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Tony Scodwell Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1966
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 8:07 am Post subject: Funny Buddy Rich story |
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Eddie Shaughnessy relayed a story to me while sitting on the band bus.
Eddie received a letter in the mail addressed to "The World's Greatest Drummer". Now Eddie was a fabulous drummer but he knew the letter should've been delivered to Louie Bellson. He drove over to Louie's house and Louie said he was flattered but surely this letter was intended for Buddy Rich. They both drove over to Buddy's house and handed the letter to Buddy who immediately ripped it open seeing "Dear Ringo".
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
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krell1960 Veteran Member
Joined: 20 Jan 2020 Posts: 149
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 8:12 am Post subject: |
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that's hilarious !!! |
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cbtj51 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Nov 2015 Posts: 737 Location: SE US
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:27 am Post subject: |
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Good one! _________________ '71 LA Benge 5X Bb
'72 LA Benge D/Eb
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‘92 Bach 37 Bb
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Reeves 41 Rimmed Mouthpieces |
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elbobogrande Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2002 Posts: 1222 Location: Tucson, AZ
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:37 am Post subject: |
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Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles. |
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mm55 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1414
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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Louie Bellson is the only drummer I ever heard Buddy Rich compliment in public, He interrupted Johnny Carson to say that Louie was one of the all-time greats. (Louie was subbing for Ed Shaughnessy that night.) _________________ '75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg
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Jeff_Purtle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Mar 2003 Posts: 939 Location: Greenville, South Carolina
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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I remember being in college at CSUN and some guys got the cassette of Buddy Rich firing the guy and leaving him in the desert. Pretty crazy stuff. LouieBellson played with the CSUN band and was a kind normal guy. I remember him teaching this child prodigy guy named Jacob Armen. I loved Louie Bellson and it was his two books on sight reading that helped get my counting in shape. My percussionist friends used it and I figured it could help me. Modern Drumming in 4/4. Great stuff.
Jeff _________________ Jeff Purtle
Trumpet Lessons Online since 2004, teaching since 1983
MultiTouch book on Claude Gordon
+1 864-354-3223 iPhone w/ FaceTime
Skype: jeff_purtle |
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jhatpro Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10209 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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The Buddy story I remember is the one about the trumpet player who called Buddy’s house only to be told by his widow that he had passed away.
The guy called the next week and got the same answer.
The third time Buddy’s widow loses it and yells: “I told you Buddy is dead! Why do you keep calling?”
The trumpet player says, “Because I just love to hear you say it.” _________________ Jim Hatfield
"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus
2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
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2002 Getzen bugle |
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rothman Veteran Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Posts: 330
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dershem Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 1893 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:10 am Post subject: |
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The first time I heard that joke it was stretched out over 2 or 3 minutes, going from drummer to drummer, (each of whom said "i'm not that great - I'll send it to X" until it got to Buddy, who immediately opened it). The classics always work! _________________ BKA! Mic Gillette was my mentor and friend.
Marcinkiewicz Mic G. trumpet, Custom Marcinkiewicz mpc. (Among others)
Marcinkiewicz Rembrandt flugel, Benge 8Z cornet, King 2B, Bach 36, Benge 190, Getzen 3062... many more. All Marc. mouthpieces. |
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Miketpt Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 563 Location: Seattle, Washington USA
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Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:19 am Post subject: |
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Buddy Rich came to my high school in the late 80’s. The person running the spotlight kept raising it too high. Buddy wanted it lower on his hands and repeatedly pointed down for him to lower it. After several tries, Buddy gave up and stuck up his middle finger to a gasping audience of high school kids and their parents.
😳🤣
Mike |
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mm55 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1414
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Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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Jeff_Purtle wrote: | ... the cassette of Buddy Rich firing the guy and leaving him in the desert. Pretty crazy stuff ... |
Buddy summarily "fired" many sideman. In one of the notorious cassette recordings, he "fired" trombonist Dave Panichi. But he did not leave him in the desert. Panichi was still in the band, and continued on with the tour.
Many of Buddy's "firings" were just bluster. The closest I ever got to Buddy was when I was in the piano-moving crew, and we were allowed to stand right at the side of the stage for the show. Peter Enblom (trombone) missed one note in the "West Side Story" medley, and without missing a beat, Buddy turned to him and said, "You're fired." I wasn't sure if Enblom even heard the comment, and there he was, playing trombone the next night.
The pianist who recorded some of the best-known "Buddy rants" on the bus assured me that everyone in the band knew that these outbursts rarely ever led to anyone leaving the band. Buddy was just blowing off steam, and trying to prove (mostly to himself, I think) that he was the "alpha dog." _________________ '75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg
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rothman Veteran Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Posts: 330
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bunny Veteran Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 230
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 6:47 am Post subject: |
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We are so fortunate to have Mr. Scodwell sharing on this site. Have learned a lot! He may have commented on Buddy's relationship with Harry James and I missed it but would love to hear his insights. |
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Tony Scodwell Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1966
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:43 am Post subject: Buddy and Harry |
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Harry payed Buddy $1500 a week in the early sixties. As I was "The Kid" and Buddy liked the way I played his games, he entrusted me to send his check to his father in Miami every week. I sold him my XKE Jaguar and told him as we were going to Harrah's Tahoe the next week, I'd go with him to Bank Of America and he could give me a cashier's check and I'd give him the title. Buddy was perturbed by this and I had to remind him of the many cars he had repo'ed and then all he could say to me was "I like you Kid". On a dance date in Iowa Buddy for some reason had a bug up his butt and played the entire four hours with his left foot resting on the high hat wing nut and just played with his right hand. Harry didn't say a word.
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
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Ed Kennedy Heavyweight Member
Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 3187
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Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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jhatpro wrote: | The Buddy story I remember is the one about the trumpet player who called Buddy’s house only to be told by his widow that he had passed away.
The guy called the next week and got the same answer.
The third time Buddy’s widow loses it and yells: “I told you Buddy is dead! Why do you keep calling?”
The trumpet player says, “Because I just love to hear you say it.” |
I heard this same joke but it was Fritz Reiner, not Buddy. |
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GeorgeB Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Apr 2016 Posts: 1063 Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 3:09 am Post subject: Re: Buddy and Harry |
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Tony Scodwell wrote: | Harry payed Buddy $1500 a week in the early sixties. As I was "The Kid" and Buddy liked the way I played his games, he entrusted me to send his check to his father in Miami every week. I sold him my XKE Jaguar and told him as we were going to Harrah's Tahoe the next week, I'd go with him to Bank Of America and he could give me a cashier's check and I'd give him the title. Buddy was perturbed by this and I had to remind him of the many cars he had repo'ed and then all he could say to me was "I like you Kid". On a dance date in Iowa Buddy for some reason had a bug up his butt and played the entire four hours with his left foot resting on the high hat wing nut and just played with his right hand. Harry didn't say a word.
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
Thanks, Tony. I love hearing about the great big band era. It was my era, and Harry James inspired me to pick up the trumpet. As for Buddy Rich, I appreciate his talent but if all the stories I've read about him are true, he was a jerk. _________________ GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet |
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JayKosta Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2018 Posts: 3366 Location: Endwell NY USA
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:21 am Post subject: Re: Buddy and Harry |
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GeorgeB wrote: | ... but if all the stories I've read about him are true, he was a jerk. |
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not the same, but -
ALL of us are 'characters' of some sort - it's just a matter of whether we recognize it or not! _________________ Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'. |
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GeorgeB Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Apr 2016 Posts: 1063 Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 7:27 am Post subject: Re: Buddy and Harry |
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JayKosta wrote: | GeorgeB wrote: | ... but if all the stories I've read about him are true, he was a jerk. |
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not the same, but -
ALL of us are 'characters' of some sort - it's just a matter of whether we recognize it or not! |
I agree , Jay, and accept that with most people, but my understanding is that Buddy was just plain mean when he was moody. _________________ GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet |
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Tony Scodwell Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1966
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:46 am Post subject: Buddy and Harry and Sonny Payne |
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I can attest to the statement that Buddy was a jerk. That said, he was capable of the opposite as well. He certainly was a unique individual and his skills were unmatched. That said once again, in conversations with my friend Snooky Young, I asked Snooky who his favorite drummer was. "Sonny Payne" was the immediate answer. Having been with Harry with both Buddy and Sonny I had to agree. There was one way to play something with Buddy...his way. Sonny was so much more relaxed in his approach, the lead player always felt support from him. Players who thought Sonny moved the time around sometimes never worked with him. It always felt right to me and Sonny was a wonderful person to hang out with. Snooky relayed the story about a gig in Atlantic City with Basie when Sonny was on the band. Sonny had a brand new Chrysler convertible and he and Snooky got to hanging out a bit after the gig. Sonny felt he made have consumed a bit too much and asked Snooky to drive his car back to the hotel while he kept hanging out. The next afternoon was a show and Snooky was driving the Chrysler to the gig when he got pulled over. The policeman said "this car was reported stolen" and arrested Snooky. After a few phone calls to the band's manager cleared things up, Snooky showed up to the gig quite late. He was walking towards the bandstand and Basie said, "I told you not to hang out with Sonny Payne". After the gig he and Sonny were leaving together and Basie said, "Snooky Young, you never learn".
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
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rothman Veteran Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Posts: 330
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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Buddy at one point recorded an entire album of vocal numbers. Not sure if any were hits.
From listening to both, Ringo seems the more proficient, or natural in this area..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anpjEN9KeJ0 |
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