St. Anastasia’s Josh Ross pens the ‘Coronavirus Song’ to relate with others in quarantine; says music can lift souls to God amid crisis

TROY — It was a couple of days before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued the state’s first stay-at-home order, and Josh Ross was fiddling around in his home studio.

As Michiganders were adapting to life in quarantine, Ross was looking to pique people’s spirits. And that’s how the “Corona Song,” came into being.

The upbeat, four-minute tune provides practical tips on sanitation, an admonition against hoarding, advice on working from home and an ode to common decency with a dose of humor — something Ross insists is just as necessary in a pandemic.

So far, it’s received 24,600 views on Facebook.

“I made the video just before the executive order, when businesses began to shut down and people were going into quarantine,” Ross, a music minister at St. Anastasia Parish in Troy, told Detroit Catholic. “At that point, people weren’t able to get toilet paper or basic things. I went to my recording space in Troy and started making something up in two takes. The lyrics I came up with on the spot. It was just in my heart, what a lot of people were experiencing.”

As the video gained popularity, Ross made more and more videos, with song topics ranging from faith to fighting cabin fever. Some videos even featured his son, Xavier. 

Because Ross typically plays for the 5 p.m. Sunday Mass at St. Anastasia, he’s devoted that hour during quarantine to playing live worship music for his Facebook following. And on Fridays, he’s hosted “Open Mic Nights,” a Zoom video conference in which he invites others to play music, sign a hymn, recite poetry or just listen in. 

Ross’ main source of income, his J-Ro School of Music on Main Street in Troy, has switched its lessons to online only during the COVID-19 crisis, and he’s developing a “Netflix-style” series of video lessons for his students.

Ross said he has lost some business from canceled weddings and corporate events he was scheduled to play, but it’s allowed him more time with his students. Still, he likes to think his most important role is just being a listening ear, a comforting voice for people who need it.

“I believe confidence and hope are extremely important, both for our personal lives and really our world,” Ross said. “When people feel confident, they make plans for the future, they think things through. When people are not confident, they cut everything off, and it’s so easy to cut people off during these times.”

As the virus strips away people’s health, employment and communities, Ross said the crisis is showing what’s most essential.

“Even though it’s really painful, I believe this is a time of pruning, a time of God really calling us to reflect and refresh our visions and to trust in Him, to realize He is in control,” Ross said. “When we allow Him to be in control and to trust in Him, and simply to act in line with that, to be joyful in fulfilling His will, you gain a certain amount of hope, regardless of what’s going on around you. You have this inner confidence, this inner peace only Christ can bring.”

Ross plans to continue his Friday “Open Mic Nights” and Sunday worship sessions for the foreseeable future, and on May 2, he even hosted a live fundraiser to support Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan's food distribution efforts.

“I’m missing the Eucharist, missing the Mass,” Ross said. “I know music isn’t a replacement for Mass, but I do believe music can point us to God, the reason we exist, the reason we live. I believe music is really magical; it has this beauty, a tool we can use to lead others to Christ. So I hope with my music, I can lead people straight to Jesus.”