Ricky Tims’ Musical History

Ricky Tims has had a life-long passion for music. He began formal piano lessons at the age of three and for most of his life, never desired to pursue any other career or discipline. While his years of formal training helped develop his performance technique, music reading skills, and knowledge of music theory, his ability to play 'by ear' was a result of the frequent family musical 'hootenannies' - popular weekend occurrences during his formative years.'

During elementary school, a string program was offered to 5th and 6th grade students. Ricky participated and excelled on the violin. He was chosen as 2nd chair in the citywide youth orchestra. However, upon entering junior high, his dream of playing trumpet surpassed his desire to play violin so he signed up to play in the Barwise Jr. High School band. Playing trumpet came naturally and he achieved rank as section leader and was selected Drum Major of the marching band.

1970 – 1974
At SH Rider High School, he continued pursuing music by participating in as many musical activities as he could. He won numerous musical awards, sang tenor in the Acapella Choir, and played trumpet in both the stage band and orchestra. His senior year he was selected as conductor of the city youth choir and was chosen as “Outstanding High School Senior Musician” by the Music Teacher’s Association of Wichita Falls. He was awarded a university music scholarship by Wichita Falls’ resident and world-renown organist, Dr. Anita Akin, who had followed Ricky’s musical pursuits since first hearing him play at the age of five. Throughout all of these years he continued to study piano privately from several piano teachers.

Also of note was his participation in a very active church music program. At the age of 17 he was hired to develop special music groups and conduct the adult choral program at his church.

He carried a double major in both piano performance and music composition at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas studying under Ivy Boland and Dr. Kent Hughes respectively. On April 10, 1979, nearing the completion of his graduation requirements, a massive tornado devastated Wichita Falls and destroyed his family home, carrying away all of his hand-written compositions. This setback eventually led him to quit his university studies and pursue other musical interests.

1983 - 1998
After leaving college Ricky toured with two Christian musical groups, the later based out of Waco, Texas. While there, Ricky began working in a recording studio where he discovered his talent for studio work. He produced several commercial radio spots and a few album projects. He produced several of his own songs, but the only solo album he produced during this time was a Christmas album called, The True Light, for the Word Music label.

It was in Waco that he also began doing music transcription work for Word, Inc. He transcribed recordings of many then-popular Christian recording artists (Michael W. Smith, Steve Green, Cynthia Clawson to name a few) into piano/vocal folios.

1988 - 1998
In 1988 he moved to St. Louis, Missouri after having accepted a job as music producer for a video/animation production studio. The company closed one year later. Ricky purchased the recording studio from the company and began work from his home as a free-lance music producer.

With extra time on his hands, Ricky decided to make a quilt. For the full story, click here. While he had previously explored various visual arts as a hobby, his interest in quilting stuck. Little did he realize at the time just how significant this endeavor would become.

In 1992 Ricky was invited to become the pianist at Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1993, he applied and was hired as Music Coordinator. Over the next five years, Ricky composed and arranged many choral/orchestral works. He produced three CDs of the Kirk Chancel Choir. The final one, Five Mystical Songs, was release nationally on the Arkay music label. He co-founded the Covenant Children’s Chorale, an auditioned performing and touring choir of children ages 8-13.

In 1998, Ricky’s avocation as a quilt teacher/artist was escalating. He resigned his conducting position and began pursuing a career as a national quilt teacher and lecturer.

His final musical endeavor as a conductor in St. Louis was an event that he claims to be one of the most significant events of his life. He implemented and conducted a benefit concert that included Kris Anthony’s When We No Longer Touch and other sacred songs of hope and healing. This concert was performed by 85 singers from 18 different choral societies in the St. Louis area and accompanied by members of the St. Louis Symphony orchestra. Passage, a CD that was funded and produced by Ricky, became the first of his recordings to garner world-wide acclaim.

2000
In April of 2000 Ricky underwent a quadruple heart bypass surgery. He was 44. Following this surgery Ricky moved to Arvada, Colorado to continue pursuing what had become a successful career that blends his passion for both music and quilting. In August of 2000 he produced two more CDs - Heart and Soul, a collection of songs that chronicles his life, and Celebrate the Century, a historic perspective of music and quilts. In 2001, he produced Christmastime, a collection of timeless and traditional seasonal favorites.

In December of 2003, Ricky moved to the small mountain town of La Veta in south central Colorado. He maintains a heavy international travel and performing schedule, primarily associated with quilting events.

Sacred Age, his most recent recording, features all original music inspired by the beauty and majesty of the Colorado mountains. The album is a fusion of piano and Native American instruments. Ricky now includes Native American flute to his performance repertoire.