Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time.

Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, United States. He loved jazz music from a young age and began drumming at the age of two. He started playing jazz in 1937, working with musicians like Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, and Harry James. From 1942 to 1944, Rich served in the U.S. Marines. 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. He found lasting success in 1966 with the formation of the Buddy Rich Big Band, also known as The Buddy Rich Band and The Big Band Machine.

Rich was known for his very skilled technique, power, and speed. He used the traditional grip for playing drums, though he sometimes used matched grip when playing the toms. Even though he was very successful and talented, Rich never learned how to read sheet music. Instead, he listened to the drum parts played during rehearsals by his drum roadie and relied on his memory.

Early life and career

Rich was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents named Bess Skolnik and Robert Rich. Both of his parents were American entertainers who performed in vaudeville shows. When Rich was 18 months old, he joined his parents’ vaudeville act. He wore a sailor suit and played a musical version of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" behind a large bass and snare drum. The performance ended with Rich stepping out from behind the drums and tap-dancing, which earned loud applause from the audience. By the time he was four years old, he was performing on Broadway and was listed in show programs as "Baby Traps the Drum Wonder." During his teenage years, Rich led a band and toured the United States and Australia. At the age of 15, he earned a weekly salary of $1,000, making him the second-highest-paid child entertainer in the 1930s, after actor Jackie Coogan. Rich often sneaked into jazz clubs when he looked old enough to sit on a drum set, and he developed a love for jazz music.

Career

Buddy Rich began his jazz career in 1937 with clarinetist Joe Marsala. He joined big bands led by Bunny Berigan and Artie Shaw. Rich considered himself a main performer and did not like bandleaders. He said musicians often ignored the bandleader and believed the drummer was the real leader of the band. Artie Shaw felt Rich did not follow directions and asked the drummer, "Who are you playing for? Me, yourself, or someone else?" Rich admitted he played for himself and his audience. Shaw then suggested Rich accept an offer from Tommy Dorsey, saying, "I think you'd be happier there." Rich took this as a dismissal.

When Rich was not touring with Shaw, he taught drum lessons to 14-year-old Mel Brooks for six months. At 21, he participated in his first major recording with the Vic Schoen Orchestra, which supported the Andrews Sisters.

In 1939, Rich joined the Dorsey band but left in 1942 to join the United States Marine Corps. He served as a Judo instructor and did not see combat. He was let go in 1944 for medical reasons. After leaving the Marines, he returned to the Dorsey band. In 1946, with help from Frank Sinatra, he formed his own band and led groups on and off until the early 1950s.

After the war, Rich created his own big band, which often performed at the Apollo Theater. Frank Sinatra provided backing vocals for some shows.

Rich played with Tommy Dorsey (1939–1942, 1945, 1954–1955), Benny Carter (1942), Harry James (1953–1962, 1964, 1965), Les Brown, Charlie Ventura, Jazz at the Philharmonic, and Charlie Parker (Bird and Diz, 1950).

In 1956, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich recorded an album called Krupa and Rich, which included the song "Bernie's Tune." They took turns playing drum solos for six minutes.

In 1959, Buddy Rich and Max Roach recorded Rich versus Roach with their bands.

From 1966 until his death, Rich led big bands even though their popularity had decreased. He performed in clubs but said most of his band's shows were at schools and universities. He played on many recordings, but his drumming was less noticeable than in his big-band performances. He worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and the Oscar Peterson trio. In 1968, he collaborated with Indian tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha on the album Rich à la Rakha.

Rich arranged a medley from West Side Story for his band, which was released on the 1966 album Swingin' New Big Band. The medley, arranged by Bill Reddie, showed how well Rich could blend his drumming with the band. He received the music from West Side Story in the mid-1960s and practiced for nearly a month to master it. This medley became a regular part of his live shows. A six-minute performance of "Prologue/Jet Song" from the suite, played during Frank Sinatra's portion of the Concert for the Americas in 1982, is on the DVD Frank Sinatra: Concert for the Americas. A 1985 performance of this medley, along with other songs, was released in 2002 on the DVD The Lost West Side Story Tapes.

A live recording of the "Channel One Suite" is on the album Mercy, Mercy, recorded at Caesars Palace in 1968. The album was praised as the "finest all-round recording by Buddy Rich's big band."

In the 1950s, Rich appeared often on The Steve Allen Show and other TV variety shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He and Carson were close friends, and Carson loved drums.

In 1973, PBS broadcast a performance of Rich's from February 6, 1973, at the Top of the Plaza in Rochester, New York. This was the first time many drummers saw Rich perform in a full concert, and it influenced many drummers. One of his most famous TV performances was on The Muppet Show in 1981, where he played a drum battle with Muppet drummer Animal. His other televised drum battles included Gene Krupa, Ed Shaughnessy, and Louie Bellson. One of his most-watched TV appearances was on Here's Lucy in the 1970 episode "Lucy And The Drum Contest."

Rich said his influences included Gene Krupa, Jo Jones, Chick Webb, Ray McKinley, Ray Bauduc, and Sid Catlett.

He usually held his drumsticks with the traditional grip. When playing floor toms, he used the matched grip and performed cross-stickings, where he crossed his arms over each other. This was one of his favorite tricks and often made audiences cheer. Another trick was the stick-trick, where he rolled his sticks in a circle using quick, single strokes. He used different techniques to keep long drum solos interesting. He also

Personal life

Buddy Rich married Marie Allison, a dancer and showgirl, on April 24, 1953. They remained married until his death in 1987. The couple had a daughter, Cathy, born in 1954. Cathy later became a singer and continued her father's musical legacy. Buddy was also the cousin of actor Jonathan Haze.

He lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for part of his life. In March 1968, Buddy was found guilty of not reporting $50,000 of income earned in 1961. He received five years of probation, was fined $2,500, and was required to pay the IRS $40,000. In July 1969, the IRS placed a tax lien on him for $141,606 in unpaid taxes. Buddy filed for bankruptcy the following month, and the IRS took ownership of his home in Las Vegas.

Buddy was known for having a short temper. Singer Dusty Springfield slapped him after enduring several days of insults and disruptions to her work. He had a rivalry with Frank Sinatra, which sometimes led to fights when both were members of Tommy Dorsey's band. Despite their conflicts, they remained friends for life. Sinatra gave a speech at Buddy's funeral in 1987. In 1983, Buddy had surgery to repair four blocked arteries in his heart. Sinatra often visited him in the hospital during his recovery. Drummer Billy Cobham recalled meeting Buddy as a young musician who asked him to sign his drum. Buddy reportedly dropped the drum down a flight of stairs.

Buddy held a black belt in karate, which helped him control his temper and improve his health.

As a drummer for Charlie Parker, Buddy strongly disliked the growing fame of drummer Max Roach. This tension was heightened when a critic claimed Roach had surpassed Buddy as the world's best drummer. Despite their rivalry, Buddy and Roach collaborated on the 1959 album Rich Versus Roach. Roach also appeared on the 1994 tribute album Burning for Buddy.

Buddy's temper was recorded secretly by pianist Lee Musiker during tours in the early 1980s. Musiker hid a small tape recorder in his clothing to capture Buddy's angry outbursts. On one recording, Buddy threatened to fire trombonist Dave Panichi for having a beard. Though he often threatened to fire band members, he rarely did so and often praised his musicians in interviews. The day before his death, April 1, 1987, Buddy met with musician Mel Tormé. Tormé said Buddy requested to hear recordings of his angry outbursts. Tormé was writing an authorized biography of Buddy and included parts of the recordings in the book, but never played them for Buddy.

In his biography, Tormé noted that while Buddy was strict with his band, some members stood up to him. One musician said, "I joined this band to play music, not to join the Marines!" Another time, an Australian musician argued with Buddy on a tour bus. Tormé also noted that Buddy disliked rock music but was polite when rock drummers greeted him after shows. He also criticized country music, calling it "a giant step backwards." During medical treatment for a brain tumor, a nurse asked if there were any drugs he could not take. Buddy replied, "Yes, country and western music."

Buddy continued to tour and perform until his death. In early March 1987, he was touring in New York when he was hospitalized after experiencing paralysis on his left side, which doctors believed was caused by a stroke. He was moved to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, where doctors discovered and removed a brain tumor on March 16. He was released a week later but continued receiving chemotherapy. On April 2, 1987, Buddy died from unexpected respiratory and cardiac failure related to his brain tumor. His wife, Marie, and daughter, Cathy, buried him in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. He was 69 years old.

After Buddy's death, several memorial concerts were held. In 1994, the tribute album Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich was released. The album, produced by Rush drummer Neil Peart, featured performances by jazz and rock drummers such as Joe Morello, Steve Gadd, Max Roach, Billy Cobham, Dave Weckl, Simon Phillips, Steve Smith, and Peart, accompanied by the Buddy Rich Big Band. A second volume of the tribute was released in 1997. Phil Collins participated in a DVD tribute organized by Buddy's daughter, A Salute to Buddy Rich, which included appearances by Steve Smith and Dennis Chambers.

Legacy

Rich's drumming style, which includes fast playing, smooth and accurate movements, and careful control, is highly respected in the drumming world and is often used as a model for others. Gene Krupa called him "the greatest drummer of all time." Roger Taylor, the drummer for the band Queen, said Rich was the best drummer he ever saw when it came to technical skill. Travis Barker, the drummer for Blink-182, said Rich was the greatest drummer ever.

Rich's influence can be seen in many types of music, from jazz to rock. Many famous drummers, such as Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta, Adam Nussbaum, Simon Phillips, Hal Blaine, John Bonham, Carl Palmer, Ian Paice, Gregg Bissonette, Jojo Mayer, Tré Cool, Bill Ward, and Max Weinberg, were inspired by his work. Phil Collins changed his drumming style after reading Rich's views on the importance of the hi-hat, and he stopped using two bass drums and began using the hi-hat instead.

Rich is shown as the idol of the main character, Andrew Neiman, in the 2014 movie Whiplash.

Awards and honors

In 1980, Rich received an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music.

In 1986, one year before he passed away, 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.

In 2016, readers of Rolling Stone 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.

Instruments

Rich was a performer who promoted Ludwig, Slingerland, and Rogers drums. During the 1960s and 1970s, while promoting Slingerland, Rich sometimes used a Fibes snare drum with a Slingerland drum kit. In the late 1970s through the early 1980s, he used only Ludwig drums. In 1983, while recovering from a heart attack, Rich received a 1940s-vintage Slingerland Radio King drum set, which had been restored by Joe MacSweeney of Eames Drums. He used this set until his death in 1987. Rich’s usual setup included a 14-inch by 24-inch bass drum, a 9-inch by 13-inch mounted tom, two 16-inch by 16-inch floor toms (with the second tom often used as a towel holder), and a 5.5-inch by 14-inch snare drum. His cymbals were usually from Avedis Zildjian: 14-inch New Beat hi-hats, 20-inch medium ride, 8-inch splash, and two 18-inch crashes (thin and medium-thin). At times, he also used a 6-inch splash or a 22-inch swish. Rich used Remo drumheads and Slingerland drumsticks. He also created his own special drumsticks. Throughout his career, he used either a Ludwig Speed King or a Rogers bass drum pedal.

Discography

• The Flip Phillips Buddy Rich Trio (Clef Records, 1953)
• The Swinging Buddy Rich (Norgran Records, 1954)
• Buddy and Sweets (Norgran Records, 1955)
• Sing and Swing with Buddy Rich (Norgran Records, 1955)
• The Lester Young Buddy Rich Trio with Lester Young (Norgran Records, 1955)
• Krupa and Rich (Clef Records, 1956)
• Buddy Rich Sings Johnny Mercer (Verve Records, 1956)
• The Lionel Hampton Art Tatum Buddy Rich Trio (Clef Records, 1956)
• The Wailing Buddy Rich (Norgran Records, 1956)
• This One's for Basie (Verve Records, 1957)
• Buddy Rich Just Sings (Verve Records, 1957)
• Buddy Rich in Miami (Verve Records, 1958)
• Rich Versus Roach (Mercury Records, 1959)
• The Voice is Rich (Mercury Records, 1959)
• Richcraft (Mercury Records, 1959)
• Playtime (Argo Records, 1961)
• Burnin' Beat with Gene Krupa (Verve Records, 1962)
• Blues Caravan (Verve Records, 1962)
• The Sounds of '66 with Sammy Davis Jr. (Reprise Records, 1966)
• Swingin' New Big Band (Pacific Jazz Records, 1966)
• Big Swing Face (Pacific Jazz Records, 1967)
• The Driver (EmArcy Records, 1967)
• The New One! (Pacific Jazz Records, 1968)
• Rich à la Rakha (Liberty Records, 1968)
• Mercy, Mercy (Pacific Jazz Records, 1968)
• Buddy & Soul (Pacific Jazz Records, 1969)
• Keep the Customer Satisfied (Liberty Records, 1970)
• Are You Ready for This? (Roost Records, 1971)
• A Different Drummer (RCA Victor Records, 1971)
• Conversations (EMI-Parlophone Records, 1972)
• Rich in London (RCA Victor Records, 1972)
• Stick It (RCA Victor Records, 1972)
• The Roar of '74 (Groove Merchant Records, 1974)
• The Last Blues Album Volume 1 (Groove Merchant Records, 1974)
• Transition with Lionel Hampton (Groove Merchant Records, 1974)
• Very Live at Buddy's Place (Groove Merchant Records, 1974)
• One Night Stand with Buddy Rich 1946 (Joyce Records, 1974)
• One Night Stand with Buddy Rich 1946 Vol. 2 (Joyce Records, 1975)
• Big Band Machine (Groove Merchant Records, 1975)
• Film Tracks of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa (Joyce Records, 1976)
• Speak No Evil (RCA Records, 1976)
• Buddy Rich Plays and Plays and Plays (RCA Records, 1977)
• Lionel Hampton Presents Buddy Rich (Who's Who in Jazz Records, 1977)
• Class of '78 (Century Records, 1978)
• Together Again: For the First Time with Mel Tormé (Gryphon/Century Records, 1978)
• The Bull (Chiaroscuro Records, 1980)
• Live at Ronnie Scott's (DRG Records, 1980)
• Buddy Rich Band (MCA Records, 1981)
• I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (BL Enterprise Records, 1981)
• Live at the 1982 Montreal Jazz Festival (Hudson Music, 1982) [DVD-Video and CD]
• Rich and Famous (Amway Records, 1983)
• Tuff Dude (Denon Records, 1986)
• Mr. Drums: … Live on King Street, San Francisco (Cafe Records, 1986)

• Europe '77 (Magic Records, 1993)
• Buddy Rich & His Big Band At Stadthalle Leonberg, Germany 10 July 1986 (Jazz Band Records, 1996)
• Wham! The Buddy Rich Big Band Live (Label M Records, 2000)
• No Funny Hats (Lightyear Records, 2004)
• Time Out (Lightyear Records, 2007)
• The Solos (Lightyear Entertainment Records, 2014)
• Birdland (Lightyear Entertainment Records, 2015)
• Just In Time: The Final Recording (Gearbox Records, 2019)
• Trios (Lightyear Entertainment Records, 2023)

• 1952: Basie Jazz (Clef Records, 1954)
• 1952: The Swinging Count! (Clef Records, 1954)
• compilation: Blues by Basie (Columbia Records, 1956)

• 1953: Harry "Sweets" Edison, Sweets at the Haig (Pacific Jazz Records, 1953)
• 1954: Lionel Hampton, Lionel Hampton Plays Love Songs (Verve Records, 1956)
• 1954: Roy Eldridge, Little Jazz (Clef Records, 1954)
• 1955: Lester Young and Harry Edison, Pres and Sweets (Norgran Records, 1955)
• 1955: Oscar Peterson, Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie (Clef Records, 1956)
• 1956: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Ella and Louis (Verve