Richard Rath began his journey of reed making at West Texas (A&M) State as a Music Education Major, where the young saxophone player was asked to learn the oboe and bassoon. After college, he studied and produced the Gower Reed with William Gower. Richard returned to WTSU to work on his Masters, and found himself making double reeds for local stores. Word of his reed making became known in the region, increasing his sales and influence. During the 1970’s, Richard’s resume included Augustana College, the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and the Willoughby School of Fine Arts in Cleveland, OH. While in Ohio, Richard mastered his reed making with the incomparable John Mack.

Richard moved the family to Tulsa, Oklahoma to take ownership of his own music store, Rath Music Company. Richard also taught at The University of Tulsa, Oral Roberts University, and performed in local symphonies and operas.

Upon selling his music store, Richard was successful at several business endeavors, but his reed making always continued. In the 2000s, several machine manufacturers began building mechanization into the cane prep tools prevalent for decades. Now, the once arduous and time-consuming cane preparation steps became automated. This allowed for more focus on the testing and finishing of reeds. Working with music distributors, Richard’s Double Reeds (RDR) went nationwide, then international. In 2010, Bill Rath came aboard as Production Manager in addition to his role of reed making.

RDR continues to seek out the best cane, utilize the latest technology, and treat each reed with the time and attention not found in many other commercial reeds. We will continue to strive for excellence and appreciate your continued support of Richard’s Double Reeds.