Dr. Crawford holds the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education from Minot State University, the Master of Music Degree from the University of Northern Iowa, and the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music.  He has held teaching and conducting positions at Temple College, Minot State University, Ellsworth College, the University of Northern Iowa, and was the Associate Conductor with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra.  Currently, he is the principal percussionist/timpanist with the Temple Symphony Orchestra, Music Director for the Ritmo y Mas Percussion Group, conductor of the UMHB Percussion Ensemble, and is the coordinator for the Music History program at UMHB.

A nationally recognized conductor and scholar of wind and percussion music, Dr. Crawford has conducted performances at state, national and international conferences including the Texas Music Educators Conference, College Band Director’s National Conference, The Percussive Arts Society’s International Conference, and the International Horn Symposium.  He has presented lectures/clinics at the Music Education Associations of Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, Texas, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, South Carolina, California, New Mexico and Minnesota.  Dr. Crawford is in demand as a percussion performer, clinician, lecturer, and guest conductor having appeared throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, Taiwan, and Indonesia. 

Dr. Crawford represents Ross Mallet Instruments, Majestic Timpani, and Innovative Percussion Inc. as performing artist and clinician. An award-winning composer, his marimba compositions include Ghost River, Winter Mix, From the Edge of the Frame, Butterflies, Mountains, Bamboo (solo marimba); Remembering Tomorrow (flute and marimba); and Chroma 1 (marimba quartet) .  Ghost River, Chroma 1, and From the Edge of the Frame are on the Texas UIL Prescribed Music List. He was awarded the 2005 UMHB Faculty Award for Excellence in Scholarship, and was a 2004 nominee for Composer of the Year by the Texas Music Teachers Association.