1968: Born May 20th, Lawrenceburg Indiana
1973: First song I learned to sing: You Don’t Mess Around With Jim (Jim Croce)
1974: First instrument owned: Harmony Uke
1983: Started learning classical guitar through Frederick Noad PBS guitar series
1984: Started learning 5 string banjo
1985: Corn detasseled for a summer to buy my first good banjo, a Japanese made Alvarez Silver Belle
1985: Started learning mandolin (though did not take seriously for another 15 years)
1986: Began Freshman Year at Indiana University
1988: First bluegrass band, Under the Wire (banjo and mandolin)
1990: First rock band, Rebel Yell (electric guitar)
1991: Graduated IU (BA)
1991-2: Blues-rock trio Recycler w/ brother Phil (electric guitar)
1996-7: Blues band in Bloomington Indiana, The Vipers, w/ friends Tom Harold, Scott Kellogg, and Tadas Paegle
1997: Started the Audio Engineering program at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
1998-99: Blues band in Bloomington, The Forecasters, with friends JJ Perry and Will Scott.
1998: First recording project, The Forecasters’ TOO DAMN COLD (electric guitar, bass, mixing engineer)
1998: First recording project as engineer, Live from Bloomington (Piney Woods’ cut)
1999: Moved to Austin Texas
1999: Returned to playing banjo
2002: Moved to Indianapolis Indiana
2002: Returned to playing mandolin, this time taking seriously as primary instrument.
2002: Started the Gordon Bonham/Jim Richter acoustic blues duo w/ Gordon
2003: Videotaped/edited/produced Bonham/Richter HOOTENANNY! DVD
2003: Contributed mandolin work and graphic design to friend Pembroke Moreland’s album LATE
2004: Moved back to Bloomington, Indiana
2004: Graduated with an AS in Audio Engineering from the IU Jacobs School of Music
2005: Began promoting mandolin-oriented concerts in Bloomington, Indiana. In 2005 promoted concerts for Compton & Long, Compton & Grier, and Chris Sharp & David Long
2005: Created and 1st webmaster for
2005: Began ongoing personal and business relationship with luthier Will Kimble
2005: Additionally webmastered for banjoist Butch Robins and guitarist David Grier
2006: Created website for Latino Studies Program, Indiana University
2008: January 2008, Will Kimble finished my Kimble A5 #138
2008: Created website for Latin-American History Dept,, Indiana University
2008: Contributed “Brownsville Blues” cut w/ Gordon Bonham to acclaimed Yank Rachell Tribute CD
2009: With friend Will Kimble, contributed original tune “Pine Grove Furnace” to Butch Baldassari Tribute CD, THE ROAD HOME
2010: Started graduate Masters program in Counseling through IU School of Education-Bloomington
2011: In July, held 1st Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us
2012: In spring released Richter Mandolin ebook on iTunes
2012: In July, held 2nd Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us w/ special guest instructor Don Julin
2013: 3rd Richter Mandolin Camp with Don Julin
2013: Graduated w/ Masters in Counseling/Began PhD in Counseling Psychology
2014: Presented at national conference of counseling psychology and Great Lakes Conference
2014: 4th Richter Mandolin Camp with Don Julin
2014: Published article on malingering in peer-reviewed Journal of Mental Health Counseling
2015: Presented at Great Lakes Conference
2015: 5th Richter Mandolin Camp with Will Patton
2017: Coauthor of article on Latino prescription pain reliever misuse in peer-reviewed Journal of Addictive Behavior
2018: Instructor at Mandolin Camp North near Boston, Mass.
2019: 6th Richter Mandolin Camp with Don Julin
2020: 7th Richter Mandolin Camp with Don Julin
2021: 8th Richter Mandolin Camp with Don Julin