Buddy Rich

Buddy Ruch! Arguably the greatest jazz drummer of all time, the legendary Buddy Rich exhibited his love for music through the dedication of his life to the art. His was a career that spanned seven decades, beginning when Rich was 18 months old and continuing until his death in 1987. Immensely gifted, Rich could played with remarkable speed and in the fact he never learned from lesson and didn't practice outside of his performances. He was born on September 30, 1917, the he was introduced to audiences at a very young age. By 1921, he was playing drums. With his sense of rhythm, Rich performed regularly on Broadway at the age of 4. At that time he was the second highest paid child in the world. Rich's jazz career began in 1937 when he began playing with Joe Marsala at New York's Hickory House. By 1939, he had joined Tommy Dorsey's band, and he later went on to play with jazz greats as Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa. Rich was regularly featured in Jazz at the Philharmonic during the late 40s. Through the 1960s and 70s, Rich toured with his own bands and opened two nightclubs, Buddy's Place and Buddy's Place II. After opening Buddy's Place II, Rich introduced new tunes with elements of rock into his repertoire, demonstrating his ability to adapt to his audience's changing tastes and establishing himself as a great rock drummer. Known for his caustic humor, Rich was a favorite on several television talk shows. During these appearances, Rich entertained audiences through his constant sparring with the hosts and his slights of various pop singers. This famed musician received outstanding recognition throughout his career. The Downbeat Magazine Hall of Fame Award, the Modern Drummer Magazine Hall of Fame Award is just one of his numerous honors. During his lengthy career, Rich toured around the globe, performing for millions of fans and several world leaders. On April 2, 1987, Rich died of heart failure following surgery. He was good friend with Frank Sinatra. Today, Buddy Rich is remembered as one of history's greatest musicians. "The greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath."

Some links:
Buddy Rich's Official Website
Buddy Rich at Drummer World
Buddy Rich at Wikipedia