A native of Shamokin, PA, Dr. James Moyer received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Susquehanna University, where he was twice selected for the Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band, the oldest such organization in the nation. He holds a MM and DMA from the University of Oklahoma where his teachers included Dr. Richard Gipson and John Bannon. During his time at OU, Moyer was a member and soloist with the OU Percussion Ensemble, the first college percussion ensemble to release a commercial CD. OU also joined the University of North Texas as the first 2 college percussion ensembles to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in 1985.

Dr. Moyer's articles appear in Percussive Notes, School Band and Orchestra and his solo CD, "Something Old, Something New" as well as his multiple publications, which are available through Studio 4 Music, Alliance Publications, and C. Alan Publications. Four Mallet Progressive Literature was released in 2010 by Studio 4 Music. In addition to Richard C. Gipson and John Bannon, his teachers included former Pittsburgh Symphony timpanist, Stanley Leonard, and international marimba virtuosos Gordon Stout and Leigh Howard Stevens. Moyer also completed the Bob Becker Ragtime Xylophone Institute at the University of Delaware. His post-doctoral work includes Level II certification with the Technology Institute for Music Educators.

He has presented clinics and masterclasses at state and national conferences throughout the southwest, midwest and northeastern U.S. including the 2015 TMEA State Convention. From 2016-2023, Dr. Moyer was Chairman of the Department of Fine & Performing Arts, as well as Director of Bands, at Texas A & M International University. He served as Timpanist of the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra from 2012-2020 and performs as with the Corpus Christie Symphony Orchestra. He has held past timpani and percussion positions with the Allentown, Illinois and Bartlesville Symphony Orchestras.