Buddy Rich was the undisputed king of drummers—a self-taught virtuoso who dominated the instrument through sheer technique, speed, and power. Starting as "Traps, the Drum Wonder" in vaudeville at just 18 months old, he became a child performer before discovering jazz in 1938 and swiftly establishing himself as the best in the business, overshadowing even his friend Gene Krupa.
Rich's career spanned from the swing era through his final decades, marked by stints with major bandleaders like Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, and Harry James, plus countless recording sessions with jazz legends including Charlie Parker, Lester Young, and Art Tatum. After a heart attack in 1959 briefly sidelined him, he bounced back and in 1966 formed a successful big band that became his main focus for the next 20 years. A perfectionist who demanded excellence from everyone around him, Rich never stopped pushing himself—despite health struggles in his later years—and left behind a legacy documented in videotapes and Mel Tormé's biography Traps the Drum Wonder.
