Rich, Buddy
The Classic Collaborations
/American jazz drummer and bandleader Buddy Rich, born September 1917, is still considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he discovered his affinity for jazz music at a young age and began drumming at two years old! He began playing jazz in 1937, working with acts such as Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, and Harry James. From 1942 to 1944, Rich served in the U.S. Marines. From 1945 to 1948, he led the Buddy Rich Orchestra. In 1966, he recorded a big-band style arrangement of songs from West Side Story. He found lasting success in 1966 with the formation of the Buddy Rich Big Band, also billed as the Buddy Rich Band and The Big Band Machine.