Rick Simmons

Dr. Rick Simmons was born and raised in South Carolina, and during the course of his education, he attended Clemson University, Coastal Carolina University, and the University of South Carolina, where he completed his PhD in 1997. He currently lives in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, with his wife Sue. He was formerly the holder of the George K. Anding Endowed Professorship at Louisiana Tech University, where he was the Director of the Honors Program as well as the Director of the Center for Academic and Professional Development. His book Carolina Beach Music: The Classic Years, was a finalist in the category of "Best Research in Rock and Pop Music" by the Association for Recording and Sound Collections (ARSC) for their 2012 Awards for Excellence in Historical Sound Research. His seventh book, 40 Hits, 40 Stories, was published by McFarland in 2023.