Legendary rock guitarist Ross Friedman, affectionately known to fans as ‘Ross the Boss,’ has passed away at the age of 72, following a recent diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Friedman was a pivotal figure in the New York City punk rock scene, having co-founded The Dictators in 1972, a band that played a significant role in shaping the movement.

In 1980, during a tour with Black Sabbath, Friedman met bassist Joey DiMaio. This meeting sparked the creation of the heavy metal band Manowar, further cementing his influence in the music industry.

Just last month, Friedman shared the heart-wrenching news of his ALS diagnosis, a progressive and incurable disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affects the nervous system and leads to muscle paralysis over time.

On Friday, a statement on Friedman’s official Instagram page disclosed that he had succumbed to the illness the previous evening, marking the end of an era for a beloved musician and innovator.

It was announced Friday that Friedman had succumbed to the illness the previous night, via a statement posted to his official Instagram page. 

Iconic rock guitarist Ross Friedman, known to fans as ‘Ross the Boss,’ has died at the age of 72 weeks after his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Friedman, pictured in 2016 shatteringly revealed last month that he had been diagnosed with ALS, an incurable degenerative nervous condition known as Lou Gehrig’s disease

‘His music meant everything to him & his guitar was his life’s breath. This insidious disease took that away from him,’ the post read in part.

Friedman revealed his ALS diagnosis on February 9, just 10 days before the disease would claim the life of Grey’s Anatomy icon Eric Dane.

‘It’s difficult to know what lies ahead, and it crushes me not to be able to play guitar, but the outpouring of love has been so, so strong,’ he said. 

‘I’m absolutely blown away by the love and support from family, friends and fans. I love you all,’ Friedman added, according to Blabbermouth.

A statement from his publicist revealed: ‘The diagnosis followed several months of seemingly unrelated symptoms that included weakness in his hands and legs.’

The announcement continued: ‘A series of very minor strokes was initially thought to have been the cause, but changes in diet, exercise and added physical therapy did nothing to slow the progression or increase his strength.’

Friedman was born in 1954 in the Bronx, and by his late teens he was a forerunner of punk, forming one of the genre’s early bands The Dictators with frontman Andy ‘Adny’ Shernoff and rhythm guitarist Scott ‘Top Ten’ Kempner.

They released a trio of albums through the 1970s – The Dictators Go Girl Crazy!, Manifest Destiny and Bloodbrothers – before falling apart in the early 1980s. 

Ross the Boss (right) is pictured in Munich a 1984 publicity shot for Manowar with his bandmates (from left) Joey DeMaio, Scott Columbus and Eric Adams

(back row left to right) Scott ‘Top Ten’ Kempner, Mark ‘the Animal’ Mendoza, Richie Teeter, Ross the Boss, Andy Shernoff and (front and center) ‘Handsome Dick’ Manitoba of the Dictators are pictured in an undated publicity still

Their final album began with a song called Faster and Louder, which was kicked off by an uncredited Bruce Springsteen counting: ‘One, two, one, two, three, four.’ 

When the Dictators fell apart, Friedman bounced back by briefly joining Shakin’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9VgD2Mmpdg, the French rock band founded by songstress Fabienne Shine, who was known as ‘Twiggy’ in the beloved Jane Fonda sex comedy Barbarella.

In 1980, he toured with Black Sabbath, which had just kicked out an increasingly unreliable Ozzy Osbourne and replaced him with Ronnie James Dio. 

It was Dio who arranged the meeting between Friedman and drummer  Joey DeMaio, with whom Ross the Boss created the heavy metal group Manowar.

Manowar, with lush orchestral backing and themes based on fantasy and as well as Norse and Greco-Roman mythology, had the slogan: ‘Death to false metal.’

In 1984 the Guinness Book of World Records named them the loudest band on the planet, based on an earsplitting performance they gave that year in West Germany. 

Friedman featured on the band’s first six studio albums Battle Hymns, Into Glory Ride, Hail to England, Sign of the Hammer, Fighting the World and Kings of Metal.

DeMaio fired Friedman from Manowar in 1989, a decision Ross the Boss described as ‘the worst possible mistake ever made’ decades later on The Mike Nelson Show. 

Friedman is pictured at a Manowar show in Munich in 1984, the year the Guinness Book of World Records declared them the planet’s loudest band over a show of theirs in Hanover

Friedman accused DeMaio of wanting a band full of ‘puppets,’ saying he was focused on ‘money and greed’ and was loath to ‘have a partner like me, 50 percent partner.’

Meanwhile Friedman insisted he ‘wasn’t gonna take bulls*** from DeMaio,’ whom he alleged was ‘telling me what to wear’ and how to speak.

Addressing an imaginary DeMaio, he said: ‘When you met me, I had already done four major albums, major records on major labels. I had already done three with The Dictators and one with Shakin’ Street. You had done zero.’

As a result of his years of experience, Friedman was already familiar with the press people that Manowar were interacting with as their star rose in Europe.

‘I’d been interviewed by them many times over before Manowar. I said: “You can’t tell me how to talk and what to say and what to dress,”‘ said Friedman.

Friedman later started his own Ross the Boss Band, as well as collaborating with groups like the Brain Surgeons, the Spinatras and Death Dealer. 

He also played reunion gigs with The Dictators and was scheduled for a concert with them as recently as this past November, only for the show to be canceled because he injured his hand, according to Lehigh Valley Live.

In a statement on his death, the Metal Hall of Fame said his ‘impact on music is immeasurable. From the raw energy of early punk to the epic scale of heavy metal, his work left a lasting mark on the genre and on everyone who experienced it.’

They continued: ‘Beyond his achievements on stage and in the studio, Ross was deeply respected by his peers and beloved by fans across continents. His legacy will live on through his music, his influence, and the countless lives he touched.’