Who Is Buddy Rich? Age, Biography and Wiki
Buddy Rich was born on September 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. He was a prodigious talent, showing incredible drumming skills from a very young age. Known for his virtuosic technique and explosive playing style, Buddy garnered fame in the jazz world both as a drummer and as a bandleader. He passed away on April 2, 1987, but his influence on jazz and drumming continues to resonate through the years.
As of 2025, Buddy Rich would have celebrated his 108th birthday if he were alive today. His legacy lives on, inspiring countless musicians across various genres.
| Occupation | Jazz Singer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | September 30, 1917 |
| Age | 69 Years |
| Birth Place | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Libra |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 2 April, 1987 |
| Died Place | N/A |
Popularity
Buddy Rich's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While exact measurements for Buddy Rich are not thoroughly documented, it is known that he had a commanding presence on stage. Estimates suggest that he stood at about 6 feet tall, and his weight was typically around 180 pounds during the peak of his career. His dynamic performances were complemented by his athletic build, which allowed him to execute his intricate drumming techniques flawlessly.
He usually held his sticks with the traditional grip. He used the matched grip when playing floor toms around the drum set while performing cross-stickings (crossing arm over arm), which was one of his party tricks, often leading to loud cheers from the audience.
Another technique he used to impress was the stick-trick, a fast roll performed by slapping two drumsticks together in a circular motion using "taps" or single-stroke stickings. He often used contrasting techniques to keep long drum solos from getting mundane. Aside from his energetic, explosive displays, he would go into quieter passages.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Buddy Rich married singer and actress Marge Rich in 1942. The couple had one daughter, Cathy Rich, who followed in her father's footsteps to become a musician. While details about Buddy's dating life outside of his marriage are sparse, he is celebrated for his loyalty to his family, often showcasing his love for them in interviews and performances.
Currently, as Buddy Rich is no longer alive, discussions around his dating status are purely historical.
At 18 months old, he became part of his parents' vaudeville act, dressed in a sailor suit playing an arrangement of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" behind a large bass and snare drum – an act which concluded with him emerging from behind the drums tap-dancing to thunderous applause.
Rich would sneak into jazz clubs at an age when he looked old enough to sit on the drum set, and fell in love with jazz. By the age of four, he was headlining Broadway, billed as "Baby Traps the Drum Wonder". In his teens, he led a band and toured in the U.S. and Australia.
By the age of 15, he had become the second-highest-paid child entertainer behind Jackie Coogan during the 1930s.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his passing in 1987, Buddy Rich's net worth was estimated to be in the range of $1 million. Due to his stellar career as a drummer and bandleader, including multiple successful albums and performances, he earned a significant income throughout his lifetime. Although specific yearly earnings during his career are hard to pinpoint, it's clear that Buddy was a well-compensated artist in the jazz industry.
In March 1968 he was convicted of failing to report $50,000 of income in 1961 and was given five years' probation, fined $2,500 and ordered to pay the IRS $40,000. In July 1969, the IRS placed a tax lien on him for $141,606 for back taxes. Rich filed for bankruptcy the next month, and the IRS seized his home in Las Vegas.
Career, Business and Investments
Buddy's career spanned several decades, and he is recognized as one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time. He started performing as a child and gained prominence in the 1930s and 1940s. Thereafter, he established his big band that became renowned for its energy and musicianship.
Additionally, he performed with many jazz legends, including Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, and Duke Ellington. Beyond music, Buddy was also known for his television appearances, particularly on shows like "The Tonight Show," which helped broaden his reach to mainstream audiences.
His jazz career began in 1937 with clarinetist Joe Marsala. He became a member of the big bands led by Bunny Berigan and Artie Shaw. Rich considered himself a featured performer and disliked bandleaders. He claimed that the musicians "hardly look at the bandleader", and that the drummer is the real "quarterback" of the band.
For Shaw's part, he felt that Rich did not follow direction and finally asked the drummer, "Who are you playing for?
Me, yourself, who?" Rich admitted that he played for himself and his audience, whereupon Shaw suggested that Rich should accept the offer he had received from Tommy Dorsey: "I think you'd be happier there." Rich took Shaw's advice as a dismissal.
Social Network
Buddy Rich remains a revered figure in the music community, and his legacy continues on social media platforms where fans and musicians celebrate his influence. You can find tributes, drumming tutorials inspired by his techniques, and archival footage shared across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. His daughter, Cathy Rich, often shares insights into her father’s legacy and promotes his music on various social media channels.
He discovered his affinity for jazz music at a young age and began drumming at the age of two. He began playing jazz in 1937, working with acts such as Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw, 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.
Education
Buddy Rich's education was largely informal; he displayed natural talent from an early age and did not attend a formal music school. Instead, he learned through experience, working with various bands and absorbing the jazz culture around him. This on-the-job learning allowed him to refine his craft and develop a unique style that would later inspire countless drummers.
In 1942, Rich and Henry Adler wrote Buddy Rich's Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments, which is regarded as one of the more popular snare drum rudiment books. Adler met Rich through a former student. Adler said, "The kid told me he played better than Krupa. Buddy was only in his teens at the time and his friend was my first pupil.
Buddy played and I watched his hands. Well, he knocked me right out. He did everything I wanted to do, and he did it with such ease. When I met his folks, I asked them who his teacher was. 'He never studied', they told me. That made me feel very good. I realized that it was something physical, not only mental, that you had to have."
Conclusion
Even in 2025, Buddy Rich’s influence on drumming and jazz music remains significant. Through his remarkable career and enduring legacy, he continues to inspire new generations of musicians. Whether you’re a budding drummer or a lifelong jazz aficionado, exploring Buddy Rich’s life and music is an essential part of understanding the fabric of jazz history.
