Dr. Spradling holds three degrees from The Florida State University: the Bachelor of Music Education, the Master of Music Education, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education. He joined the WMU faculty in the Fall of 1993 after serving as Director of Bands and Chairperson for Winds and Percussion at Syracuse University. Prior to his university experience, Dr. Spradling taught at the junior and senior high levels in the Florida public schools.

In demand as a guest conductor and clinician, Dr. Spradling has been active nationally and internationally with outstanding amateur and professional ensembles and has contributed to numerous clinics and conferences for the professional development of wind band conductors.

Dr. Spradling has contributed articles to the Instrumentalist, Journal of Band Research, Journal of Research in Music Education, and the Band Director's Guide, among others, and he continues his research into conductor ensemble interaction.

Dr. Spradling has been the recipient of the American School Band Directors Stanbury Award and the Kappa Kappa Psi A. Frank Martin Award for leadership in the music profession. He is a co founder and has served both as an officer and member of the Executive Board of the New York State Band Directors Association. In addition, he has served as Florida State Chairman of the National Band Association and in the capacities of New York Chairman, National Coordinator for State Chairpersons, and Eastern Division President of the College Band Directors National Association. Other professional memberships include Music Educators National Conference, World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Mu. Alpha, Phi Beta Mu, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, and Sigma Alpha Iota.