Ditmas was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey on December 12, 1946, but grew up in Miami; his father was a trombonist in Miami big bands. Ditmas studied the piano from the age of nine and switched to the drums two years later. He studied with Tony Crisetello and then attended Stan Kenton clinics at Indiana University and Michigan State University in the early 1960s. He started playing with Ira Sullivan while still at high school,Tarro, Zim (January 2015) Bruce Ditmas Interview, Cadence. Accessed June 24, 2019. and continued until 1964.
