Richard is an associate professor of trombone at Mississippi State University where he teachers applied low brass, coaches brass chamber music and Freshman sight singing and ear training in the music theory area.

Richard has performed with the Augusta Symphony, Harry Jacobs Chamber Orchestra, Bowling Green Philharmonia, Muncie Symphony, Richmond Symphony, Terra Haute Symphony, Ft. Wayne Symphony, Tupelo Symphony, Mississippi Symphony, Delta State Symphony and Starkville Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician he has performed with the Falcon Brass, t3 Trio, Slideshow Trombone Quartet, Cardinal Brass Quintet and Golden Triangle Brass.

Richard founded the Online Trombone Journal in September 1996. The OTJ is recognized as the only peer-reviewed journal in the area of trombone performance and pedagogy, in print or online. As editor and publisher he has overseen the publication of over 200 articles and reviews all of which are freely available at http://trombone.org.

He holds the B. M. Ed. from Augusta State University, the M. M. in trombone performance from Bowling Green State University, and the D. A. in trombone performance and orchestral conducting from Ball State University. His trombone teachers include Arvard Larson, David Vining, Paul Hunt and John Seidel. He has studied conducting with Emily Freeman-Brown and Leonard Atherton.