In Memory Of Ralph Humphrey

(1944-2023)

The Remo family mourns the passing of Ralph Humphrey.

Ralph was a giant among drummers and educators. A true gentleman, gracious, humble, inquisitive, and kind, Ralph was one of the best of the best in all aspects of music and life.  

Playing with the Don Ellis Big Band, followed by a stint with Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Ralph raised the bar by utilizing complex time signatures and polyrhythms while always maintaining a tight and steady groove. Ralph famously double-drummed with Chester Thompson on Zappa’s live album, “Night at The Roxy.”

Ralph was a co-founder of the Percussion Institute of Technology (PIT) at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA, and later co-founded and headed the drum dept. at Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA), now the Los Angeles College of Music in Pasadena, CA.

He also maintained a busy gigging and session schedule, recording for a who’s who among jazz and pop artists including Natalie Cole, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau, Alphonso Johnson, and many others. He was the original drummer on the TV Show “Dancing with the Stars”, and played on sessions for American Idol, Family Guy, Star Trek, and countless others.

Ralph’s book “Even in The Odds” is a game-changing approach to working with odd meters, and his dedication to his students leaves a legacy that will influence generations of drummers to come.

We send our deepest sympathy to Ralphs’s family, friends, colleagues, and students around the world.