Buddy Rich

The virtuoso jazz drummer whose speed, power, and showmanship made him a legend, influencing everyone from rock to fusion drummers.

Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and one of the most influential drummers in history. A child prodigy who performed on Broadway at age 4, Rich never took a formal lesson yet developed unmatched technical proficiency. His speed, precision, and explosive power set standards still aspired to today. Gene Krupa called him "the greatest drummer ever to have drawn breath." His influence extends from jazz to rock, touching drummers like John Bonham and Phil Collins.