Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York, United States. He discovered his affinity for jazz music at a young age and began drumming at the age of two. He began playing jazz in 1937, working with acts such as

Bunny Berigan Roland Bernard "Bunny" Berigan (November 2, 1908 – June 2, 1942) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader who rose to fame during the swing era. His career and influence were shortened by alcoholism, and ended with his early demise at the ...

Artie Shaw Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

, and

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

. From 1942 to 1944, Rich served in the

U.S. Marines The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

. From 1945 to 1948, he led the Buddy Rich Orchestra. In 1966, he recorded a big-band style arrangement of songs from ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

''. He found lasting success in 1966 with the formation of the Buddy Rich Big Band, also billed as the Buddy Rich Band and The Big Band Machine. Rich was known for his virtuoso technique, power, and speed. He was an advocate of the

traditional grip In percussion, grip refers to the manner in which the player holds the percussion mallet or mallets, whether drum sticks or other mallets. For some instruments, such as triangles and large gongs, only one mallet or beater is normally used, held ...

, though he occasionally used

matched grip In percussion, grip refers to the manner in which the player holds the percussion mallet or mallets, whether drum sticks or other mallets. For some instruments, such as triangles and large gongs, only one mallet or beater is normally used, held ...

when playing the toms. Despite his commercial success and musical talent, Rich never learned how to read

sheet music Sheet music is a handwritten or printed form of musical notation that uses List of musical symbols, musical symbols to indicate the pitches, rhythms, or chord (music), chords of a song or instrumental Musical composition, musical piece. Like ...

, preferring to listen to drum parts and play them from memory.

Early life and career

Rich was born in

Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn Sheepshead Bay is a neighborhood in southern Brooklyn, New York City. It is bounded by Ocean Parkway to the west; Avenue T and Kings Highway to the north; Nostrand Avenue and Gerritsen Avenue to the east; and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. S ...

, New York, to

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

parents Bess Skolnik and Robert Rich, both American

vaudevillians Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

. Before he turned two, he was part of his parents' act on vaudeville, but on breaks he would sneak into the orchestra pit and try to get the drummer's sticks. Rich would often sneak into jazz clubs at an age when he looked old enough to sit on the drum set. He was on Broadway as Baby Traps the Drum Wonder at age four, playing "

The Stars and Stripes Forever "The Stars and Stripes Forever" is a patriotic American march written and composed by John Philip Sousa in 1896. By a 1987 act of the U.S. Congress, it is the official National March of the United States of America. History In his 1928 autob ...

" on a drum. He was a singer and tap dancer. In his teens he led a band and toured in the U.S. and Australia. At fifteen he became the second highest paid child entertainer behind Jackie Coogan during the 1930s.

Career

Jazz career

His jazz career began in 1937 with clarinetist

Joe Marsala Joseph Francis Marsala (January 4, 1907 – March 4, 1978) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist and songwriter. His younger brother was trumpeter Marty Marsala and he was married to jazz harpist Adele Girard. Music career He was born in C ...

. He became a member of big bands led by

and

. When he was home from touring with Shaw, he gave drum lessons to a 14-year-old

Mel Brooks Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began ...

for six months. At 21, he participated in his first major recording with the

Vic Schoen Victor Schoen (March 26, 1916 – January 5, 2000) was an American bandleader, arranger, and composer whose career spanned from the 1930s until his death in 2000. He furnished music for some of the most successful persons in show business inclu ...

Orchestra who backed the Andrews Sisters. In 1942, Rich left the Dorsey band to join

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

, in which he served as a judo instructor and never saw combat. He was discharged in 1944 for medical reasons. After leaving the Marines, he returned to the Dorsey band. In 1946, with financial support from Frank Sinatra, he formed a band and continued to lead bands intermittently until the early 1950s. Following the war, Rich formed his own big band which often played at the Apollo Theater and featured backing vocals from

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

Buddy Rich Bigband (Gottlieb 07391) (cropped)

In addition to playing with Tommy Dorsey (1939–42, 1945, 1954–55), Rich played with

Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

(1942),

(1953–56–62, 1964, 1965), Les Brown,

Charlie Ventura Charlie Ventura (born Charles Venturo; December 2, 1916 – January 17, 1992) was an American tenor saxophonist and bandleader from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Career During the 1940s, Ventura played saxophone for the bands o ...

Jazz at the Philharmonic Jazz at the Philharmonic, or JATP (1944–1983), was the title of a series of jazz concerts, tours and recordings produced by Norman Granz. Over the years, "Jazz at the Philharmonic" featured many of the era's preeminent musicians, including Lou ...

, and

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...

(''

Bird and Diz ''Bird and Diz'' is a studio album by jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. It was recorded primarily on June 6, 1950, in New York City.Patrick, James (1997), pp. 1–3. Two tracks featured on the original pressing, "Pass ...

'', 1950). In 1955, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich recorded the collaboration album titled ''Krupa and Rich'', which featured the song "Bernie's Tune", where they traded drum solos for a total of six minutes. From 1966 until his death, he led successful big bands in an era when their popularity had waned. He continued to play clubs but stated in interviews that the majority of his band's performances were at high schools, colleges, and universities rather than clubs. He was a session drummer for many recordings, where his playing was often less prominent than in his big-band performances. Especially notable were sessions for

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...

and

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

, and the

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards ...

trio with bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis. In 1968, Rich collaborated with the Indian

tabla A tabla, bn, তবলা, prs, طبلا, gu, તબલા, hi, तबला, kn, ತಬಲಾ, ml, തബല, mr, तबला, ne, तबला, or, ତବଲା, ps, طبله, pa, ਤਬਲਾ, ta, தபலா, te, తబల� ...

player

Ustad Alla Rakha Ustad Alla Rakha Qureshi (29 April 1919 – 3 February 2000), popularly known as Alla Rakha, was an Indian tabla player who specialized in Hindustani classical music. He was a frequent accompanist of sitar player Pandit Ravi Shankar and wa ...

on the album ''Rich à la Rakha''. He performed a big-band arrangement of a medley from ''

'' that was released on the 1966 album '' Swingin' New Big Band''. The "West Side Story Medley", arranged by Bill Reddie, highlighted Rich's ability to blend his drumming into the band. Rich received the West Side Story arrangement of

Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...

's melodies from the musical in the mid-1960s; he found the music quite challenging and it took him almost a month of constant rehearsal to perfect. It later became a staple of his live performances. A six-minute performance of "Prologue/Jet Song" from the suite, performed during Frank Sinatra's portion of the Concert for the Americas on August 20, 1982, is on the DVD "Frank Sinatra: Concert for the Americas". In 2002, a DVD was released called '' The Lost West Side Story Tapes'' that captured a 1985 performance of this along with other numbers. A live recording of the "Channel One Suite" is on the album ''Mercy, Mercy'' recorded at Caesars Palace in 1968. The album was acclaimed as the "finest all-round recording by Buddy Rich's big band".

TV appearances

In the 1950s, Rich was a frequent guest on ''

The Steve Allen Show ''The Steve Allen Show'' was an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on ABC,

'' and other television variety shows, most notably on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...

''. Rich and

Johnny Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females. Varian ...

were lifelong friends, and

Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...

was himself a drum enthusiast. In 1973 PBS broadcast and syndicated Rich's February 6, 1973, performance at the Top of the Plaza in

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

. It was the first time thousands of drummers were exposed to Buddy in a full-length concert setting, and many drummers continue to name this program as a prime influence on their own playing. One of his most widely seen television performances was in a 1981 episode of ''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a s ...

'' in which he engaged Muppet drummer

Animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

(performed by

Frank Oz Frank Oz (born Frank Richard Oznowicz; May 25, 1944) is an American actor, puppeteer, and filmmaker. He began his career as a puppeteer, performing the Muppet characters of Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and Sam Eagle in ''The Muppet Show ...

, drums played by Ronnie Verrell) in a drum battle. Rich's famous televised drum battles also included

Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973), known as Gene Krupa, was an American jazz drummer, bandleader and composer who performed with energy and showmanship. His drum solo on Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of " Sing, Sing, ...

Ed Shaughnessy Edwin Thomas "Ed" Shaughnessy (January 29, 1929 – May 24, 2013) was a swing music and jazz drummer long associated with Doc Severinsen and a member of The Tonight Show Band on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''. Biography Shaughn ...

and Louie Bellson. Perhaps the most viewed television appearance was on "Here's Lucy" in the 1970 episode "Lucy And The Drum Contest".

Influences, technique, and performances

Rich cited

, Jo Jones, Chick Webb,

Ray McKinley Ray McKinley (June 18, 1910 – May 7, 1995) was an American jazz drummer, singer, and bandleader. He played drums and later led the Major Glenn Miller Army Air Forces Orchestra in Europe. He also led the new Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1956. ...

Ray Bauduc Ray Bauduc (June 18, 1906 – January 8, 1988) was an American jazz drummer best known for his work with the Bob Crosby Orchestra and their band-within-a-band, the Bobcats, between 1935 and 1942. He is also known for his shared composition of " ...

and

Sid Catlett Sidney "Big Sid" Catlett (January 17, 1910 – March 25, 1951) was an American jazz drummer. Catlett was one of the most versatile drummers of his era, adapting with the changing music scene as bebop emerged. Early life Catlett was born in Eva ...

as influences. He usually held his sticks with the

. He used the

when playing

floor tom A floor tom or low tom is a double-headed tom-tom drum which usually stands on the floor on three legs. However, they can also be attached to a cymbal stand with a drum clamp, or supported by a rim mount. It is a cylindrical drum without snare ...

s around the drum set while performing cross-stickings (crossing arm over arm), which was one of his party tricks, often leading to loud cheers from the audience. Another technique he used to impress was the stick-trick, a fast roll performed by slapping two drumsticks together in a circular motion using "taps" or single-stroke stickings. He often used contrasting techniques to keep long drum solos from getting mundane. Aside from his energetic, explosive displays, he would go into quieter passages. One passage he would use in most solos started with a simple single-stroke roll on the snare drum picking up speed and power, then slowly moving his sticks closer to the rim as he got quieter, and eventually playing on the rim itself while still maintaining speed. Then he would reverse the effect and slowly move towards the center of the snare while increasing power. Though well known as a powerful drummer, he did use

brushes A brush is a common tool with bristles, wire or other filaments. It generally consists of a handle or block to which filaments are affixed in either a parallel or perpendicular orientation, depending on the way the brush is to be gripped durin ...

. On the album '' The Lionel Hampton Art Tatum Buddy Rich Trio'' (1955) he played with brushes almost exclusively. In 1942, Rich and

Henry Adler Henry Adler (June 28, 1915 – September 30, 2008) was an American jazz drummer, teacher, author, and publisher. He taught drummer Buddy Rich how to read music and co-wrote ''Buddy Rich's Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments'', publ ...

wrote ''Buddy Rich's Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments'', which is regarded as one of the more popular snare

drum rudiment In ''rudimental drumming'', a form of percussion music, a drum rudiment is one of a number of relatively small patterns which form the foundation for more extended and complex drumming patterns. The term "drum rudiment" is most closely assoc ...

books. Adler met Rich through a former student. Adler said, "The kid told me he played better than Krupa. Buddy was only in his teens at the time and his friend was my first pupil. Buddy played and I watched his hands. Well, he knocked me right out. He did everything I wanted to do, and he did it with such ease. When I met his folks, I asked them who his teacher was. 'He never studied', they told me. That made me feel very good. I realized that it was something physical, not only mental, that you had to have." Adler denied the rumor that he taught Rich how to play. "Sure, he studied with me, but he didn't come to me to learn how to hold the drumsticks. I set out to teach Buddy to read. He'd take six lessons, go on the road for six weeks and come back. He didn't practice. He couldn't, because wherever the guy went, he was followed around by admiring drummers. He didn't have time to practice...Tommy Dorsey wanted Buddy to write a book and he told him to get in touch with me. I did the book and Tommy wrote the foreword. Technically, I was Buddy's teacher, but I came along after he had already acquired his technique." When asked if Rich could read music, Bobby Shew, lead trumpeter in Rich's mid-1960s big band replied, "No. He'd always have a drummer there during rehearsals to read and play the parts initially on new arrangements. Buddy would just sit in the empty audience seats in the afternoon and listen to the band... He'd only have to listen to a chart once and he'd have it memorized. We'd run through it and he'd know exactly how it went, how many measures it ran and what he'd have to do to drive it." In a ''

Modern Drummer ''Modern Drummer'' is a monthly publication targeting the interests of drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, and columns offering advice on technique, as well as information for the general public. ''Mo ...

'' interview, Buddy had this to say about practicing: "I don't put much emphasis on practice anyhow. I think it's a fallacy to believe that the more you practice, the better you become. You can only get better by playing. You can sit in a basement with a set of drums and practice rudiments all day long, but if you don't play with a band, you won't learn style, technique, and taste, and you won't learn how to play for a band and with a band. It's like getting a job, any kind of job, it's an opportunity to develop. And practice, besides that, is boring. I know teachers who tell their students to practice three, four, six hours a day. If you can't get what you want after an hour of practice, you're not going to get it in four days." In the same article, Rich also discourages playing drums with one's bare hands. When asked if he could do such a thing, he replied, 'Yes, but why destroy your hands? I could think of a hundred ways to use my hands rather than to break them on the rim of a drum.'"

Personal life

Rich was married to Marie Allison, a dancer and showgirl, on April 24, 1953, until his death in 1987. They had a daughter in 1954, Cathy, who later became a vocalist and carried on her father's band. Rich was also cousin of actor

Jonathan Haze Jonathan Haze (born Jack Schachter; April 1, 1929) is an American actor, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work in Roger Corman films, especially the 1960 black comedy cult classic, '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', in which he ...

. He also lived in

Williamsburg, Brooklyn Williamsburg is a Neighborhoods in Brooklyn, neighborhood in the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Brooklyn, bordered by Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Greenpoint to the north; Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Bedford–Stuyvesant to the s ...

. In March 1968 he was convicted of failing to report $50,000 of income in 1961 and was given five years'

probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...

, fined $2,500 and ordered to pay the

IRS The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory tax ...

$40,000. In July 1969, they placed a

tax lien A tax lien is a lien which is imposed upon a property by law in order to secure the payment of taxes. A tax lien may be imposed for the purpose of collecting delinquent taxes which are owed on real property or personal property, or it may be ...

on him for $141,606 for back taxes and Rich filed for bankruptcy the next month and the IRS seized his home in Las Vegas.

Personality

Rich was notoriously short-tempered. Singer

Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop music, p ...

slapped him after several days of "putting up with Rich's insults and show-biz sabotage". He held a rivalry with

which sometimes ended in brawls when both were members of Tommy Dorsey's band. Nevertheless, they remained lifelong friends, and Sinatra delivered a eulogy at Rich's funeral in 1987. In 1983, Rich underwent quadruple bypass surgery, and was often visited by Sinatra in the hospital.

Billy Cobham William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a Panamanian–American jazz drummer who came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He was inducted into the ''Mode ...

said that he met Rich in a club as a youth asking him to sign his snare drum, but Rich "dropped it down the stairs". Rich held a black belt in karate, which proved beneficial to him, his temper, and his health. At the time, Rich was prone to heart attacks and poor back structure following a surgery removing two of his spinal disks. Rich had a strong dislike of bandleaders. He claimed that the musicians "hardly look at the bandleader", and that the drummer is the real "quarterback" of the band. According to bassist

Bill Crow William Orval Crow (born December 27, 1927) is an American jazz bassist. Among other work, Crow was the long-term bassist in saxophonist Gerry Mulligan's bands in the 1950s and 1960s. Early life Crow was born on December 27, 1927, in Othello, ...

, Rich reacted strongly to

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz Jazz drumming, drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in h ...

's increasing popularity when he was the drummer for

, especially when a jazz critic stated Roach had topped Rich as the world's greatest drummer. Drummer

John JR Robinson John Frederick Robinson (born December 29, 1954), known professionally as JR, is an American drummer and session musician who has been called "one of the most recorded drummers in history". He is known for his work with producer Quincy Jones, in ...

told Crow he was with Roach when Rich drove by with a beautiful woman seated next to him and yelled: "Hey, Max! Top this!". Nonetheless, the two worked together on the 1959 album '' Rich Versus Roach'', and Roach appeared on the 1994 Rich tribute album '' Burning for Buddy''. Rich's temper was documented in a series of secret recordings made on tour buses and in dressing rooms by pianist

Lee Musiker Lee Musiker (born May 26, 1956) is an Americans, American Grammy Award-winner jazz pianist, arranger, orchestrator and conductor. Biography Born in New York City in 1956, Mr. Musiker studied music theory and piano at the Manhattan School of Music ...

, who concealed a compact tape recorder in his clothing while on tour with Rich in the early 1980s. On one recording, Rich threatens to fire trombonist

Dave Panichi Dave Panichi is an Australian jazz Musician, trombonist and composer who began his professional musical career in 1975. In 1981 Panichi moved to New York, where he lived for 18 years. During this time he performed with notable artists including t ...

for having a beard. Although he threatened many times to fire members of his band, he seldom did so and for the most part, he praised his musicians in television and print interviews. The day before his death, April 1, 1987, Rich was visited by Mel Tormé, who claimed that one of Rich's last requests was to hear the tapes of his angry outbursts. Tormé was working on an authorized biography of Rich, and included excerpts of the tapes in the book, but he never played the tapes for Rich. In Mel Tormé's biography of Buddy, he notes that while Buddy was tough on his band, there were a few instances when some members stood up to him. One departing musician told Rich, "I came to this band to play music, not join the

Marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...

!" Another instance was when an

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n musician loudly debated with Buddy in the bus. Tormé also was familiar with Buddy's dislike of

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

, but he states that "when some of these rock drummers came to greet Buddy after a show, he was always charming and polite. And he never, at least in my presence, disparaged them in any way." Rich held a low opinion of

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

, considered "a giant step backwards" and "the young people ..need to realize that there's a lot more to music than just playing one chord or two chords". During medical therapy before his death, a nurse asked Rich whether he was allergic to anything, to which he replied, "Yes, country and western music."

Death

Rich toured and performed until the end of his life. In early March 1987, he was touring in New York when he was hospitalized after suffering a paralysis on his left side that physicians believed had been caused by a stroke. He was transferred to California to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles for tests, where doctors discovered and removed a brain tumor on March 16. He was discharged a week later, but continued to receive daily chemotherapy treatments at the hospital. On April 2, 1987, he died of unexpected respiratory and cardiac failure after a treatment related to the malignant brain tumor. His wife Marie and daughter Cathy buried him in

Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary is a cemetery and mortuary located in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood, with an entrance from Glendon Avenue. The cemetery was ...

in Los Angeles. He was 69. Since Rich's death, a number of memorial concerts have been held. In 1994, the Rich tribute album '' Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich'' was released. Produced by Rush drummer/lyricist

Neil Peart Neil Ellwood Peart OC (; September 12, 1952 – January 7, 2020) was a Canadian-American musician, best known as the drummer and primary lyricist of the rock band Rush. Peart earned numerous awards for his musical performances, including an ...

, the album features performances of Rich staples by a number of jazz and rock drummers such as

Joe Morello Joseph Albert Morello (July 17, 1928 – March 12, 2011) was an American jazz drummer best known for serving as the drummer for pianist Dave Brubeck, as part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, from 1957 to 1972, including during the quartet's "classic ...

Steve Gadd Stephen Kendall Gadd (born April 9, 1945) is an American drummer, percussionist, and session musician. Gadd is one of the best-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers in the industry, recognized by his induction into the '' Modern ...

Dave Weckl Dave Weckl (born January 8, 1960 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American jazz fusion drummer and the leader of the Dave Weckl Band. He was inducted into the ''Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 2000. Biography Weckl started playing his first set ...

, Simon Phillips,

Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to: Academics * Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager * Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...

and Peart, accompanied by the Buddy Rich Big Band. A second volume was issued in 1997.

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

was featured in a DVD tribute organized by Rich's daughter, ''A Salute to Buddy Rich'', which included Steve Smith and

Dennis Chambers Dennis Milton Chambers (born May 9, 1959) is an American drummer. He was inducted into the ''Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 2001. Early life Chambers was born on May 9, 1959. He began drumming at the age of four years, and was gigging in Bal ...

Legacy

Rich's technique, including speed, smooth execution and precision, is one of the most coveted in drumming and has become a common standard.

described him as "the greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath". Rich's influence extends from jazz to rock music, including drummers such as

Vinnie Colaiuta Vincent Peter Colaiuta (born February 5, 1956) is an American drummer who has worked as a session musician in many genres. He was inducted into the ''Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 1996 and the ''Classic Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 2014. Colai ...

Adam Nussbaum Adam Nussbaum (born November 29, 1955) is an American jazz drummer. Early life Nussbaum was born in New York City on November 29, 1955. He grew up in Norwalk, Connecticut, and first played the drums at the age of four. After five years of piano ...

, Simon Phillips,

Hal Blaine Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky; February 5, 1929 – March 11, 2019) was an American drummer and session musician, thought to be among the most recorded studio drummers in the music industry, claiming over 35,000 sessions and 6,000 singles. ...

John Bonham John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948 – 25 September 1980) was an English musician, best known as the drummer for the rock band Led Zeppelin. Esteemed for his speed, power, fast single-footed kick drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for groove,J ...

Carl Palmer Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer (born 20 March 1950) is an English drummer best known as founding member and the last surviving member of the progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer. He was also a founding member of progressive rock s ...

Ian Paice Ian Anderson Paice (born 29 June 1948) is an English musician, best known as the drummer and last remaining original member of the rock band Deep Purple. He is often cited as one of the greatest drummers of all-time. He remains the only membe ...

Gregg Bissonette Gregg Bissonette (born June 9, 1959) is an American jazz and rock drummer and vocalist. He is the brother of bassist Matt Bissonette, with whom he frequently collaborates. He has played on albums by dozens of recording artists, including David ...

Jojo Mayer Sergé "Jojo" Mayer (born 18 January 1963) is a Swiss virtuoso drummer born in Zürich and currently residing in New York City. Mayer is the son of touring musician and bass player Vali Mayer and the brother of actress Delia Mayer. He began his ...

Tré Cool Frank Edwin Wright III (born December 9, 1972), better known by his stage name Tré Cool, is a German-born American musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the drummer for the punk rock band Green Day. He replaced the band's former drumme ...

, and Bill Ward.

stopped using two

bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...

s and started playing the hi-hat after reading Rich's opinion on the importance of the hi-hat.

Roger Taylor Roger Taylor may refer to: *Roger Taylor (Queen drummer) (born 1949), drummer for Queen *Roger Taylor (Duran Duran drummer) (born 1960), drummer for Duran Duran *Roger Taylor (author), author of epic fantasy Hawklan series *Roger Taylor (college pr ...

, drummer of

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

, acknowledged Rich as the best drummer he ever saw for sheer technique.

Blink-182 Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their sound has ...

drummer

Travis Barker Travis Landon Barker (born November 14, 1975) is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the rock band Blink-182. He has also performed as a frequent collaborator with hip hop artists, is a member of the rap rock group Tran ...

has credited Rich as the greatest drummer of all time.

Awards and honors

In 1980, Rich was awarded an honorary doctorate of music from

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

. In 1986, a year before his death, Rich was elected into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in the category of bandleader, and drum set player. On September 30, 2017, Rich was honored with a Star on the

Palm Springs Walk of Stars The Palm Springs Walk of Stars is a walk of fame in downtown Palm Springs, California, where "Golden Palm Stars", honoring various people who have lived in the greater Palm Springs area, are embedded in the sidewalk pavement. The walk includes po ...

. In 2016, readers of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' magazine ranked Rich No. 15 in their list of the 100 Greatest Drummers of all time. In a readers' poll in 2011, he ranked No. 6.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

* 1946: '' The Lester Young Buddy Rich Trio'' with

Lester Young Lester Willis Young (August 27, 1909 – March 15, 1959), nicknamed "Pres" or "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and occasional clarinetist. Coming to prominence while a member of Count Basie's orchestra, Young was one of the most ...

(Norgran, 1955) * 1952–53: ''

The Flip Phillips Buddy Rich Trio ''The Flip Phillips Buddy Rich Trio'' is a 1953 Clef Records release of several small jazz combo tracks recorded in 1951 and 1952. Track listing LP side AAt least one sourceJapanese link indicates the album's track listing as written on the rear ...

'' (

Clef A clef (from French: 'key') is a Musical notation, musical symbol used to indicate which Musical note, notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical staff (music), stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to ...

, 1953) * 1953–54: ''

The Swinging Buddy Rich ''The Swinging Buddy Rich'' is a jazz album of songs recorded in Los Angeles in 1953 and 1954 by Buddy Rich with Harry "Sweets" Edison and others. The first 6 tracks were released on a 10-inch Norgran Records LP in 1954. An expanded 12 inch Nor ...

'' ( Norgran, 1954) * 1955: '' Sing and Swing with Buddy Rich'' (Norgran, 1955) * 1955: ''

Buddy and Sweets ''Buddy and Sweets'' is a jazz album recorded in Los Angeles, California in September 1955 by Harry "Sweets" Edison and Buddy Rich. Track listing LP side A # "Yellow Rose of Brooklyn" (Harry "Sweets" Edison) – 4:31 # "Easy Does It" (Sy Oliver, ...

'' (Norgran, 1955) * 1955: ''

The Wailing Buddy Rich ''The Wailing Buddy Rich'' is an album by jazz drummer Buddy Rich, released in 1955 on Norgran Records. The first two tracks were recorded on May 16, 1955, in New York; the remaining tracks were recorded with different personnel in Los Angeles o ...

'' (Norgran, 1955) * 1955: '' Krupa and Rich'' (Clef, 1956) * 1955: '' The Lionel Hampton Art Tatum Buddy Rich Trio'' (Clef, 1955) * 1956: '' Buddy Rich Sings Johnny Mercer'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

, 1956) * 1956: '' This One's for Basie'' (Verve, 1957) – re-issued as ''Big Band Shout'' (1967) * 1957: ''

Buddy Rich Just Sings ''Buddy Rich Just Sings'' is a 1957 studio album by Buddy Rich, one of three vocal albums that Rich recorded. The album has also been re-issued on CD with the contents of '' The Voice is Rich'' added as 'bonus' material. Track listing # "Cath ...

'' (Verve, 1957) * 1957: ''

Buddy Rich in Miami ''Buddy Rich in Miami'' is a 1958 Verve live album by Buddy Rich featuring Flip Phillips recorded at the Dream Bar of the Johnina Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida in 1957. The album has been re-issued on CD alone and also, as ''Live in Miami with ...

'' (Verve, 1958) – live * 1959: '' Richcraft'' ( Mercury, 1959) – also ''

The Rich Rebellion ''Richcraft'' is a 1959 studio big band album by Buddy Rich and a big band / orchestra with arrangements by Ernie Wilkins. A nearly identical album, titled ''The Rich Rebellion'' was released by Wing Records without "I Want a Little Girl" but w ...

'' (

Wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...

) * 1959: '' Rich Versus Roach'' (Mercury, 1959) * 1959: '' The Voice is Rich'' (Mercury, 1959) * 1960: ''

The Driver ''The Driver'' is a 1978 American neo-noir crime thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill. It stars Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern, and Isabelle Adjani. O'Neal is the getaway driver for robberies whose exceptional talent has prevented him be ...

'' (

EmArcy EmArcy Records is a jazz record label founded in 1954 by the American Mercury Records. The name is a phonetic spelling of "MRC", the initials for Mercury Record Company. During the 1950s and 1960s, musicians such as Max Roach, Clifford Brown ...

, 1960) * 1960: '' Playtime'' ( Argo, 1961) * 1961: '' Blues Caravan'' (Verve, 1962) * 1962: '' Burnin' Beat'' with

(Verve, 1962) * 1965: '' Are You Ready for This?'' ( Roost, 1971) * 1966: '' Swingin' New Big Band'' (

Pacific Jazz Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles-based record company and label best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-founded ...

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

, 1966) – live * 1966: ''

The Sounds of '66 ''The Sounds of '66'' is a 1966 live album by Sammy Davis, Jr., accompanied by Buddy Rich and a big band. The album was recorded at the Sands Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Track listing Original LP Side A: # " Come Back to Me" ( Burton La ...

'' with Sammy Davis, Jr. (

Reprise In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any repe ...

, 1966) – live * 1967: '' Big Swing Face'' (Pacific Jazz, 1967) – live * 1967: ''

The New One! ''The New One!'' also released as ''Take it Away!'' is a 1968 studio recording by the Buddy Rich Big Band. Track listing LP side A # "Away We Go" (Ferguson) – 3:11 # "Machine" (Reddie) – 3:38 # "The Rotten Kid" (Greco) – 5:11 # "New Blu ...

'' (Pacific Jazz, 1968) – a.k.a. ''Take it Away'' in UK * 1968: '' Rich à la Rakha'' (World Pacific, 1968) * 1968: '' Mercy, Mercy'' (Pacific Jazz, 1968) – live * 1969: '' Buddy & Soul: Recorded Live in Hollywood at the Whiskey A Go-Go'' (Pacific Jazz, 1969) – live * 1970: '' Keep the Customer Satisfied'' (

Liberty Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom. In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...

, 1970) – live * 1971: '' A Different Drummer'' (

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

, 1971) – a.k.a. ''Superstar'' * 1971: '' Rich in London'' (RCA, 1972) – live. expanded UK release – ''Buddy Rich: Very Alive at Ronnie Scott's'' (RCA (UK)). * 1971: ''

Conversations Conversation is interactive communication between two or more people. The development of conversational skills and etiquette is an important part of socialization. The development of conversational skills in a new language is a frequent focus ...

'' (

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...

Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...

, 1972) * 1972: ''

Stick It Stick or the stick may refer to: Thin elongated objects * Twig * The weapon used in stick fighting * Walking stick, a device to facilitate balancing while walking * Shepherd's crook * Swagger stick * Digging stick * Swizzle stick, used to stir ...

'' (RCA, 1972) * 1973: '' The Roar of '74'' ( Groove Merchant, 1974) * 1974: ''

Very Live at Buddy's Place ''Very Live at Buddy's Place'' is a jazz septet album by drummer Buddy Rich recorded in 1974 and released on the Groove Merchant Records label. Track listing LP side A #"Chameleon" (Herbie Hancock) – 4:52 #" Jumpin' at the Woodside" ( Count ...

'' (Groove Merchant, 1974) – live * 1974: '' Transition'' with Lionel Hampton (Groove Merchant, 1974) * 1974: '' The Last Blues Album Volume 1'' (Groove Merchant, 1974) * 1975?: ''

Big Band Machine ''Big Band Machine'' is a jazz album recorded by Buddy Rich and his big band, released on the Groove Merchant Record label in 1975. Track listing LP side A: #"Three Day Sucker" (Lofgreen) – 6:50 #"Tommy Medley" ( Townshend) – 12:26 ##"Eyes ...

'' (Groove Merchant, 1975) * 1976?: ''

Speak No Evil ''Speak No Evil'' is the sixth album by Wayne Shorter. It was released in June 1966 by Blue Note Records. The music combines elements of hard bop and modal jazz, and features Shorter on tenor saxophone, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Herbi ...

'' (RCA, 1976) * 1977?: ''

Buddy Rich Plays and Plays and Plays ''Buddy Rich Plays and Plays and Plays'' is a big band jazz album recorded by Buddy Rich and released by RCA Records in 1977. The album also marked his last for the label. ''Plays and Plays and Plays'' was nominated for the Best Jazz Performance ...

'' (RCA, 1977) * 1977: ''

Lionel Hampton Presents Buddy Rich ''Lionel Hampton Presents Buddy Rich'' is a jazz album recorded by Buddy Rich and released by the Who's Who in Jazz record label in 1977. The album has been re-issued by different labels under different names including, ''Buddy's Cherokee, The L ...

'' (

Who's Who in Jazz Who's Who in Jazz was a record label based in New York City, formed by Lionel Hampton in 1977 or 1978, and distributed by the Gillette Madison Company (GEMCON). It specialized in jazz albums and later CDs and released a half dozen recordings of ...

, 1977) – a.k.a. ''Buddy's Cherokee...'' also released as ''The Sound of Jazz, Vol 10'' * 1977: ''

Class of '78 ''Class of '78'' is a big band jazz album recorded by Buddy Rich in 1977. Originally released by the Great American Gramophone Company as a " direct-to-disc" LP album, it has been re-issued on Compact Disc as ''The Greatest Drummer That Ever Li ...

'' ( The Great American Gramophone Company, 1977) – also released as ''The Greatest Drummer That Ever Lived with "The Best Band I Ever Had"'' * 1978: '' Together Again: For the First Time'' with Mel Tormé (Gryphon/Century, 1978) – a.k.a. ''When I Found You'' (1999) * 1980: '' Live at Ronnie Scott's'' (DRG, 1980) – Live. a.k.a. ''The Man from Planet Jazz'' * 1981?: '' Buddy Rich Band'' ( MCA, 1981) * 1982: '' Live at the 1982 Montreal Jazz Festival'' (Hudson Music, 1982) VD-Video +CD– Live * 1983?: '' Rich and Famous'' (Amway, 1983) – a.k.a. ''The Magic of Buddy Rich'', a.k.a. ''Buddy Rich – The Man'' * 1985: '' Mr. Drums: ... Live on King Street, San Francisco'' (

Cafe A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-caf ...

, 1986) LP– Live

Posthumous albums

* ''Europe '77'' (Magic, 1993) * ''Buddy Rich & His Big Band At Stadthalle Leonberg, Germany 10 July 1986'' (Jazz Band, 1996) * ''Wham! The Buddy Rich Big Band Live'' (Label M, 2001) * ''No Funny Hats'' (Lightyear, 2004) * ''Time Out'' (Lightyear, 2007) * ''Buddy Rich Up Close'' (Drum Channel, 2009) * ''The Solos'' (Lightyear Entertainment, 2014) * ''Birdland'' (Lightyear Entertainment, 2015) * ''Just In Time: The Final Recording'' (

Gearbox Records Gearbox Records Ltd. is an independent music studio and record label founded in 2009 and based in London and Tokyo. Gearbox emphasizes vinyl records. They started out by releasing previously unreleased archival jazz recordings from their reel-to-r ...

, 2019)

Compilation albums

* 1960: ''The Drum Battle (Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich at

JATP Jazz at the Philharmonic, or JATP (1944–1983), was the title of a series of jazz concerts, tours and recordings produced by Norman Granz. Over the years, "Jazz at the Philharmonic" featured many of the era's preeminent musicians, including Lou ...

)'' (Verve) * 1964: ''The Best of Buddy Rich'' (Pacific Jazz) * 1969: ''Super Rich'' (Verve) * 1969: The Best of Buddy Rich (World Pacific Jazz Records ST-20169) * 1971: ''Time Being'' (Bluebird/RCA) * 1972: ''Buddy Rich Big Band'' (United Artists) * 1978: ''Mr. Drums'' ( Quintessence) * 1987: ''Compact Jazz: Buddy Rich'' (Verve) * 1990: ''Compact Jazz: Gene Krupa & Buddy Rich'' (Verve) * 1992: ''No Jive'' (Novus) * 1998: ''Buddy Rich: The Legendary '47–'48 Orchestra Vol. 1'' (Hep) * 1998: ''Buddy Rich: The Legendary '46–'48 Orchestra Vol. 2'' (Hep) * 2005: ''Classic EmArcy, Verve, Small Group Buddy Rich Sessions'' (

Mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

No. 232)

As sideman

With
Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

* 1952

954 Year 954 ( CMLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – A Hungarian army led by Bulcsú crosses the Rhine. He camps at Worms in th ...

Basie Jazz ''Basie Jazz'' is an album by pianist/bandleader Count Basie recorded in 1952 and released on the Clef label in 1954.Clef A clef (from French: 'key') is a Musical notation, musical symbol used to indicate which Musical note, notes are represented by the lines and spaces on a musical staff (music), stave. Placing a clef on a stave assigns a particular pitch to ...

) * 1952 956 ''

The Swinging Count! ''The Swinging Count!'' is an album by jazz pianist Count Basie in small group sessions recorded in 1952 and released in 1956 on the Clef label.Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

With
Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

* 1952

955 Year 955 ( CMLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * August 10 – Battle of Lechfeld: King Otto I ("the Great") defeats the Hungarians (also ...

'' Alone Together'' ( Norgran) * 1954: '' Benny Carter Plays Pretty'' (Norgran) * 1954: '' New Jazz Sounds'' (Norgran)

With
Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

* 1953

975 Year 975 ( CMLXXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor John I raids Mesopotamia and invades Syria, using ...

''Radio Discs of Harry James'' (Joyce LP 2002) * 1953 977 ''One Night Stand With Harry James'' (Joyce LP 1014) * 1953

978 Year 978 ( CMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Battle of Pankaleia: Rebel forces under General Bardas Skleros are defeated ...

''One Night Stand'' (Sandy Hook SH 2004) * 1953 980 ''One Night Stand With Buddy Rich & Harry James'' (Joyce LP 1078) * 1953/1958

983 Year 983 ( CMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Diet of Verona: Emperor Otto II (the Red) declares war against the Byza ...

''One Night Stand With Harry James at The Blue Note'' (Joyce LP 1124) * 1953/1962

979 Year 979 ( CMLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 24 – Second Battle of Pankaleia: An Ibero-Byzantine expeditionary ...

''Live!'' (Sunbeam SB 230) * 1953–54

''Saturday Night Swing'' (Giants of Jazz Productions GOJ LP-1016) * 1954

976 Year 976 ( CMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * January 10 – Emperor John I Tzimiskes dies at Constantinople, after re ...

''1954 Broadcasts'' (Sunbeam SB 217) * 1954: ''Trumpet After Midnight'' ( Columbia CL 553 and B-410) * 1954: ''Dancing In Person With Harry James At The Hollywood Palladium'' (Columbia CL 562 and B-428) * 1953–54

''Juke Box Jamboree'' (Columbia CL 615) * 1956

002 002, 0O2, O02, OO2, or 002 may refer to: Fiction *002, fictional British 00 Agent *''002 Operazione Luna'', *1965 Italian film *Zero Two, a ''Darling in the Franxx'' character Airports *0O2, Baker Airport *O02, Nervino Airport Astronomy *1996 ...

''Harry James and His New Jazz Band, Vol. 1 / Vol. 2'' (Mr. Music MMCD 7010/7012) * 1957: '' Wild About Harry!'' (

Capitol A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity. Specific capitols include: * United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. * Numerous ...

T 874 / ST 874) * 1963: ''Double Dixie'' (

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

E-4137 / SE-4137). * 1964 989 ''1964 Live! In The Holiday Ballroom Chicago'' (Jazz Hour Compact Classics JH-1001) * 1964

''One Night Stand With Harry James on Tour in '64'' (Joyce LP 1074) * 1965: ''New Versions of Down Beat Favorites'' (MGM SE-4265). * 1965: ''In a Relaxed Mood'' (MGM SE-4274) * 1965: ''Harry James Plays Green Onions & Other Great Hits'' ( Dot DLP 3634 / DLP 25634) * 1965

981 Year 981 ( CMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events Births * Abu'l-Qasim al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Maghribi, Arab statesman (d. 1027) * Giovanni Orseolo, Venetian ...

''Harry James, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman '' (Europa Jazz EJ 1041) * 1966: ''The Ballads and the Beat!'' (Dot DLP 3669 / DLP 25669) ;Notes

With Charlie Parker

* 1950: ''April in Paris: Charlie Parker with Strings'', (

) * 1954: ''

Big Band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

'' (Clef)

With others

* 1951: ''Lester Young Trio'',

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

(not originally credited) * 1952: ''The Drum Battle'',

* 1954: ''Lionel Hampton Plays Love Songs'', Lionel Hampton * 1953: ''Sweets at the Haig'',

Harry "Sweets" Edison Harry "Sweets" Edison (October 10, 1915 – July 27, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. His most important contribution was as a Hollywood studio musician, whose muted trumpet can be heard bac ...

* 1954: ''

Little Jazz ''Little Jazz'' is an album by American jazz trumpeter Roy Eldridge recorded in 1954 and originally released on the Clef label.Roy Eldridge David Roy Eldridge (January 30, 1911 – February 26, 1989), nicknamed "Little Jazz", was an American jazz trumpeter. His sophisticated use of harmony, including the use of tritone substitutions, his virtuosic solos exhibiting a departure from ...

(Clef, 1954) * 1955: ''

Pres and Sweets ''Pres and Sweets'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Lester Young and trumpeter Harry Edison recorded in 1955 and originally released on the Norgran label.Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards ...

* 1956: ''The Genius of Bud Powell'', Bud Powell * 1956: ''

Ella and Louis ''Ella and Louis'' is a studio album by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, accompanied by the Oscar Peterson Quartet, released in October 1956. Having previously collaborated in the late 1940s for the Decca label, this was the first of three al ...

'',

and

(Verve, 1956) * 1958: ''Having Wonderful Time'',

* 1962: '' Burnin' Beat'', Gene Krupa * 1966: ''

'',

Sammy Davis Jr. Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, comedian, film producer and television director. At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the ...

* 1969: ''The Song Is You'', Stan Getz * 1974: ''Bunny Berigan: Leader & Sideman'',

* 1982: '' Sinatra: World On a String'',

(Universal, 1982 016

Instruments

Rich was known as a performer and endorser of Ludwig, Slingerland, and

Rogers drums Rogers Drums is an American multinational drum manufacturer. It was founded in 1849 and originally based in Covington, Ohio. During the twentieth century, their drums enjoyed popularity with musicians spanning from the Dixieland jazz era in the ...

. While endorsing Slingerland in the '60s and '70s, Rich sometimes used a Fibes snare drum together with a Slingerland drum kit. He switched exclusively to Ludwig in the late 1970s through the early 1980s. While recovering from a heart attack in 1983, Rich was presented with a 1940s-vintage Slingerland Radio King set, refurbished by Joe MacSweeney of Eames Drums, which he used until his death in 1987. Rich's typical setup included a 14"×24"

, a 9"×13" mounted tom, two 16"×16"

s (with the second tom usually serving as a towel holder), and a 5.5"×14" snare drum. His cymbals were typically

Avedis Zildjian :''Zildjian leads here. For people with the surname, see Zildjian (disambiguation)'' The Avedis Zildjian Company, simply known as Zildjian (), is a musical instrument manufacturer specializing in cymbals and other percussion instruments. Founded ...

: 14" New Beat hi-hats, 20" medium

ride Ride may refer to: People * MC Ride, a member of Death Grips * Sally Ride (1951–2012), American astronaut * William Ride (19262011), Australian zoologist Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Ride'' (1998 film), a 1998 comedy by Millicen ...

, 8"

splash Splash or Splash! or The Splash may refer to: Common meanings * Splash (fluid mechanics), sudden disturbances on the surface of water Entertainment * ''Splash'' (film), a 1984 fantasy film starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah ** ''Splash, Too'' ...

, two 18"

crash Crash or CRASH may refer to: Common meanings * Collision, an impact between two or more objects * Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond * Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating * Couch su ...

es (thin and medium-thin). Sometimes a 6" splash and later a 22" swish. He also used

Remo Remo Inc. is an American musical instruments manufacturing company based in Valencia, California, and founded by Remo Belli in 1957. Products manufactured include drum kits, drumhead A drumhead or drum skin is a membrane stretched ov ...

drumheads and Slingerland drumsticks.

Popular References

In episode 10 of

season 1 Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) * Season 4 (disambiguati ...

Archer Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...

titled "Dial M for Mother", Buddy Rich is named by Malory Archer as one of

Sterling Archer Sterling Malory Archer (codenamed Duchess after his mother's dog) is the fictional titular character on the American adult animated sitcom '' Archer'', which aired on the basic cable network FX from 2009 to 2019 and is currently broadcast on si ...

's possible fathers.

References

External links

Buddy Rich on Drummerworld.com

Buddy Rich
at

Wikiquote Wikiquote is part of a family of wiki-based projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation using MediaWiki software. Based on an idea by Daniel Alston and implemented by Brion Vibber, the project's objective is to produce collaboratively a vast refer ...

Doug Meriwether collection on Buddy Rich

Institute of Jazz Studies The Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS) is the largest and most comprehensive library and archives of jazz and jazz-related materials in the world. It is located on the fourth floor of the John Cotton Dana Library at Rutgers University–Newark in Newa ...

, Rutgers University EARLIEST APPEARANCE/PERFORMANCE ON FILM:
Buddy Rich in 1942 RESTORED in STEREO performing with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
"Well, Git It!" in the 1943 MGM film "Du Barry Was A Lady" {{DEFAULTSORT:Rich, Buddy 1917 births 1987 deaths 20th-century American composers 20th-century American drummers 20th-century American singers American jazz bandleaders American jazz drummers American jazz singers American male drummers Bebop drummers Big band bandleaders Big band drummers Mainstream jazz drummers Swing drummers Blue Note Records artists EmArcy Records artists Liberty Records artists Mercury Records artists RCA Records artists MCA Records artists Verve Records artists Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Deaths from brain cancer in the United States Jazz musicians from California Jazz musicians from New York (state) Musicians from Brooklyn Jewish American jazz composers Jewish American musicians Jewish jazz musicians United States Marines Vaudeville performers American male jazz composers American jazz composers 20th-century American male musicians People from Williamsburg, Brooklyn People from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn Black Lion Records artists 20th-century jazz composers Hep Records artists United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II

Early life and career

Career

Jazz career

TV appearances

Influences, technique, and performances

Personal life

Personality

Death

Legacy

Awards and honors

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Posthumous albums

Compilation albums

As sideman

With Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

With Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

With Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

With Charlie Parker

With others

Instruments

Popular References

References

External links

With
Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

With
Benny Carter Bennett Lester Carter (August 8, 1907 – July 12, 2003) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. With Johnny Hodges, he was a pioneer on the alto saxophone. From the beginning of his career ...

With
Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...