Buddy Rich Archives - Modern Drummer Magazine

Buddy Rich

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Buddy Rich Elected to Hall of Fame in 1980

Excerpted from the January 1977 issue When it comes to interviewing Buddy, one must learn to expect the unexpected. You can end up with a first rate story, or no story at all. He’s a very intense human being, with…

Story by Jim Warchol
Jan 10, 2022

Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault

Logo Heads Several years ago, I made the decision to begin selling off my drum collection. I’d spent decades amassing one of the most extensive collections of rare and vintage drums in the world. One of the biggest factors leading…

By Donn Bennett
Sep 30, 2021

10 Pieces of Wisdom from the MD Archives

In its 45 years of publication, Modern Drummer has collected essential data from thousands of remarkable drummers, percussionists, and educators. Throughout our 45th anniversary in 2021, we will offer some features that celebrate the musicians, editors, writers, and photographers who…

Modern Drummer
May 17, 2021

November 1981 — Jim Keltner

A few years ago, Emil Richards took me and my wife to see Buddy Rich play at a musician’s night in a restaurant in Glendale. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE…

Modern Drummer
Feb 28, 2020

BJ Miller with Health

Since answering a drummer-wanted Craigslist ad that listed influences from Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath to Public Image Ltd. and Can, BJ Miller has proven the ideal rhythm generator for his band. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital…

Modern Drummer
Nov 25, 2019

Rhythm! Discovery Center Ten-Year Anniversary

The interactive museum celebrates a decade of percussion education. Nestled in the heart of downtown Indianapolis is the Rhythm! Discovery Center, a gem of the drum and percussion world. Founded by the Percussive Arts Society in 2009 and now celebrating…

Story by Bob Campbell
Aug 26, 2019

Industry Insights: Armand Zildjian

Armand Zildjian starts a lot of his sentences the same way: “I’ve got a cymbal that . . . ,” after which he describes the attributes of a particular cymbal in his private collection. His enthusiasm is evident as he…

by Richard Egart
Oct 22, 2018

The State Of The Art — Buddy Rich

Hall of Fame: 1980 Big Band: 1979,’80, ’81, ’82, ’83, ’84, ’85 Jazz: 1981, ’82,  ’83, ’84 You’ve got to love the guy. Let’s face it: He doesn’t have to be out there on the road all the time. He…

by Rick Mattingly
Oct 5, 2018

The State Of The Art

An Anniversary is typically a time to celebrate, but it can also be a time to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future. And so, when the editors got together to plan a special issue to mark…

Modern Drummer
Oct 5, 2018

What’s Your Favorite Buddy Rich Performance?

In this month’s Jazz Drummer’s Workshop, the author and educator Eric Fischer analyzes one of Buddy Rich’s earliest surviving recordings. We reached out to our readers and social media followers to find out what other performances from throughout the legendary…

Modern Drummer
Sep 28, 2018

Buddy Rich - “Stars and Stripes Forever”

By 1929, a twelve-year-old Buddy Rich was already a seasoned performer, having been an integral part of his parents’ vaudeville act since he was eighteen months old. According to Mel Tormé’s biography of Rich, Traps: The Drum Wonder, with the…

by Eric Fischer
Sep 28, 2018

Dueling Drumsets

Back in the ’50s, Jazz At The Philharmonic presented a “drum battle” featuring Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. To my knowledge, it was the first time they had appeared together. It was an exciting event, and it generated great interest…

by Roy Burns
Sep 20, 2018

Buddy Rich — Unstoppable

When Buddy Rich took charge behind the kit, the air crackled. Buddy aimed to excite, to give audiences their money’s worth with precision, sophistication, and world-class quality. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99…

by Jeff Potter
May 3, 2018

Gregg Potter

No two drummers’ stories are exactly alike. From heavy rotation on MTV in the heyday of ’80s hair metal to his current role as the driver of the Buddy Rich Band, it’s clear that very few drummers’ career trajectories are…

by Adam Budofsky
May 3, 2018

The 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time

Whose playing endures through the decades? Whose music do we reach for when we want new ideas? When we want to practice? When we want to laugh? Who inspires and delights us most? TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN…

Entries written by Adam Budofsky, Michael Dawson, and Michael Parillo
Feb 1, 2018