He was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Dec. 11, 1952, to Rush H. Limbaugh, Jr. and Mildred Armstrong Limbaugh. He has been married to Lisa Limbaugh since 1986, and they have four children, three daughters, Christen Suzanne Limbaugh, born April 5, 1993, Courtney Leigh Limbaugh, born August 3, 1995, and Caitlyn Marie Limbaugh, born June 23, 1999, and a son, Scott Armstrong Limbaugh, born May 4, 2001.

He attended Southeast Missouri State University from 1971-1972 and the University of Missouri, Columbia 1972-1975, where he graduated Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. While in undergraduate school at UMC, he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri, Columbia Law School in 1978. While in law school, he was a Member of Missouri Law Review. He served in the National Guard from 1972-1978.

He was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 1978 and began practicing law in September 1978 and has continued in practice since. He is presently a partner in the law firm of Limbaugh, Russell, Payne and Howard. In his first year of law practice he also taught Business Law in a night class for two semesters at Southeast Missouri State University.

He has been active in community service. He served as a member of the Cape Girardeau City Council for eight years, elected by the Council to serve as Mayor Pro-Tem for six of those years. During his second term on the City Council, he served as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. He also served as a member of the Cape Girardeau Missouri Public Facilities Authority and was on the Annexation Committee; he was a member of the Cape Girardeau City Board of Appeals. He served as Chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Constitutional Bi Centennial Committee. He served as a board member of Southeast Missouri Arts Council from 1983 through 1989.