Buddy Rich was born 97 years ago today. A jazz drummer and bandleader, Rich was billed as the worlds greatest drummer and was known for his virtuoso technique, power, groove and speed. Rich was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish vaudevillians Robert and Bess Rich. His talent for rhythm was first noted by his father, who saw that Buddy could keep a steady beat with spoons at the age of one. He began playing drums in vaudeville when he was 18 months old, billed as Traps the Drum Wonder. At the peak of Richs childhood career, he was reportedly the second-highest paid child entertainer in the world (after Jackie Coogan). At 11, he was performing as a bandleader. He received no formal drum instruction, and went so far as to claim that instruction would only degrade his musical talent. He also never admitted to practicing, claiming to play the drums only during performances and was not known to read music. Buddy Rich remained active performing until the end of his life. On April 2, 1987, Rich died of heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumor. He was 69. Here, Rich demonstrates his amazing skills in this drum solo.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 04:19:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015