A brilliant drummer and educator, Ralph Humphrey was one of Los Angeles’ most in-demand studio drummers, recording for TV, motion pictures, albums, and jingles. He was also the Drum Department Chair at the Los Angeles College of Music in Pasadena, CA, and co-founded the Percussion Institute of Technology (PIT) at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA.
His most recent projects include Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Charmed, Piglet’s Big Movie, Star Trek Enterprise, The Simpsons, ABC 50th Anniversary Special, Far From Heaven, Coca-Cola, and Ping golf clubs. His past touring and recording experience includes the Don Ellis Big Band, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band, Al Jarreau, Manhattan Transfer, Seals and Crofts, and Free Flight. He can also be heard on album projects by Wayne Shorter, Tom Rainer, Mike Miller, Jeff Richman, The Outsidemen, and Babaghanoush, among many others.
Ralph also conducted clinics and master classes, including, most recently, at the 2015 PASIC convention. Ralph was the author of the drum book Even in the Odds and contributed occasional articles to Modern Drummer Magazine.
Ralph passed away on April 23, 2023.
