By THIRSTY
Putting
the name Buddy Rich and the word “drums” in the same sentence seems redundant. Praised by Gene Krupa as “the greatest drummer to ever draw
breath,” Buddy Rich was honored with a President’s Special Merit Grammy Award,
inducted into the Downbeat Magazine, Modern Drummer and Playboy Magazine’s Halls of Fame, earned three Grammy nominations,
was awarded the Jazz Unlimited Immortals of Jazz Award and was named the
greatest Drummer of All Time by Modern
Drummer magazine.
Buddy
Rich rose to fame in the 1940s and 1950s playing with the Tommy Dorsey
Orchestra, where he met his lifelong friend Frank Sinatra. During his storied
career, Rich toured the world, performing for fans and
world leaders alike, including the King of Thailand, King Hussein of Jordan,
Queen Elizabeth of England, and U.S. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F.
Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
Cathy
Rich, Buddy’s daughter, has organized a yearlong
tribute to her father to celebrate the Centennial of his birth in 1917. The Centennial
kicked off in April at Lincoln Center with a special performance entitled, Buddy Rich Centennial: Celebrating the Jazz
Drum, by The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by Wynton Marsalis and
featured Ali Jackson on the drums.
Other
events, in addition to a tour of the 16-piece Buddy Rich Band, will include the
unveiling of Stars for Buddy Rich on both the Palm Springs and Las Vegas Walk
of Stars, an evening celebrating Buddy Rich’s legacy and music at the Grammy Museum, and in honor of his Centennial, a flag will be flown
over the U.S. Capitol on his birthday. A feature film
about Buddy Rich is also in the works.
Stay Thirsty Magazine is very proud to
present two videos in honor of Buddy Rich’s Centennial. Both are courtesy of
the Buddy Rich estate and offer just a small window into his genius.
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