Ross Nannauck III was born in 1960 and raised in Petersburg, Alaska. In 1996, he began to study Northwest Coast art and formline paintings on his own. He furthered his studies by learning from master artist Normal Jackson of Kake, Alaska in 1999.

His Tlingit name is Tayeedéi. His clan is the Sukteeneidéi, which is "The late fall Dog Salmon swimming through the golden grass of what is now Port Camden". His house is Suk HÍt, which is "The Grass House or House in Tall Grass".