@@papalaz4444244 Oh no, some random stranger on the Internet doesn’t believe that Buddy Rich was an actual human person who interacted with the families of his band members on occasion, whatever will I do! 😭
And he's playing on a standard "jazz" kit. Imagine if he played on some of the kits the guys use these days!? OMFG! He was (allegedly) not a very nice person...but he is considered one of the best drummers of ALL-TIME. "Let's see what he's got", made me spit my drink.
I'm 64 years old and started drumming in 3rd grade. Buddy is my all-time hero, and I had the fortune to see him live three times. Truly an amazing percussionist. There will never be anyone else like him. Thanks for keeping his music alive!!!
I lived in Southern CA in the 70s-80s We'd always go to Disney land and watch him at Carnation Gardens. I literally stood less than 8 feet away from him, on the side, and watched him play along with a dozen other high school kids.
I love how on the second segment he made room for the other musicians to stand out. His playing was just enough to make theirs the best it could be. Everyone says he was a wonderful guy. On a side note, I don't like how Johnny had to somehow tease him before each performance, but no matter. Buddy rose above it all to be the GOAT.
Been a bass player for 50 years and I seen him in concert about 20 feet from him and I couldn't take my eyes off of him! To me he is the absolute greatest drummer of all time.
Buddy's solos not only displayed blurring speed but he used multiple dynamics throughout and was so incredibly musical. He was never pounding away randomly but seemed to be always thinking of tasteful colorations to build into a solo. He has always been the standard to aspire to among drummers. In my mind the greatest of all time.
Love me some Buddy Rich. The guy was so passionate about his craft. He was a true master. Just watch the impossible solo. As Neil Peart said " There's Buddy Rich and then there's everyone else".
True story: Buddy was doing a big concert gig, had a heart attack in the middle of a song, finished the song, finished the concert, and only then went to the hospital. He had already had a few heart attacks before, so he knew what they felt like, and back then they really had no effective treatment beyond aspirin anyway. Legend. GOAT!!!!!!!!
I think buddy Rich was the evolution of the sophistication of percussion in 1973. I was 10 years old. My father took me to see one of his shows in Halifax mind-blown. Believe it or not I shook his hand at the end of the show. Love you Dad. What a memory
1973 was 50 years ago now. I always thought that was the best year for Rock and Roll in general. Dark Side of the Moon, Band on the Run, Ringo (unofficial Beatles farewell album), Lynyrd Skynydr, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road... The slide guitar with sustain was new technology at the time.
Saw the man live in New Orleans with his band. There’s no words sufficient enough to describe his playing. Off the charts, otherworldly, that’s about all I can say. I’m a musician, so it was an incredible treat… He was doing rolls with one hand while simulating a double bass, hitting alternate with his stick and the foot pedal. No words.
I saw Buddy Rich and his band in 1974… I got to go back stage between sets and meet Buddy, and I got his autograph. He was incredibly nice to me, and was a real gentleman. Buddy truly was the GHOT…
Buddy Rich was great! "Doc" Severinsen and the NBC Orchestra were no joke either. They were an incredible band of serous musicians. Other talk shows of the 1970s like Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin also had superb and formidable bands. They were some of the last vestiges of the great big band era. I used to watch those shows when I was a teenager and it was always a treat when the bands got to play a song every now and then.
Seriously! The moment the band jumped in you could tell they were all phenomenal musicians. Their timing is so incredibly on point. As for Buddy himself, well whether he is the greatest drummer ever is a matter for academic debate, but there is no denying he is absolutely one of the great drumming legends.
You're correct, lots of great musicians during the 70s on those shows. My parents watched The Tonight Show religiously, so that meant I became a fan of Ed Shaughnessy. Great drummer. RIP Ed.
Have you guys seen the drum battle on The Tonight Show between Buddy Rich and Ed Shaughnessy? It's here on RUclips and an epic, classic Tonight Show musical moment! I've maybe watched it a dozen times, haha!
The man could make any drum kit sing!! One of the most gifted drummers ever! It's no wonder that so many of the more recent drummers hold him in high esteem.
Come on guys. You have to be time-relevant. Buddy Rich - for his time - was a cut above everyone else. Sure, I have more favourite drummer since him - but I never lose sight of the fact that you have to put performance in the context of what was around at the time. I don't for a moment believe that Rod Laver could beat Novak Djokovic - but, for his time, he was head and shoulders above...
The only real criticism I have of Buddy as a drummer was his posture. I don't know if it ever caused him any issues, but many drummers that slouch like that end up with back problems, sometimes causing them to be unable to drum anymore (such is the case with Phil Collins).
Buddy is the kind of performer that whatever you think of his music or personality, he pushed the game foward. Without him drumming wouldn't be where it is now. A driving force in the craft.
As great as Buddy was technically and all that he was a STAR!! I am not sure there is another drummer who could go on the Tonight Show and be interviewed just like the actors, comedians, etc. Buddy was a one of a kind. This is back when we had Show Business. Not sure that exists today.
yeh all the late night comedians are now just the propaganda arm for a certain political party. I remember seeing a story on Jimmy Fallon shortly after Trump became president. and the article literally said : "Fallon is the least woke comedian on TV. Instead of addressing very real issues he simply makes jokes and plays around with the guests".. and of course he was targeted for having Trump on with the famous hair rub show. Few months later Fallon dropped some filthy remark about Trump and oh, Fallon fell back into the good graces of hollywood again. Youll always be punished if you dont think like them. Odd how pretty much everyone loved Trump before 2016. rappers used his name in their songs, people would be ecstatic to have him as a guest.. Now they call him hitler yet have no idea why they hate him so much.
Perhaps Dave Grohl but I'm having trouble thinking of another. Both him and Buddy R. are on different levels of talent. I hope you're having a great day, Friend.
Buddy was genuinely impressed with Doc Severinsen's band. Like ha said, it's not easy to do what they did with a brand new chart. All the players in that band were cream of the crop. Best big band musicians in the world at that time.
Spot on. Every single player in that band could lead. Playing that very complicated piece so effortlessly with such clarity was so beautiful. Thanks Colby for making this clip honoring Buddy.
@@CheshireMoonBandMonster band, look up individual members and see their discographies, amazing. Count Bassie, The Band, Steely Dan, every jazz, blues, AND Funk tunes they all sat in as studio musicians. Those guys made more money than many rock artist due to performance pay and they were IN DEMAND. All the great studio musicians and groups (RCA studio B, Muscle Shoals, The Wrecking Crew, all amazingly professionals who brought their A, B, AND C games, including a few AA performances with Bassie, Ellington, and Quincy Jones.
The tune Nutville was written by the great jazz pianist Horace Silver for his 1965 Blue Note LP The Cape Verdean Blues. The Tonight Show trumpet soloist was Conte Candoli. The piano soloist was Ross Tompkins. The sax soloist was Lew Tabackin.
Buddy rich was a "one off". There will never be another drummer like him. He himself said he was a freak. I met him twice. Greatest drummer that ever lived.
I would disagree and say Neal Peart was THE BEST drummer ever. But that's just my opinion and, you know, opinions are like a__holes, everyone has one. Some people are so full of sht they need two or three a__holes though. Not meaning that statement towards you, or anyone in particular at this time. I just heard that line recently and wanted to use it somewhere. Lol
I met Buddy way back in Baltimore at a place called the Barge in Fell's Point must of been 50 years ago. He was great I totally forgot about it until I came upon this clip thank you.
In terms of technical ability, Buddy is off the charts. Neil's my favorite drum composer, Buddy runs circles around him, something even Neil admits. This doesn't make Neil's dedication, taking lessons until the very end btw, any less important or impressive. We are all dealt different hands genetically, and Buddy got a royal flush for drumming.
Buddy was always a pleasure to watch on the Carson Tonight Show! He was a hilarious guest, full of energy, could banter with Johnny and then --- he was a world-class drummer! Unbelievable how he'd make himself sound like several drummers at once! Glad you found him.
Tell me another drummer better than him. Doesn't exist. BUDDY= GOAT. El mejor batería de todos los tiempos. Dudarlo es ofender mi inteligencia musical.
Had the honor of seeing him at the CMU Jazz Festival back in the 70's. Neil Peart & John Bonham are my favorites due to their Rock heritage, but Buddy kicked it to the wall. Increadable musician...
I was fortunate enough to see Bonham and Peart once each. But I also had the pleasure of seeing Buddy Rich at a smaller venue in the '80's. Two of the best and then, "The Best"
I grew up with listening to Krupa,Rich,Morello all the greatest drummers. My dad was a jazz drummer for more than 50 years. It's good to see the next generation listen and learn from our past.
oh man, I love seeing people's first reaction to ol' Buddy Rich, he was the most metal drummer of the swing era, I get winded just watchin him hit the skins. And all with that traditional stick grip, he was a true master of the craft. RIP Buddy Rich
@@mmgreen31 Well, since I am not a drummer, I think I will defer to those who are. However, having said, I think such discussions fall into the same realm as those about who was the better player Kareem or Wilt, Mays vs Mantle, etc., etc.
I've played in jazz groups all my life. I'm 80. My best friend was the drummer in our band, a huge Buddy Rich fan. Whenever Buddy played with in 3 miles of us we went to see him. Must have been 6 to 8 times. One time he came to our table before the performance and talked to us for about 10 minutes. His concerts were always great and very entertaining.
Boy, I can agree with that statement in oh so many ways. I'm 60, and glad I grew up when I did as well because of the music and bands I grew up listening to. There is no new music that even comes close to being as good as the "oldies". What is called music these days is just plain f'n noise. Our parents said the same thing about our generation of music, "it's just noise", I know, but honestly can you name one band or musician, that's modern, that is as good as anything from the 60's - 90's?
I became a BIG fan of Buddy's when I was a very young drummer at age 15. I am now 74 years young, still playing and teaching and still love Buddy though he is not with us any more. May he rest in peace.
So awesome! I too found Buddy Rich around the age of 15 and now at age 52 am still playing away trying to learn his chops. I am so happy that there is such a great pool of young prodigy Jazz drummers out there keeping the magic alive!
Technically, the greatest drummer who ever lived. Krupa played an enormous role in making drumming popular as a stand out instrument, but Buddy’s skills were unrivaled. There’s a video of him playing West Side Story, when he’s even older, and he’s absolutely ‘Killing’ it! The speed, precision, and touch of his hands were utterly amazing.
Gene Krupa didn't have blinding speed as did Buddy, but Krupa was much more musical..I saw Gene Krupa around 1966 on new years eve at the Metrapol Cafe in NY. I sat about 5 ft from the little stage they had....After the set he sat at my table and we talked .I was young then, and he gave me lots of advise about school, life and drumming. I'll never forget him, He was a very sociable Man...I followed Krupa and Buddy both as I grew...They were both amazing at what they did, but their style was very different......A good friend of mind and his dad invited me to a concert in central park NY to see Buddy Rich and his big band, it was amazing.. My friend's name was Dick Cully, and if there could every be another Buddy Rich, he is it...
In the middle segment, Buddy is playing on Ed Shaughnessy's kit, very different and much bigger than Buddy's standard kit. Yet Buddy is completely comfortable, completely in control, uses the whole kit and never misses a beat or a roll, totally kills it. Truely AWESOME!!!
There was an extraordinary moment when he endured a broken arm but refused to cancel his concerts. Instead, he took to the stage and played with sheer determination, relying on a single arm to deliver his mesmerizing beats. Even renowned drummers of that era, captivated by his phenomenal performance, proclaimed it to be truly out of this world. Those were the golden times of drumming, in my humble opinion!
Some of my friends played in Buddy's trombone section (and sometimes subbed in tonight show bnad). He really was (routinely) like this, and yes, the Tonight Show band was unbelievably great (they were basically playing this with one or two run throughs, nearly sight reading this very difficult stuff). Buddy had been drummer for Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and with major BeBop era jazz stars. He was a BEAST of a drummer, routinely DRIVING a band.
I seen him when I was about 7 and I'm in my 50s now and he changed my life forever.. Not to mention I have his autograph and got to me the man...who is the best that ever lived at the drums...
Thank you for sharing this. What an amazing drummer. A talented drummer. And he did that in a three-piece polyester suit. He brought his respect on. These musicians are tremendous. Listen to their music.
The wizard of the Moeller method. His speed is still off the charts today. I grew up a 70s child and he was known as The Best Drummer in the World in our circles. Sure, we had Bonham, Peart, Moon, etc...but nobody came close to Buddy Rich. He even slayed Animal on The Muppets. \^^/
My boyfriend was a professional drummer for 25 yrs. and he saw Buddy three times, he sat in the front row and was blown away. Practice practice practice.
And that was Johnny's show band, not Buddy's hand-picked studio musicians to be on his record! They probably only rehearsed 2 or 3 times earlier in the day before filming that evening, where they had only that one chance to be so perfect!! I was a kid in the 70s and I remember watching him countless times on TV as he was my dad loved jazz music. Since we only had one TV in the house until the late 70s, everyone had to watch the same show, or go do something else. So different in such a short span of time. But he still is considered the GOAT, so I am surprised that a trained drummer has never heard of him!!???
@@conniesaratoga3194 there were a couple of cuffed entrances, one in the trumpets, and one where the whole 'bone section raised their horns, then tried to SLOWLY put them down again so nobody would notice !!! Doesn't matter ---- like you said, they only ran it a couple of times that day before doing it at taping !!!! Probably one of the most tightly packed collections of musicians that ever was !!! The members of this band, to a man, were simply the best.
No one ever surpassed him in drum battles. He was a prodigy. Started playing at 4 years old in parent's Vaudeville act. 1 handed rolls...inhuman talent!
I agree Buddy Rich is the greatest drummer until Keith Moon came along and took the Crown as the Greatest Ever drummer of everytime. No one will ever beat King Keith and everyone Who knows fact agree. Here's a smile 😊 for you.
Some guys aren't - they think Buddy was all flash and no subtlety, and that he couldn't really swing like Art Blakey or Jo Jones could. Not that they're right.
@@bobodilligaf I've also heard that although he yelled at them a lot, that's because he didn't think they were giving 100%. Buddy gave 100%, every time, and he expected his band to.
The greatest hands on any drummer I've ever seen in my life! And by the way just how great was Doc Severinsen Tonight Show Orchestra! Wow do i miss that!
My first jazz concert ever was Buddy Rich at the Montreal international jazz festival in 1982 front row center. It was recorded for television so you can actually see it on RUclips. I was only 16 years old. I was totally blown away. I fell in love with jazz on that night.
As a trumpet player for many years (and many years ago), I'm gratified and impressed by your appreciation of a master like Buddy Rich. new sub. keep em coming.
Buddy came to my college to play in the middle 80’s…when Buddy came out the spotlight guy blasted him with a bright spotlight…immediately Buddy says, turn that damn thing off! So the spot was turned off, and Buddy performed for over an hour. Buddy was near or past eighty years, but you’d have thought he was 25 years old! I had front row seats. He was fantastic, just drop dead great! One of the greatest performances I’ve ever witnessed! Such a joy to think about seeing the late, GREAT, Mr. Buddy Rich. Thank you Lord!
I was just a kid when Buddy Rich would come on “The Tonight Show.” I loved it and had no idea why. Never hit a drum in my life, but to this day, I’m still in awe of Buddy Rich
The thing about Buddy is that like El Estepario, Buddy was a game changer of the highest order. His technical ability, fluidity and control of his hands were so far beyond that of his contemporaries, eons beyond. Like El Estepario, they both have raised the bar higher than what any of us thought was humanly possible.
That was back in the days before autotune and before a musician would give a lackluster performance and then an engineer would spend days on a sound board tweaking the sound so it was worth releasing to the public. All these guys had was TALENT and the willingness to practice for hours and hours and hours. I heard a current female singer who shall remain nameless and she said that she didn't really like to sing but she just wanted to be rich and famous and that's how she could accomplish that. The songs of hers that I have heard are proof positive that she spends NO time trying to hone her craft. These guys LOVED what they did and even if they had not been paid for performing, they still would have spent hours at someone's house "making music" because they were doing what they most enjoyed doing. That's why young people who hear music from old timers are blown away by their sound. That's what loving what you do and being willing to practice can get you!
I was lucky enough to see him live three times. Once at Disneyland, of all places; a Jazz festival at UC Berkeley and last he walked in and played with a house band in a 'Frisco jazz club. Some of my best memories. The _Tonight Show Band_ was made up of the best session players in LA. That band was unmatched.
Black n white TV in the 60's buddy inspired me to pickup the drums. Ended up playing guitar thru out my remaining life but still sit on the kit. God bless one and all.
I was an aspiring 14 year old drummer when I saw Buddy Rich live at the old Hotel Utah Grand Ballroom, and I sat probably 15 feet away from his kit during the show. I’ve seen some great drummers but Buddy Rich is, was, and always be the gold standard and benchmark for drummers of any generation.
If you play the drums on any level then you need to know what this man was capable of. Watching him battle Ed Shaugnessy is another classic Tonight Show performance. Buddy is the GOAT.
I saw him live in about 1963 at The Colston Hall, Bristol, UK. Several times he broke his stick, and the other end of the broken stick flew over his shoulder, he would draw a new stick and continue without missing a beat. Amazing.
Buddy's comment "nothing is going to break" in the second clip as he sits down at Ed Shaunessy's set refers to a Carson prank during one of Buddy's prior appearances. During that prior appearance, he again sat down at Ed's set & Johnny suggested he do a little warmup before the piece, not a usual occurrence. Buddy figured WTH, it's Carson's show so he a did a warm up, ending with the high hat breaking into flying shards followed by Buddy breaking up & swearing vengeance. Johnny got his prop department to make a high hat out of the same material used for prop bottles that get broken over people's heads during bar fight scenes! For many years I have been searching without success for a video clip of this appearance. BTW Ed was highly underrated drummer despite his longtime Tonight Show Band gig. As with most of the band, he spent mornings doing session work before heading to NBC Studio 1 in Burbank for the afternoon rehearsal & evening TS taping. There is another excellent video clip of a Buddy Rich Tonight Show appearance with Buddy & Ed dueling.
He was my first inspiration! He was super fast. I don't think I've seen anyone that quick. And the Buddy Rich band was phenomenal! Woohoo! Hidden gems!
One of my favorite Buddy Rich videos on RUclips is his performance of Bolero, just on a single snare drum. You can really appreciate his incredible articulation and dynamics he possessed on the instrument. Simply beautiful.
I'm a couple generations ahead of you. As a life long drummer I watched Buddy Rich on Carson, and with his bands. The man was a phenom. No matter how hard I tried, and how much I practiced I couldn't carry that man's drum sticks. 😀 BTW, Carson was a decent drummer in his own right.
A few decades ago my late very close buddy Tim Hardy and I saw Buddy's band in Yuma, Arizona at the annual high school Jazz Band gig. Buddy left us two exhausted from following his performance. Also, one of his Sax players was in the front row playing like I have never before or since heard any Sax being tweeked and bent and almost abused, while this guy was checking out the high school girls in the audience. He had another level to go to that day, but was too distracted by the sights around him to play full tilt. It was the most amazing performance of a band I have ever witnessed in person. Buddy was a natural leader. He did not have to demand excellence. He drew it out of fellow musicians by his raw genius energy. Seeing him live still leaves me breathless.
My father was a jazz saxophonist who played in one of the UK's leading big bands in the 1940s and 50s. One day he played me some of their stuff on a collection of 78s he had, and I was mightily impressed by their drummer during a particular solo (at the time I was just a clueless rock n roller, and my idea of good drumming was Keith Moon or Phil Collins, lol). My father noted my enthusiasm, and added "He was pretty good, but he was no Buddy Rich". "Buddy Rich?" I replied, "who's he - never heard of him". My dad just said, "He was the best bloody drummer who ever lived, that's who he was". I thought he was exagerrating, and forgot all about it as I wasn't into jazz music then. Anyway, a few years later, with the advent of You Tube, I finally stumbled across some Buddy Rich solos, and all I can say is "I get it dad, you were so not exagerrating".
I also heard that while Buddy was the GOAT he was extremely hard to work for and frequently berated his musicians because he was so driven to be the best. I also think there was some ego behind all that.
Bro. "he's clean" and "This guy was good"? Buddy Rich is the GOAT of GOATS. Literally about every 10 seconds he does something that a percussion student would have to spend a semester on in music school. His singles are the butteriest, his flow on the drums is effortless, and the dude seemingly came out of the womb like this. And...it's not arguable. Lol.
I once saw Buddy do a drum roll with a single pencil in his left hand on Johnny's desk on this same Johnny Carson show. He then picked up another pencil and did an entire solo with pencils.
It always surprises but pleases me to see musicians today discover one of the greats from the past - as for drums, this guy here is/was the greatest. When Colby said "How am I just now seeing him?" my reaction was 'really? You've never seen Buddy Rich?' I have to remember how freakin old I am and have seen so much, from just the Carson show; Ed Sullivan before that. Midnight Special after Carson, and on and on.
Al Van Halen is amazing. Neil Peart was an absolute beast. Bonham and Collins were/are epic. There isn't a shortage of amazing drummers. But there will be no one, NO ONE, in the same league as this monster. Buddy Rich is the epitome of what a drummer should be.
I watched Johnny Carson for years and always enjoyed Buddy's segments. I was never a great drummer, but watching him made want to be better. I think that he is arguably the most underrated drummer ever. When most people think of drummers, they think of rock bands and the big drum sets. But Buddy didn't need a big set. He was amazing on a basic drum set. It's not the set, it's what the drummer can do with it that really counts. Hats off to you Mr. Buddy Rich. Big Buddy Rich fan.....
Seeing him on the Tonight Show or any other TV performance didn't do him true justice. I saw him with his big band twice, once in 76 and again in 79, and he was incredible in person!
Buddy is the most talented person to ever walk this earth. No body can play like he did. I've been watching him since I was a kid. I'm 42 now and he still gives me goosebumps.
People honestly can’t even begin to understand how insane this is. Buddy Rich is as close to perfect timing in every stoke, that is humanly possible. Period. Its so perfect that it sounds free-flowing and some people might think they have heard someone be this on time, and it’s almost not possible to produce. And I’m not even a goddamned drummer lol
Frighteningly masterful the guy is so in touch with his technique that he’s able to transform it into art and that is the pinnacle of the most you can do in the instrument. What an incredible musician he knew he was good when I got up there he knew he was good while he was doing it, and he knew he was good when he was done.
I followed him for decades. He was one of, if not the, best. His snare could probably bounce a dime to the ceiling, it's tuned so high, this is a huge help in his play.
My father played lead alto in the Buddy Rich Band for 3+ years in the mid-late 70's. I used to sit on Buddy's lap and play his drums. He was the GOAT.
of course you did and we all believe this.....
@@papalaz4444244 Oh no, some random stranger on the Internet doesn’t believe that Buddy Rich was an actual human person who interacted with the families of his band members on occasion, whatever will I do! 😭
ENVY
@@captainjay-gf6ws People are seriously so weird 😂
@@Guav I envy. The other guy is just simply...a douche.
"Lets see what he's got." Most understated statement to a Buddy Rich performance ever.
Right!?!
Also when he said -He's Good-lol.
traditional grip baby
And he's playing on a standard "jazz" kit. Imagine if he played on some of the kits the guys use these days!? OMFG! He was (allegedly) not a very nice person...but he is considered one of the best drummers of ALL-TIME. "Let's see what he's got", made me spit my drink.
He is the best ever
I'm 64 years old and started drumming in 3rd grade. Buddy is my all-time hero, and I had the fortune to see him live three times. Truly an amazing percussionist. There will never be anyone else like him. Thanks for keeping his music alive!!!
I lived in Southern CA in the 70s-80s
We'd always go to Disney land and watch him at Carnation Gardens. I literally stood less than 8 feet away from him, on the side, and watched him play along with a dozen other high school kids.
I love how on the second segment he made room for the other musicians to stand out. His playing was just enough to make theirs the best it could be. Everyone says he was a wonderful guy. On a side note, I don't like how Johnny had to somehow tease him before each performance, but no matter. Buddy rose above it all to be the GOAT.
I saw him live in '83 front n center 10 feet away!!awesome
The drum-off between Buddy Rich and Animal on The Muppet Show is pretty classic.
Been a bass player for 50 years and I seen him in concert about 20 feet from him and I couldn't take my eyes off of him! To me he is the absolute greatest drummer of all time.
Buddy's solos not only displayed blurring speed but he used multiple dynamics throughout and was so incredibly musical. He was never pounding away randomly but seemed to be always thinking of tasteful colorations to build into a solo. He has always been the standard to aspire to among drummers. In my mind the greatest of all time.
How has he just now discovered Buddy Rich. He’s easily on the Mount Rushmore of greatest drummers of all time across all genres.
He is the Mt Rushmore of drummers, no doubt about it.
Dude, Buddy Rich is the greatest drummer of all time !! He influenced every drummer after him in all genres of music !!! The G.O.A.T
Love me some Buddy Rich. The guy was so passionate about his craft. He was a true master. Just watch the impossible solo. As Neil Peart said " There's Buddy Rich and then there's everyone else".
True story: Buddy was doing a big concert gig, had a heart attack in the middle of a song, finished the song, finished the concert, and only then went to the hospital. He had already had a few heart attacks before, so he knew what they felt like, and back then they really had no effective treatment beyond aspirin anyway. Legend. GOAT!!!!!!!!
Wow! Thanks for that tid-bit...
Yes, I saw the video of that concert here, on RUclips, but I think it’s since been removed.
Very true
Yup. You can see it happening very clearly and he just carries on playing through. Mind boggling.
He also had open heart surgery later also!
Buddy Rich is the standard by which drummers are measured. He's not one of the greatest, he's THE Greatest of all time.
No one comes close .
His drum battle with Animal on the Muppets was awesome
And he did it all in a 3 piece suit!
Yep, the best I've ever seen.
Amen !
Grew up watching him.
He was a percussionist extraordinaire! The greatest solo drummer of all time!
The greatest drummer of all time full stop.
I think Neil Peart was one of the best rock drummers ever. But even he said that he was so inspired by Buddy Rich and try to learn from him.
Agreed!!!!!
His band still tours (I think) and has featured a number of high profile drummers.
Not one has even come close.
Buddy’s got the fastest hands ever, mixed with a ef- ton of feel. Truly a master of his instrument.
And amazing rhythm
I think buddy Rich was the evolution of the sophistication of percussion in 1973. I was 10 years old. My father took me to see one of his shows in Halifax mind-blown. Believe it or not I shook his hand at the end of the show. Love you Dad. What a memory
1973 was 50 years ago now. I always thought that was the best year for Rock and Roll in general. Dark Side of the Moon, Band on the Run, Ringo (unofficial Beatles farewell album), Lynyrd Skynydr, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road... The slide guitar with sustain was new technology at the time.
Saw the man live in New Orleans with his band. There’s no words sufficient enough to describe his playing. Off the charts, otherworldly, that’s about all I can say. I’m a musician, so it was an incredible treat… He was doing rolls with one hand while simulating a double bass, hitting alternate with his stick and the foot pedal. No words.
I saw Buddy Rich and his band in 1974… I got to go back stage between sets and meet Buddy, and I got his autograph. He was incredibly nice to me, and was a real gentleman. Buddy truly was the GHOT…
It’s not just his speed. It’s how clean and in impeccable control. He was a master in « method ».
Hand speed around the drum kit is second to none!
Yep. Fact. And, those subdivisions are surgical precise perfection.
STILL incomparable. That left hand !!! I saw him live many years ago. Breathtaking, and that left hand working under the hihat !!!
Buddy Rich was great! "Doc" Severinsen and the NBC Orchestra were no joke either. They were an incredible band of serous musicians. Other talk shows of the 1970s like Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin also had superb and formidable bands. They were some of the last vestiges of the great big band era. I used to watch those shows when I was a teenager and it was always a treat when the bands got to play a song every now and then.
Seriously! The moment the band jumped in you could tell they were all phenomenal musicians. Their timing is so incredibly on point. As for Buddy himself, well whether he is the greatest drummer ever is a matter for academic debate, but there is no denying he is absolutely one of the great drumming legends.
You're correct, lots of great musicians during the 70s on those shows. My parents watched The Tonight Show religiously, so that meant I became a fan of Ed Shaughnessy. Great drummer. RIP Ed.
Have you guys seen the drum battle on The Tonight Show between Buddy Rich and Ed Shaughnessy?
It's here on RUclips and an epic, classic Tonight Show musical moment!
I've maybe watched it a dozen times, haha!
"You are correct sir !"
Even David Letterman had a great band. After all half of that band used to be in the Blues Brothers.
The man could make any drum kit sing!! One of the most gifted drummers ever! It's no wonder that so many of the more recent drummers hold him in high esteem.
Probably the greatest drummer that ever lived. No one could match his speed and agility.
Greyson Nekrutman ?
Billy Cobham in his prime.
@@Crunkboy415 ..not even close..
Come on guys. You have to be time-relevant. Buddy Rich - for his time - was a cut above everyone else. Sure, I have more favourite drummer since him - but I never lose sight of the fact that you have to put performance in the context of what was around at the time. I don't for a moment believe that Rod Laver could beat Novak Djokovic - but, for his time, he was head and shoulders above...
The only real criticism I have of Buddy as a drummer was his posture. I don't know if it ever caused him any issues, but many drummers that slouch like that end up with back problems, sometimes causing them to be unable to drum anymore (such is the case with Phil Collins).
Buddy is the kind of performer that whatever you think of his music or personality, he pushed the game foward. Without him drumming wouldn't be where it is now. A driving force in the craft.
As great as Buddy was technically and all that he was a STAR!! I am not sure there is another drummer who could go on the Tonight Show and be interviewed just like the actors, comedians, etc. Buddy was a one of a kind. This is back when we had Show Business. Not sure that exists today.
Today you have woke business on TV.
yeh all the late night comedians are now just the propaganda arm for a certain political party. I remember seeing a story on Jimmy Fallon shortly after Trump became president. and the article literally said : "Fallon is the least woke comedian on TV. Instead of addressing very real issues he simply makes jokes and plays around with the guests".. and of course he was targeted for having Trump on with the famous hair rub show. Few months later Fallon dropped some filthy remark about Trump and oh, Fallon fell back into the good graces of hollywood again. Youll always be punished if you dont think like them. Odd how pretty much everyone loved Trump before 2016. rappers used his name in their songs, people would be ecstatic to have him as a guest.. Now they call him hitler yet have no idea why they hate him so much.
Perhaps Dave Grohl but I'm having trouble thinking of another. Both him and Buddy R. are on different levels of talent.
I hope you're having a great day, Friend.
@@AverageBeausOutdoorDave would tell you he’s not in the same galaxy as Buddy on drums. But he is a good interview
Buddy was genuinely impressed with Doc Severinsen's band. Like ha said, it's not easy to do what they did with a brand new chart. All the players in that band were cream of the crop. Best big band musicians in the world at that time.
Some of them made up the band Ed Shaugnessy's Energy Force. I saw them in the 70s. Possibly the best big band I ever saw. Monster musicians.
Spot on. Every single player in that band could lead. Playing that very complicated piece so effortlessly with such clarity was so beautiful. Thanks Colby for making this clip honoring Buddy.
@@CheshireMoonBandMonster band, look up individual members and see their discographies, amazing. Count Bassie, The Band, Steely Dan, every jazz, blues, AND Funk tunes they all sat in as studio musicians. Those guys made more money than many rock artist due to performance pay and they were IN DEMAND. All the great studio musicians and groups (RCA studio B, Muscle Shoals, The Wrecking Crew, all amazingly professionals who brought their A, B, AND C games, including a few AA performances with Bassie, Ellington, and Quincy Jones.
The tune Nutville was written by the great jazz pianist Horace Silver for his 1965 Blue Note LP The Cape Verdean Blues. The Tonight Show trumpet soloist was Conte Candoli. The piano soloist was Ross Tompkins. The sax soloist was Lew Tabackin.
Thanks for that info!
Thanks for the info! Killer composition and those soloists tore it up!
Thank you for this.
Such an unbelievable influence on Bonham.
Check out Toshiko Akiyoshi Lew Tabackin big band
All his appearances on The Tonight Show are my favorites! Plus the drum battle between Buddy and Johnny!
Buddy rich was a "one off". There will never be another drummer like him. He himself said he was a freak. I met him twice. Greatest drummer that ever lived.
I would disagree and say Neal Peart was THE BEST drummer ever. But that's just my opinion and, you know, opinions are like a__holes, everyone has one.
Some people are so full of sht they need two or three a__holes though. Not meaning that statement towards you, or anyone in particular at this time. I just heard that line recently and wanted to use it somewhere. Lol
@@donlange1491 I suppose we can add El Estepario to that list.
I love Buddy! But I also love Steve Gadd.
I met Buddy way back in Baltimore at a place called the Barge in Fell's Point must of been 50 years ago. He was great I totally forgot about it until I came upon this clip thank you.
In terms of technical ability, Buddy is off the charts. Neil's my favorite drum composer, Buddy runs circles around him, something even Neil admits.
This doesn't make Neil's dedication, taking lessons until the very end btw, any less important or impressive. We are all dealt different hands genetically, and Buddy got a royal flush for drumming.
Buddy was always a pleasure to watch on the Carson Tonight Show! He was a hilarious guest, full of energy, could banter with Johnny and then --- he was a world-class drummer! Unbelievable how he'd make himself sound like several drummers at once! Glad you found him.
i just love how much fun he is having ...his soul comes out on the kit everytime he sat behind it
One of the all time greats. Those big band cats were phenomenal musicians.
Tell me another drummer better than him. Doesn't exist. BUDDY= GOAT. El mejor batería de todos los tiempos. Dudarlo es ofender mi inteligencia musical.
Had the honor of seeing him at the CMU Jazz Festival back in the 70's. Neil Peart & John Bonham are my favorites due to their Rock heritage, but Buddy kicked it to the wall. Increadable musician...
I was fortunate enough to see Bonham and Peart once each. But I also had the pleasure of seeing Buddy Rich at a smaller venue in the '80's. Two of the best and then, "The Best"
I grew up with listening to Krupa,Rich,Morello all the greatest drummers. My dad was a jazz drummer for more than 50 years. It's good to see the next generation listen and learn from our past.
oh man, I love seeing people's first reaction to ol' Buddy Rich, he was the most metal drummer of the swing era, I get winded just watchin him hit the skins. And all with that traditional stick grip, he was a true master of the craft. RIP Buddy Rich
I cant even imagine if he was young again and someone let him guest star with Slayer on stage, pff ha ha!!
Buddy was in a class by himself. Great entertainer as well as a drummer.
No. I think you would agree to some extent, Gene Krupa was in the same class.
@@coleparker From the standpoint of technical ability? No. Rich was an order of magnitude greater. As a showman? Sure.
@@mmgreen31 Well, since I am not a drummer, I think I will defer to those who are. However, having said, I think such discussions fall into the same realm as those about who was the better player Kareem or Wilt, Mays vs Mantle, etc., etc.
Max Roach is probably the only drummer of the era who even came close to Rich.
I've played in jazz groups all my life. I'm 80. My best friend was the drummer in our band, a huge Buddy Rich fan. Whenever Buddy played with in 3 miles of us we went to see him. Must have been 6 to 8 times. One time he came to our table before the performance and talked to us for about 10 minutes. His concerts were always great and very entertaining.
As a drummer since 1985, I couldn't touch his skill if he had 1 arm and I had 4. Amazing soloist and big band/jazz act.
Getting old sucks but I'm glad I got to see things like this in real time as a kid.
Boy, I can agree with that statement in oh so many ways. I'm 60, and glad I grew up when I did as well because of the music and bands I grew up listening to. There is no new music that even comes close to being as good as the "oldies". What is called music these days is just plain f'n noise. Our parents said the same thing about our generation of music, "it's just noise", I know, but honestly can you name one band or musician, that's modern, that is as good as anything from the 60's - 90's?
@@donlange1491 yes, I can. Childish Gambino, Måneskin, Plague Vender and St. Vincent are the first to spring to mind.
I'm 81. I remember hearing Buddy Rich at Birdland from 1959 and into the '60s. Brilliant. That one-hand roll was his calling card!
I just marvel at his playing, damn, he's so fast. And he's in control. He brings a smile to my face.
I became a BIG fan of Buddy's when I was a very young drummer at age 15. I am now 74 years young, still playing and teaching and still love Buddy though he is not with us any more. May he rest in peace.
So awesome! I too found Buddy Rich around the age of 15 and now at age 52 am still playing away trying to learn his chops. I am so happy that there is such a great pool of young prodigy Jazz drummers out there keeping the magic alive!
Technically, the greatest drummer who ever lived. Krupa played an enormous role in making drumming popular as a stand out instrument, but Buddy’s skills were unrivaled. There’s a video of him playing West Side Story, when he’s even older, and he’s absolutely ‘Killing’ it! The speed, precision, and touch of his hands were utterly amazing.
I have a record with Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa. A master class.
Gene Krupa didn't have blinding speed as did Buddy, but Krupa was much more musical..I saw Gene Krupa around 1966 on new years eve at the Metrapol Cafe in NY. I sat about 5 ft from the little stage they had....After the set he sat at my table and we talked .I was young then, and he gave me lots of advise about school, life and drumming. I'll never forget him, He was a very sociable Man...I followed Krupa and Buddy both as I grew...They were both amazing at what they did, but their style was very different......A good friend of mind and his dad invited me to a concert in central park NY to see Buddy Rich and his big band, it was amazing.. My friend's name was Dick Cully, and if there could every be another Buddy Rich, he is it...
In the middle segment, Buddy is playing on Ed Shaughnessy's kit, very different and much bigger than Buddy's standard kit. Yet Buddy is completely comfortable, completely in control, uses the whole kit and never misses a beat or a roll, totally kills it. Truely AWESOME!!!
There was an extraordinary moment when he endured a broken arm but refused to cancel his concerts. Instead, he took to the stage and played with sheer determination, relying on a single arm to deliver his mesmerizing beats. Even renowned drummers of that era, captivated by his phenomenal performance, proclaimed it to be truly out of this world. Those were the golden times of drumming, in my humble opinion!
He finished one while having a heart attack.
Some of my friends played in Buddy's trombone section (and sometimes subbed in tonight show bnad). He really was (routinely) like this, and yes, the Tonight Show band was unbelievably great (they were basically playing this with one or two run throughs, nearly sight reading this very difficult stuff). Buddy had been drummer for Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and with major BeBop era jazz stars. He was a BEAST of a drummer, routinely DRIVING a band.
I seen him when I was about 7 and I'm in my 50s now and he changed my life forever..
Not to mention I have his autograph and got to me the man...who is the best that ever lived at the drums...
Thank you for sharing this. What an amazing drummer. A talented drummer. And he did that in a three-piece polyester suit. He brought his respect on. These musicians are tremendous. Listen to their music.
The wizard of the Moeller method. His speed is still off the charts today. I grew up a 70s child and he was known as The Best Drummer in the World in our circles. Sure, we had Bonham, Peart, Moon, etc...but nobody came close to Buddy Rich. He even slayed Animal on The Muppets. \^^/
The drumming of "Animal" was Ronnie Verrell of the Ted Heath orchestra.
My boyfriend was a professional drummer for 25 yrs. and he saw Buddy three times, he sat in the front row and was blown away. Practice practice practice.
ironically buddy never really practiced. He did start playing drums and gigging at a young age though.
@@mattc6854 My drummer boyfriend said to newbies practice practice practice your drum roll til you are very fast.
@@mattc6854 Well, that's what he said, anyway. But he had a band, and they all practiced together, so I mean.
dude was an absolute force of nature. . .his modulation is absolutely mind blowing.
I liked that second performance. Everyone absolutely killed it!
And that was Johnny's show band, not Buddy's hand-picked studio musicians to be on his record! They probably only rehearsed 2 or 3 times earlier in the day before filming that evening, where they had only that one chance to be so perfect!! I was a kid in the 70s and I remember watching him countless times on TV as he was my dad loved jazz music. Since we only had one TV in the house until the late 70s, everyone had to watch the same show, or go do something else. So different in such a short span of time. But he still is considered the GOAT, so I am surprised that a trained drummer has never heard of him!!???
@@conniesaratoga3194 there were a couple of cuffed entrances, one in the trumpets, and one where the whole 'bone section raised their horns, then tried to SLOWLY put them down again so nobody would notice !!! Doesn't matter ---- like you said, they only ran it a couple of times that day before doing it at taping !!!! Probably one of the most tightly packed collections of musicians that ever was !!! The members of this band, to a man, were simply the best.
No one ever surpassed him in drum battles. He was a prodigy. Started playing at 4 years old in parent's Vaudeville act. 1 handed rolls...inhuman talent!
I agree Buddy Rich is the greatest drummer until Keith Moon came along and took the Crown as the Greatest Ever drummer of everytime. No one will ever beat King Keith and everyone Who knows fact agree. Here's a smile 😊 for you.
@uthmaanpacsa7259 lmao. Your ear needs a lot of work bud.
@@uthmaanpacsa7259Keith Moon is a monkey on acid having a stroke compared to BR.
I loved Buddy... the Best! I got to see him meet him & my Dream came true .... At River oaks Mall was Awesome. God Bless
You can’t be a fan of the drums and not be a fan of Buddy Rich.
Some guys aren't - they think Buddy was all flash and no subtlety, and that he couldn't really swing like Art Blakey or Jo Jones could. Not that they're right.
@@Baribrotzer Buddy Rich was so good even Miles Davis had to admit it.
The problem with buddy wasn’t his ability but how he was known to treat his bands.
@@bobodilligaf I've also heard that although he yelled at them a lot, that's because he didn't think they were giving 100%. Buddy gave 100%, every time, and he expected his band to.
@@mmgreen31 And I know exactly how he would have said it: "That white m - - - - - f - - - - - Buddy, he's a m - - - - - f - - - - -."
Yes! The NBC orchestra was at that time the absolute best!! I'm old! I use stay up late as a kid just to watch Johnny! Thanks for this!
Me too! (Born in '61) What a great show and a fabulous orchestra!
The greatest hands on any drummer I've ever seen in my life! And by the way just how great was Doc Severinsen Tonight Show Orchestra! Wow do i miss that!
My first jazz concert ever was Buddy Rich at the Montreal international jazz festival in 1982 front row center. It was recorded for television so you can actually see it on RUclips. I was only 16 years old. I was totally blown away. I fell in love with jazz on that night.
As a trumpet player for many years (and many years ago), I'm gratified and impressed by your appreciation of a master like Buddy Rich. new sub. keep em coming.
Buddy came to my college to play in the middle 80’s…when Buddy came out the spotlight guy blasted him with a bright spotlight…immediately Buddy says, turn that damn thing off! So the spot was turned off, and Buddy performed for over an hour. Buddy was near or past eighty years, but you’d have thought he was 25 years old! I had front row seats. He was fantastic, just drop dead great! One of the greatest performances I’ve ever witnessed! Such a joy to think about seeing the late, GREAT, Mr. Buddy Rich. Thank you Lord!
I envy you. I always wished I could see him live.
He couldn’t have been near or past 80s he died at 69 years old of a brain aneurysm
Yes, he was my favorite and was honored to see him play live. That solo in particular is one of the best ever played.
I was just a kid when Buddy Rich would come on “The Tonight Show.” I loved it and had no idea why. Never hit a drum in my life, but to this day, I’m still in awe of Buddy Rich
I have loved the drums since about age 4, and used to watch Buddy Rich whenever possible.
The thing about Buddy is that like El Estepario, Buddy was a game changer of the highest order. His technical ability, fluidity and control of his hands were so far beyond that of his contemporaries, eons beyond. Like El Estepario, they both have raised the bar higher than what any of us thought was humanly possible.
That was back in the days before autotune and before a musician would give a lackluster performance and then an engineer would spend days on a sound board tweaking the sound so it was worth releasing to the public. All these guys had was TALENT and the willingness to practice for hours and hours and hours. I heard a current female singer who shall remain nameless and she said that she didn't really like to sing but she just wanted to be rich and famous and that's how she could accomplish that. The songs of hers that I have heard are proof positive that she spends NO time trying to hone her craft. These guys LOVED what they did and even if they had not been paid for performing, they still would have spent hours at someone's house "making music" because they were doing what they most enjoyed doing. That's why young people who hear music from old timers are blown away by their sound. That's what loving what you do and being willing to practice can get you!
Saw Buddy Rich at my high school mid 80's. It was an incredible concert. Got to meet the entire band. Was awesome.
I was lucky enough to see him live three times. Once at Disneyland, of all places; a Jazz festival at UC Berkeley and last he walked in and played with a house band in a 'Frisco jazz club. Some of my best memories.
The _Tonight Show Band_ was made up of the best session players in LA. That band was unmatched.
Black n white TV in the 60's buddy inspired me to pickup the drums. Ended up playing guitar thru out my remaining life but still sit on the kit. God bless one and all.
That sax solo was incredible. Buddy Rich is a force, naturally
ABSOLUTELY ! ....... anyone got his name ?
@@yoojin-oi8ijLew Tabakin. Still around.
@@Scrapplefromtheapple ...... Thank you Brother, ... knew the name, but not the face. Glad to hear he is still with us. Take care
Piano solo was amazing as well
@@christophertaylor9100 ...... AMEN !
Meeting Buddy and shaking his hand was a humbling experience as a teen.
I was an aspiring 14 year old drummer when I saw Buddy Rich live at the old Hotel Utah Grand Ballroom, and I sat probably 15 feet away from his kit during the show. I’ve seen some great drummers but Buddy Rich is, was, and always be the gold standard and benchmark for drummers of any generation.
Never gets old.. I can watch Buddy over and over.. the energy and precision is mind boggling..
If you play the drums on any level then you need to know what this man was capable of. Watching him battle Ed Shaugnessy is another classic Tonight Show performance. Buddy is the GOAT.
Second to NONE!!!
Is the BUDDY and Shaunessy battle available ??
I saw him live in about 1963 at The Colston Hall, Bristol, UK. Several times he broke his stick, and the other end of the broken stick flew over his shoulder, he would draw a new stick and continue without missing a beat. Amazing.
I'm a guitarist and I remember seeing Buddy on TV in the 60s and 70s. I've always loved to hear him play. Just plain mind blowing
Wow! Pure class. They don’t make them like that anymore. Buddy Rich, is definitely the best drummer of his generation. So probably the best ever. 😊
Make no mistake. He was the best the world has ever seen. There was only one Buddy Rich. There will never be another 🥁
Buddy's comment "nothing is going to break" in the second clip as he sits down at Ed Shaunessy's set refers to a Carson prank during one of Buddy's prior appearances. During that prior appearance, he again sat down at Ed's set & Johnny suggested he do a little warmup before the piece, not a usual occurrence. Buddy figured WTH, it's Carson's show so he a did a warm up, ending with the high hat breaking into flying shards followed by Buddy breaking up & swearing vengeance. Johnny got his prop department to make a high hat out of the same material used for prop bottles that get broken over people's heads during bar fight scenes! For many years I have been searching without success for a video clip of this appearance.
BTW Ed was highly underrated drummer despite his longtime Tonight Show Band gig. As with most of the band, he spent mornings doing session work before heading to NBC Studio 1 in Burbank for the afternoon rehearsal & evening TS taping. There is another excellent video clip of a Buddy Rich Tonight Show appearance with Buddy & Ed dueling.
He was my first inspiration! He was super fast. I don't think I've seen anyone that quick. And the Buddy Rich band was phenomenal! Woohoo! Hidden gems!
One of my favorite Buddy Rich videos on RUclips is his performance of Bolero, just on a single snare drum. You can really appreciate his incredible articulation and dynamics he possessed on the instrument. Simply beautiful.
I'm a couple generations ahead of you. As a life long drummer I watched Buddy Rich on Carson, and with his bands. The man was a phenom. No matter how hard I tried, and how much I practiced I couldn't carry that man's drum sticks. 😀 BTW, Carson was a decent drummer in his own right.
A few decades ago my late very close buddy Tim Hardy and I saw Buddy's band in Yuma, Arizona at the annual high school Jazz Band gig. Buddy left us two exhausted from following his performance. Also, one of his Sax players was in the front row playing like I have never before or since heard any Sax being tweeked and bent and almost abused, while this guy was checking out the high school girls in the audience. He had another level to go to that day, but was too distracted by the sights around him to play full tilt. It was the most amazing performance of a band I have ever witnessed in person. Buddy was a natural leader. He did not have to demand excellence. He drew it out of fellow musicians by his raw genius energy. Seeing him live still leaves me breathless.
My father was a jazz saxophonist who played in one of the UK's leading big bands in the 1940s and 50s. One day he played me some of their stuff on a collection of 78s he had, and I was mightily impressed by their drummer during a particular solo (at the time I was just a clueless rock n roller, and my idea of good drumming was Keith Moon or Phil Collins, lol). My father noted my enthusiasm, and added "He was pretty good, but he was no Buddy Rich". "Buddy Rich?" I replied, "who's he - never heard of him". My dad just said, "He was the best bloody drummer who ever lived, that's who he was". I thought he was exagerrating, and forgot all about it as I wasn't into jazz music then.
Anyway, a few years later, with the advent of You Tube, I finally stumbled across some Buddy Rich solos, and all I can say is "I get it dad, you were so not exagerrating".
As an old jazz drummer from the 70’s I can tell you that Buddy Rich was the GOAT of drummers.
I also heard that while Buddy was the GOAT he was extremely hard to work for and frequently berated his musicians because he was so driven to be the best. I also think there was some ego behind all that.
@@wannabe_sailor_777smith6 when your the best at something for 50 years you probably get a bit disconnected from other peoples realities.
Bro. "he's clean" and "This guy was good"? Buddy Rich is the GOAT of GOATS. Literally about every 10 seconds he does something that a percussion student would have to spend a semester on in music school. His singles are the butteriest, his flow on the drums is effortless, and the dude seemingly came out of the womb like this. And...it's not arguable. Lol.
Yeah I was thinking similar when I heard "arguably one of the best" like, who is gonna argue?
How can this guy call himself a drummer if he has no clue who Buddy Rich is?
Buddy will never rest in peace, that left wrist is still twitching in the grave. Can't stop it!
I once saw Buddy do a drum roll with a single pencil in his left hand on Johnny's desk on this same Johnny Carson show. He then picked up another pencil and did an entire solo with pencils.
I remember that ......Whoooowa .....that was so awesome ...
The greatest who ever lived. Period.
Buddy was a perfectionist. There is audio of him just giving it to the band on an off night. Absolutely incredible talent
It always surprises but pleases me to see musicians today discover one of the greats from the past - as for drums, this guy here is/was the greatest. When Colby said "How am I just now seeing him?" my reaction was 'really? You've never seen Buddy Rich?' I have to remember how freakin old I am and have seen so much, from just the Carson show; Ed Sullivan before that. Midnight Special after Carson, and on and on.
Al Van Halen is amazing. Neil Peart was an absolute beast. Bonham and Collins were/are epic. There isn't a shortage of amazing drummers. But there will be no one, NO ONE, in the same league as this monster. Buddy Rich is the epitome of what a drummer should be.
Ginger Baker was one of the first popular drummers. 1967 Disraeli Gears was him at his best.
Virtuoso drummer
Monster is the word sir!!!
In that song on the second performance, when they take that break mid phrase, that is SO incredible, never gets old. Love it!
I watched Johnny Carson for years and always enjoyed Buddy's segments. I was never a great drummer, but watching him made want to be better. I think that he is arguably the most underrated drummer ever. When most people think of drummers, they think of rock bands and the big drum sets. But Buddy didn't need a big set. He was amazing on a basic drum set. It's not the set, it's what the drummer can do with it that really counts. Hats off to you Mr. Buddy Rich.
Big Buddy Rich fan.....
Seeing him on the Tonight Show or any other TV performance didn't do him true justice. I saw him with his big band twice, once in 76 and again in 79, and he was incredible in person!
Saw Buddy late ‘80s. Most skilled drummer ever. Saw Buddies Buddies in the ‘90s. Bought my Dad to tears with their big band skills. A one of a kind.
I've been a huge fan of Rich for years....along with..Bellson, Shaugnessey...Krupa. All the cool heads from olden days.
Buddy didn’t just play drums, he was a virtuoso who played music on an instrument.
Buddy Rich could play drums in his sleep and still make jaws drop.
Perfect comment.
Played music on an instrument?
Wtf are you tryin to say here exactly?
I always thought the opposite. He was a virtuoso juggler, but not musical. Different strokes, so to speak.
The drum kit was just an extension of Buddy Rich. They meld together like fluid 🥁
I’m a kid of the 70’s & 80’s never missed the Tonight Show.. Buddy Rich was always a treat. Made it hard to go to sleep after but man..he could jam!
Buddy is the most talented person to ever walk this earth. No body can play like he did. I've been watching him since I was a kid. I'm 42 now and he still gives me goosebumps.
The Nutville chart performance was the BEST guest Buddy performance ever!
People honestly can’t even begin to understand how insane this is. Buddy Rich is as close to perfect timing in every stoke, that is humanly possible. Period. Its so perfect that it sounds free-flowing and some people might think they have heard someone be this on time, and it’s almost not possible to produce. And I’m not even a goddamned drummer lol
Frighteningly masterful the guy is so in touch with his technique that he’s able to transform it into art and that is the pinnacle of the most you can do in the instrument. What an incredible musician he knew he was good when I got up there he knew he was good while he was doing it, and he knew he was good when he was done.
I saw those shows back in the day. Buddy blew me away every time. A phenomenon on drums and complete entertainer.
Got to see him play live as a kid at a free concert in the park. Unbelievable performance by him and his band. One of the greatest for sure.
I followed him for decades. He was one of, if not the, best. His snare could probably bounce a dime to the ceiling, it's tuned so high, this is a huge help in his play.