A native of St. Louis, MO, trumpeter Richard Fanning now resides in the metropolitan area of Detroit, MI. Rich graduated from Cleveland High School, along with other St. Louis trumpeters as Jim Manley, Frank Goessler, Kevin Broccard, Steve Heitmann and Dennis Smith. His early jazz education was the result of band director Ed Levinsky, as well as directors William Habetler and Wayman Mickens. His first trumpet studies were with St. Louis freelancer Edward Brauer.

After graduating from high school, Rich began studying music at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, studying trumpet with Bob Ceccarini. Rich won the first trumpet position in the day band at Six Flags over Mid-America Palace Orchestra where he performed six days a week throughout 1978. During that time, Rich also began performing with St. Louis band leaders Russ David, Johnny Polzin, Bob Kuban, and others. Rich backed up numerous entertainers such as Tex Beneke, Nancy Wilson, Mel Tormé, The Temptations, Bob Newhart, Rich Little, Patty Page, Kay Starr, Roger Williams and others.

On the advice of St. Louis trumpeter and Indiana University alumnus Dr. Aaron Calodney, Rich left St. Louis for Bloomington, Indiana, where he studied trumpet with master trumpet teacher William Adam at Indiana University's prestigious school of music. While at IU, Rich played in jazz ensembles under the direction of Jack Wilkins, Pat Harbison, Dominic Spera and distinguished professor of music David N. Baker.

Rich was also fortunate to perform with a number of great student musicians at IU. These included Chris Botti, Scott Wendholt, Edgar Meyer, Shawn Pelton, Bob Hurst, Jim Beard, and many others. One of the highlights of Rich’s career came during this time when he recorded a horn track on John Mellencamp’s album Scarecrow. Along with saxophonist Jack Wilkins and drummer Kenny Aronoff, Rich played a short horn-section riff on Justice and Independence ‘85. Scarecrow went on to sell over three million copies. Rich received the RIAA Platinum Record Award and a Golden Reel Award from Ampex Tape for his involvement on the recording.

Rich completed a BA degree through the School of Arts and Sciences in 1984 and quickly applied for the masters of music in jazz studies degree program. In 1986, Rich spent the summer performing on a cruise ship with weekly ports of call in Key West, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, MX. That fall, he began performing with Gary Puckett (formerly Gary Puckett and the Union Gap). After stints at the Reno Hilton and a regional tour of the east coast, Rich toured with The Monkees from June to October, 1987. While with The Monkees, Rich performed at many great concert venues, including Red Rocks Amphitheater, Jones Beach, Greek Theater, The Pier, Sunrise Theater, Shoreline Amphitheater and Pine Knob Music Center.

Rich then moved to New York, NY, where he performed at Radio City Music Hall with Rob Grill and the Grass Roots. During his two years in the city, Rich performed at various venues backing up such entertainers as Sergio Franke, Regis and Kathie Lee, The Temptations, The Four Tops,The O'Jays, Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons, and most notably, with the Illinois Jacquet Big Band. During this time, Rich toured Europe and performed at the famous Blue Note Jazz Club with Illinois Jacquet, as well as touring with the Broadway show Cats.

In 1989 and now married to his college sweetheart Jane and daughter Emily on the way, Rich left NYC for the mountains of Boone, NC. For one year, Rich taught all the jazz courses and directed the jazz ensembles at Appalachian State University and performed professionally around western NC. While in Boone, Rich performed with the Unifour Jazz Ensemble as well as several contractors in the Charlotte and Asheville metro areas. These performances included backing up Rich Little, Clark Terry and Bobby Shew. Rich also taught that summer (’90) at Appalachian State University’s Cannon Music Camp, where he taught trumpet and directed a jazz ensemble.

Rich, Jane and Emily then moved to Bloomington, IN, where Rich began his doctoral studies in brass pedagogy and music literature. Rich studied trumpet with Professor Emeritus Charles Gorham for the first two years of his doctorate and then studied with Professor John Rommel. During this time, Rich toured with Perry Como for his last two holiday tours as well as touring with Natalie Cole for her first tour of music from her Grammy Award winning album “Unforgettable” and several Midwest performances with Steve Lawrence and Eddye Gormé. He also began his own music contracting business, along with trombonist/arranger/composer Brent Wallarab. Stardust Music provided various musical style performing groups for private events throughout the Bloomington and Indiana University communities.

In 1997, the Fanning family relocated to Savannah, GA, where Jane became the director of development for the Savannah Symphony Orchestra. Rich began teaching part-time at Armstrong Atlantic State University, where he taught music appreciation and performed with the faculty jazz combo. He performed on a number of performances with the Savannah Symphony, including pops concerts with guests Ray Charles and Skitch Henderson. Later, Rich began additional teaching duties with the Elderhostel Program at AASU, teaching courses in jazz appreciation, big band history and on the life of Savannah’s Johnny Mercer. Rich also began performing with the Savannah Jazz Orchestra and Fred Nimmer’s Swingtime Jazz Orchestra. In his last year in Savannah, Rich taught concert band and music appreciation at the Oglethorpe Academy, a charter middle school in Savannah. During this time Rich and Jane adopted Eric Ross Fanning. In 2000, the Fanning family moved yet again, this time to Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. Jane became the associate director of development for the Michigan Opera Theater and Rich became the instrumental music teacher at University Liggett School, a private, college-prep school in Grosse Pointe Woods (www.uls.org). While in Michigan, Rich continued his completion towards his doctoral degree from Indiana University and performed regularly with the Scott Gwinnell Jazz Orchestra. With the SGJO and special guest David Liebman, Rich performed at the 2003 International Association for Jazz Education conference in Toronto.

On August 2, 2006, Rich successfully defended his doctoral document “The Rhetorical Use of the Trumpet in the Music of Silvestre Revueltas: An Introduction.” Dr. Fanning now has three degrees from Indiana University. Rich continues to teach instrumental music at ULS, jazz trumpet students at Oakland University and performing with the SGJO.