Rick Baker, the son of Orville and Joyce Baker, was born April 19, 1955, in Fort Worth, Texas. Rick’s journey with the trumpet began in 1966 when he was eleven years old. His mother found a used Holton Collegiate cornet (vintage late 1950’s) down the street at a neighbor’s garage sale for $25. Rick initially tried to teach himself to play, but after a few months, his parents decided he needed professional instruction. Since Birdville ISD did not offer band until 7th grade, his mother found an alternative in Fort Worth—a program called "Project Muse." This initiative provided free lessons from professional musicians in the local union at the Scott Theater in downtown Fort Worth. There were a total of four lessons and Rick was well on his way towards being a trumpeter, setting the foundation for his future musical career.

Upon entering the band program at North Richland Junior High, Rick encountered band director Jim Wood, a talented trumpet player. When Rick auditioned for Mr. Wood, his talent was immediately evident. He skipped the beginning band altogether and was placed directly into the eighth-grade band. By the end of the semester, he had advanced to the ninth-grade band.
Under Jim Wood's direction and influence, Rick truly thrived as a trumpeter. In the eighth grade, he was chosen to play "Bugler's Holiday" on the band record. He thought everybody learned to double tongue in their first year of playing!

In High School, private lessons were not available, so Rick continued to work with his former junior high director, Jim Wood. This mentorship extended beyond the school setting, as Rick eventually started playing regularly with Jim in the "Red Woodward Dance Band." Together, they performed on weekends at various dance clubs and country clubs around Fort Worth which provided Rick valuable performance opportunities.

Rick’s love of music continued to flourish leading him to study music at the University of Texas at Arlington in the Fall of 1973. There, Rick was deeply involved in various musical ensembles, including the marching band, jazz band, symphonic band, and brass choir. He studied trumpet under Ray Lichtenwalter, who later became the Director of Bands at UTA. During his time at UTA, Rick was first chair trumpet for 4 years as well as an active member in both Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Mu Alpha fraternities.

In August of 1976, Rick married his love, Nan, while completing his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Texas at Arlington. Then in the summer of 1978, Rick received a pivotal call from Dean Corey, the Director of Fine Arts in Arlington, about a job opening at Nichols Junior High School. Rick's friend, Steve Musser, was moving to Lamar High School to teach alongside Bob Copeland. Bob, recognizing Rick's potential, recommended him for the position at Nichols. After a brief meeting, Dean Corey approved Rick for the position. This opportunity not only launched Rick's teaching career but also solidified lifelong friendships with Bob Copeland, Dean Corey, Steve Musser, and his mentor from UTA, Ray Lichtenwalter. These relationships profoundly influenced Rick's approach to teaching and his career in music education.

In 1981, Rick Baker began working on a Master's degree at East Texas State University, now known as Texas A&M University-Commerce. He pursued his studies during the summers and graduated with honors in 1983.

During this time, Rick's passion for the trumpet led him to play with Pete Petersen's big band, "The Collection Jazz Orchestra," in Arlington, contributing to the band for six years and recording their first two albums. When Ray Lichtenwalter started the now Arlington Community Band in 1982, Rick became a founding member. He played principal trumpet for 28 years before being chosen to direct the group in 2009 after Bob Copeland retired as director. He continues to direct the group today, showcasing his leadership and musical expertise.

In 1995, Rick earned the position of Principal Trumpet in the Wichita Falls Symphony, a role he held until 2000. Additionally, he was a founding member of the Arlington Wind Symphony, which later evolved into the Texas Wind Symphony under the direction of Ray Lichtenwalter. Rick's career is a testament to his significant contribution to the musical landscape in the north Texas area.

Rick taught at Nichols Junior High until 1993, when he left to open Arlington’s newest junior high, Barnett Junior High School. There, his program fed the James Bowie High School band, under the direction of his good friend, Brian Lamb. Working with Brian, he began to mold the Barnett Band program to become one of the best in the area. By 1997, Rick had built the Barnett program to over 350 students. That same year, he was hired to be the assistant at Bowie High School. He entrusted the thriving Barnett band program to the capable hands of Darlene Janeski, confident that it would continue to excel under her leadership.

When Brian Lamb left Bowie, Richard Thomas became the new director and together Richard and Rick built the band up to around 240 students. That growth was attributed to the great teaching at Barnett by Darlene and many others. When Richard Thomas left in 2000, Rick Baker assumed the role of Director of Bands at Bowie High School, where he would spend the remainder of his career. With the help of assistant directors Mike Rogers, Bob Browne, Larry Brown, Doyle Belville, and Dwayne Stokley, the band program continued to flourish, growing to 285 students. The band had tremendous success in concert and marching band, as well as building fantastic award-winning jazz programs, drumline, colorguard and winterguard.

Rick Baker's commitment to building individual musicianship within the Bowie band program was evident in his strategic approach to music education. He prioritized the development of each student's skills by implementing a comprehensive private lesson program. With approximately 200 students enrolled, all taught by college-degreed private lesson teachers, students received personalized instruction tailored to their needs. In addition to private lessons, Rick conducted sectionals and dedicated time to listening to individual players, ensuring their growth and progress. This meticulous approach yielded impressive results, with Bowie band students consistently earning around fifty spots in the All Region Bands each year and producing several All-Staters annually. Under Rick's leadership, the Bowie Band achieved remarkable success on the competition circuit, winning Best-in-Class awards at prestigious festivals across the country. Their accolades included victories in cities such as Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington D.C., New York, Galveston, New Orleans, and a notable win at the South Coast Festival in Corpus Christi in 2003.

Rick Baker's dedication to the music education community extends beyond his role as a band director. He held several offices in professional organizations, demonstrating his commitment to advancing music education in the state. From 2000 to 2007, Rick served as the Secretary and later as the President of TMEA Region 5, as well as UIL Region 5 Orchestra Chair. Rick was elected into Phi Beta Mu in 2002. Rick is honored to have spent his entire career in Arlington ISD and TMEA Region 5.

Rick attributes much of his success to the exceptional colleagues and mentors he worked with throughout his career. These individuals played pivotal roles in shaping his approach to music education and supporting his professional growth. Among them are Bob Copeland, Ray Lichtenwalter, Doug Stotter, Mark McGahey, David Bertman, Bobby Francis, Matt Garrett, Phillip Cadenhead, Joe Dolkos, Steve Musser, and David Kirkley. Their guidance, wisdom, and collaboration were instrumental in Rick's journey as an educator.

After Rick’s retirement in 2007, he transitioned into church music at his church in North Richland Hills, where he leads the instrumental music program and established a church orchestra consisting of twenty-five members. In December of 2008, Dallas Baptist University approached Rick about teaching a class in Instrumental Methods for the Music Education Department. This opportunity soon expanded, and he found himself teaching Orchestration, leading the Jazz Program, and providing applied lessons to all brass students at DBU. Now entering his 47th year of teaching, Rick continues to hold his position at DBU, where he imparts his knowledge and passion for music to the next generation of musicians and educators.

Since his retirement from full-time teaching, Rick Baker has remained active in the music community by playing trumpet in two area Christian Big Bands: The Joshua Experience and the Metro Praise Orchestra. Additionally, Rick was called back to serve Arlington Independent School District (AISD) once again, this time as a mentor, from 2015 to 2020.

Rick Baker expresses profound gratitude to his wife, Nan, for her presence at every event being his biggest cheerleader. His gratitude extends to his family for their unwavering support throughout his career. He expresses heartfelt appreciation to Lindsay and Phillip Cadenhead, Leslie and Matt Garrett, and Lauren and Chris Tracey for their love and encouragement over the years. Rick is particularly proud of his grandsons, Alex, Ashton, Ryan, and Hunter.

Furthermore, Rick is thrilled to see the family's musical legacy continue as his grandson, Alex, a Music Education major at TCU playing trumpet. He is also proud of Ashton, who also plays trumpet and serves as drum major for the Mansfield High School band. Rick's family has been a source of inspiration and strength throughout his career, and he is deeply grateful for their love and support.