Ralph Morris Penland (born February 15, 1953, Cincinnati, died March 13, 2014) was an American jazz drummer.
Penland was a percussionist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra as a high schooler.
In 1975 he moved to Los Angeles and led his own group, Penland Polygon; he also worked as a session musician for Chet Baker, Kenny Burrell, Eddie Harris, Harold Land, Charles Lloyd, Ronnie Matthews, and Nancy Wilson.
In the 1980s he worked with George Cables, Dianne Reeves, Buddy Montgomery, Charlie Rouse, Jimmie Rowles, Rick Zunigar, Andy Simpkins, Dave Mackay, Bunky Green, Richard Todd, and John Nagourney.
In the 1990s he toured with Frank Sinatra, Herbie Hancock, and Carlos Santana, and was active as a studio drummer, recording with Bob Cooper, Eddie Daniels, James Leary, Marc Copland, Dieter Ilg, Lou Levy, Carmen Bradford, Janis Siegel, Fred Hersch, Rickey Woodard, Carmen Lundy, Joe Sample, and Miki Coltrane.