In 1979, Rick Latham bypassed finishing his master's degree from the College of Music to play drums on tour for a well-known Elvis Presley impersonator.

In the 40 years since, Latham earned the title "Doctor of Groove" by making a name for himself in the world of percussion and music industry as a world-class teacher, studio and touring drummer, and best-selling author.

Born and raised in South Carolina during the 1960s and 1970s, Latham grew up listening to southern soul, R&B music and jazz by the likes of Joe Morello and Buddy Rich. By observing the experimental percussionists of the time, he began teaching himself the drums in junior high before joining the marching band in high school.

"I was drawn to the drums," says Latham. "They felt natural to me."

Drumming became his main focus and Latham earned a bachelor's degree in percussion performance from East Carolina University, studying with Harold Jones in 1977 before attending UNT's College of Music on a full-ride teaching assistant scholarship for his master's degree.

During his years at UNT, he seized the opportunity to mark the beginning of what became a long, successful career.

Funk Studies

The Elvis impersonator gig was short-lived and Latham moved back to Dallas in 1980.

Once he returned, Latham was encouraged by mentor and former UNT drum set instructor Jim Hall to establish his own music publishing company and finish a book he started writing during his time as a teaching assistant.

Advanced Funk Studies was published in 1980 and mostly written while Latham was studying at the College of Music – where he was writing for the drumline, playing in the symphony orchestra and the jazz Lab Bands, and teaching mallets and snare with professors Robert Schietroma and Ron Fink.

"I had such great teachers that definitely had a great impact on me," says Latham.

In his book, Latham transcribed creative funk fusion percussion patterns for advanced drummers.  It quickly became a bestseller and even became a required text at top music universities, including the Navy School of Music and in courses at UNT.

Touring Teacher

Following the success of his book, Latham joined bassist Chuck Rainey on tour for several years and played shows with the legendary B.B King before moving to Los Angeles in 1984. This led him to film and television opportunities, including credits on the original "9 to 5" television series and a collaboration with legendary music producer Quincy Jones to develop a score for the 1985 film Fast Forward.

Ten years into his career, Latham was inspired to write his second book to teach modern techniques to young drummers and share new exercises. Contemporary Drumset Techniques was distributed through his publishing company and released to great reception in 1990.

Not long after its release, Latham hit the road with rock artist Edgar Winter on tour for around 10 years, until the mid-2000s. When their last tour ended, he met country-pop artist Juice Newton and performed with her for the next decade.

While touring with Newton, Latham gained international popularity and respect as a master percussion instructor with the release of instructional DVDs he created to provide an audio and visual accompaniment for his two books.

Touring and performing is his first love, but Latham also finds great reward in teaching. His passion for it started as a teaching assistant at UNT's College of Music.

When he's not on tour, Latham teaches masterclasses, clinics and shares his talent globally at universities like the Accademia del Suono in Milan, Italy, and at music conventions including Germany's Koblenz International Drummer's Meeting, the National Association of Music Merchants and others.

"I love touring, I love traveling and I love teaching," says Latham. "It's a perfect fit."

Don't Stop the Beat

Earlier this year, Latham was honored as a top music educator at the 2025 National Association of Music Merchants conference in Anaheim, California, by the Percussion Marketing Council. The annual NAMM convention has been running since 1902 and is the nation's largest music, sound, and event industry trade show.

Despite spending much of his time in California and owning an apartment in Los Angeles, Latham returned to his roots in 2021 and currently lives in South Carolina near his former UNT teacher Jim Hall, who he remains in touch with today.

Nearly five decades into his career, Latham stays busy in his home recording studio, teaches almost daily and performs on tour, currently with southern blues artist Mac Arnold. He has no interest in retiring anytime soon.

"No sign of stopping, for sure," says Latham. "There is a lot of drumming left in me."