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Funny Buddy Rich story


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Tony Scodwell
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 8:07 am    Post subject: Funny Buddy Rich story Reply with quote

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".

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krell1960
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

that's hilarious !!!
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cbtj51
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good one!
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elbobogrande
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in the Beatles.
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mm55
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.)
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Jeff_Purtle
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.

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jhatpro
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.”
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rothman
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2021 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quincy Jones suggested he couldn't play a damn thing on the drums.

Sounds good here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVv7IzEVf3M&list=OLAK5uy_lj7SrLMlCLYsWHRdwAe4Qej8bRUQfppf0&index=13


Last edited by rothman on Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:21 pm; edited 1 time in total
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dershem
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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!
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Miketpt
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.

😳🤣

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mm55
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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."
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rothman
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Snare..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKJqecxswCA
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bunny
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 6:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:43 am    Post subject: Buddy and Harry Reply with quote

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.

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Ed Kennedy
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 3:09 am    Post subject: Re: Buddy and Harry Reply with quote

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.
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JayKosta
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:21 am    Post subject: Re: Buddy and Harry Reply with quote

GeorgeB wrote:
... but if all the stories I've read about him are true, he was a jerk.

-----------------------------
not the same, but -
ALL of us are 'characters' of some sort - it's just a matter of whether we recognize it or not!
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GeorgeB
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 7:27 am    Post subject: Re: Buddy and Harry Reply with quote

JayKosta wrote:
GeorgeB wrote:
... but if all the stories I've read about him are true, he was a jerk.

-----------------------------
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.
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Tony Scodwell
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:46 am    Post subject: Buddy and Harry and Sonny Payne Reply with quote

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".

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rothman
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 10:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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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