to play the dulcimer while working at Here, Inc., a musical instrument shop located at the time in Minneapolis. Ross is now building the dulcimer with students in the classroom and using it as a tool for teaching math and science. The limberjack, or dancing doll, is a percussion instrument which Ross also builds in workshops at festivals and schools.

The Children's Museum of Minnesota described his program like this: "...few performers to visit the Children's Museum have had the kind of lasting popularity of Ross Sutter...his shows are an astounding array of story and song." The director of family programs at the Walker Art Center said: "Many thanks for your Young Arts performance. I'd have to say it was unqualifiedly successful. Your commitment, rapport, and enjoyment of children were all quite evident." And the Director of Graduate Programs in Music Education at the University of St. Thomas made these comments after a performance by Ross "What an extraordinary experience you gave the audience and participants in the Children's Music Festival! You created-in just minutes-a community of people delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the wonderful process of music-making."

Ross's work is featured on Walking on Air, Up the Raw, Crossing the Shannon, Hunger No More, Songs By Heart, Over the Water, and on his popular children's CD, Mama Will You Buy Me a Banana?

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