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Born
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was born in Brooklyn New York -
Baby Keeps Rhythm
When he was 18 months old, Buddy's father saw him keeping a steady beat with two spoons. Soon after he began playing vaudeville and dubbed as "Baby Traps the Drum Wonder" -
Band Leader
When he was 11 years old, he became a band leader. He received no formal drum instruction and went so far as to claim that instruction would only make his musical talent worse. However, he never admitted to practicing, claiming to play the drums only during performances and was not known to read music. -
First Measures
At the age of 20, Rich started playing jazz with a major group in 1937 with Joe Marsala and guitarist Jack Lemaire. -
Beginnings of his Career
He then played with Bunny Berigan (1938) and Artie Shaw (1939), and even instructed a 14-year-old Mel Brooks in drumming for a short period when playing for Shaw. At 21, Rich participated in his first major recording with the Vic Schoen Orchestra (the band that backed the Andrews Sisters). In 1938, he was hired to play in Tommy Dorsey's orchestra, where he met and performed with Frank Sinatra. -
Marine with Beats
In 1942, Rich left the Dorsey band to join the United States Marine Corps, in which he served as a judo instructor, never saw combat, and was discharged due to medical reasons. -
Last Beat
He continued playing till his death. He died of heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumor. He was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.
