This Women’s History Month, The Baltimore Times Celebrates Rosa Pryor

Of the numerous contributors who have written for The Baltimore Times, only a few have been around since the publication’s early days.  

Rosa Pryor-Trusty is among the most fervent entertainment enthusiasts not only in Baltimore, but in the region. She is The Baltimore Times’ entertainment columnist who authors the widely known “Rambling Rose” segment.

As a youngster, Pryor’s unrivaled passion for entertainment and music drove her to one day pursue opportunities in that industry. 

A native of Baltimore City, Pryor graduated from Edmondson High School in West Baltimore before taking some courses at Community College of Baltimore (presently Baltimore City Community College) and Morgan State College (presently Morgan State University).

Pryor, the oldest of eight siblings, learned a life-guiding principle from her mother: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Her professional career began in the late 1950s as a singer, songwriter and musician as the founder of the group “Little Johnny and the Twilights.” She was the group’s lead vocalist, guiding a number of performances at different venues, clubs and events. 

When they were on tour, the group met and graced many stages as the opening act for iconic performers, including The Shirelles, The Chantels, Ruby & the Romantics, Jimi Hendrix and Sam Cooke.

Still, somewhat early in her entertainment career, Pryor was faced with some disheartening, life-altering news. She learned that she could no longer sing.

“I had problems with my throat and I couldn’t sing so [I] went to the doctor and a specialist found out that I had some sort of cyst or something on my vocal cord,” said Pryor, who also was a self-taught saxophonist and keyboard player.

“In the course of removing it, they told me I could never sing again. If I did, then it could create a worse problem. That’s when I discontinued singing and started working with groups.”

Though she was frustrated, Pryor didn’t allow her inability to sing quell her passion and involvement in the musical entertainment scene. She still assisted, managed and produced local R&B and jazz musicians and singers. Pryor also worked with young people in the area, helping them tap into their musical talents and inner creativity – many of whom went on to have successful careers.

Through her promotional/marketing agency, Rosa Pryor Productions, she booked jazz musicians in the Baltimore-Washington area. In the process of time, Pryor earned recognition as one of the most prominent Black female promoters in the region. 

Her professional career took an interesting-yet-rewarding turn in 1986 when she began writing entertainment columns for The Baltimore Times. 

Joy Bramble, the founder and publisher of The Baltimore Times, convinced Pryor to write an entertainment column for the paper, though she had no prior experience as a professional writer. Pryor documented her beginnings with the publication in a piece entitled “Down Memory Lane: The Baltimore Times and Rambling Rose’s Journey for 34 years.”

For about 38 years and counting, Pryor has contributed to The Baltimore Times. Her “Rambling Rose” column offers insights, updates and news coverage of entertainment-related events and topics in Baltimore City and surrounding areas.

Writing the column has led to additional journalistic opportunities, including covering the Barbados World Gospel Event. Subsequently, there were more requests to cover gospel festivals, music festivals and jazz festivals.

“Rambling Rose” was also published in the Afro American Newspapers for several years. Pryor’s experience as a columnist has been exceptionally rewarding, she said.

“I consider Joy and Peter [Bramble] not only my best friends, but they’re responsible for what I thoroughly enjoy doing now that I didn’t know was even possible for me to do,” Pryor said.

“It blew my mind. I just could not believe that people were actually picking up the paper to read my column. From that point to now, it’s just been extremely popular… Each year I say ‘I think this will be my last year.’ But I enjoy it so much, I just continue doing what I can.”

Pryor has authored two books – “African-American Community, History & Entertainment in Maryland (Remembering the Yesterdays)” and “African-American Entertainment in Baltimore.” 

She has written a third book and is hopeful that it will be released within the next three months. This book, she said, is an extension of her second book and will chronicle the city’s and state’s rich entertainment history from 1950 to 1980. Replete with intriguing photos, this book will be more than 650 pages, she said.

In the 60-plus years Pryor has been involved in entertainment and nearly 40 years as a columnist, she has impacted thousands across the nation and beyond, cementing her legacy as an influential Black figure and local icon. 

Pryor hopes that one day, a museum will designate an exhibit that chronicles her work and accomplishments over the course of her life.

“The legacy I want – after I’m gone – is for a museum or a room in a museum where all the work I have done will be placed so people can see it,” Pryor said. “It would let them know that this is something they could also do.”