He embarked on music criticism following a well-received 1973 article in The New York Times on the soprano Renata Tebaldi, and soon joined the staff of the Globe.

Born in Mineral Wells, Texas, on December 29, 1941,[2] Richard M. Dyer was raised first in Enid, Oklahoma, and later in Hiram, Ohio.

[2] While studying for his PhD, Dyer received nationwide attention for his 1973 article in The New York Times concerning the soprano Renata Tebaldi's "artistic decline".

[1] Dyer later reflected on joining the Globe, noting that it was "an unexpected sidestep into journalism"; when Steinberg left the paper in 1976, he succeeded him as chief classical music critic.

[1][4] Grove described his criticism as "demonstrat[ing] penetrating insight and a highly sensitive ear to subtleties of performance, especially with regard to the piano.

[1] He wrote liner notes including those for Deutsche Grammophon, New World Record, Philips, RCA Victor, Sony Classical and Westminster Classics, while orchestras that he wrote program notes for include the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Opera.

[4] Since retirement from the Globe, he taught at the Tanglewood Music Center and in Dawn Upshaw's graduate program at Bard College.