Robert H. (Bob) Lapham was born February 4, 1935 in Abilene, Texas to his late parents Loren and Gladys Lapham. He had one brother the late Bill Lapham, formerly a  major business consultant.

He graduated from Abilene High School in 1953 and entered Texas Tech University at Lubbock, Texas. He met fellow-student, John Pickering in 1954, when both worked as check liners at First National Bank of Lubbock.

An aspiring actor and singer, Lapham had the lead role in "Good News," Tech's major annual Broadway style musical. John Pickering saw the production and liked his baritone voice. It was that connection that brought Bob Lapham to the Picks trio.

Following the Holly overdubs of 1957, Bob served in the Army and after discharge in 1959 entered the oil supply business at Wichita Falls, Texas, where he met his wife, Mary. They were married in 1960, and moved to Abilene, Texas, later moving to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

As aspiring writer while at Tech, Lapham went on to become a talented word craftsman and entered the newspaper business in 1965. He was successful in that profession until his retirement in February, 2000. As a sports writer, he was named UPI's 1969 Sportswriter of the Year and won third place in the AP's contest the next year. Overall, he worked for papers in Brownsville, Harlingen and Abilene, Texas in various editorial capacities, including sports editor, news editor, features editor and, in his final capacity, arts and entertainment editor for 13 years.

Lapham lettered in golf at Texas Tech, and continues to play amateur golf competitively, including state senior match and medal play tournaments.

A licensed pilot, he formerly flew his own plane, a 1963 Piper Cherokee 235, but no longer is active, retiring from flying with almost 400 hours.

Bob wrote and published a book in 1973 entitled, "Twenty Years Of Life Begins At Forty - The Story of A Unique Golf Tournament".

September 22, 2002, Bob was honored at a reception at the Abilene Texas Public Library. The reception honored Abilene authors with books published in the year Sept 2001 – Sept 2002. In 2001, Bob Lapham wrote and published "What Made Wyatt Urp - The Life and Times of Toad Leon...a biography" as told by his family, his friends, and the man himself.

In 2003,  "The Wild Blue...And Family Too"  By Buster Bridges, as Told to Bob Lapham, was published.

In 2003, Bob released a new book entitled "Meet Me at the River Buddy Holly". "Bob uses his 1957 summer spent as a member of The Picks when they sang on Buddy Holly's records as catalyst for this intriguing and enlightening first novel."

He has since published "Ethan's Keys" and continues in his writing career.

Bob occasionally does some backup singing produced by his son, John Mark Lapham, who has had a long association with England's musical group The Earlies.

Bob and Mary have 3 children - daughter, Cindy Bellamy, and sons, Lance and John Mark Lapham. They have one grandchild, Victoria Rose Bellamy. Cindy is a nurse; married to Gary Bellamy and Lance is a travel agent. They reside in the Austin, Texas area. John Mark is a recording engineer and computer music composer, spending much of his pursuit in Manchester, England.