Buddy Rich was a US jazz drummer & bandleader. He was billed as "the world's greatest drummer", as he was known for his virtuoso technique, power, speed & improvisation. He was born to Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York on September 30, 1917. It was his father who initially realized Buddy's talent for rhythm, when Buddy could keep a steady beat with spoons at the age of one. He began playing drums in vaudeville when he was 18 months old, billed as "Traps the Drum Wonder". At the peak of Rich's childhood career, he was the second-highest paid child entertainer in the world. At 11 he was performing as a bandleader. He received no formal drum instruction and, in fact, denounced all instruction, believing it would actually degrade his gift for music. He also never admitted engaging in practicing drums, stating that all the practice he needed he derived from his performances. Though he was considered among the most original and creative drummers with few peers, he has been quoted as expressing great admiration for and drawing influence from the playing of Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, and Jo Jones, among a few others. For most of the period from 1966 until his death, he led a successful big band in an era when the popularity of big bands had waned from its peak in the 1930s and 40s. His most popular performance was a big band arrangement of the Leonard Bernstein classic West Side Story. Buddy Rich died April 2, 1987 at the age of 69. Reportedly, prior to heart surgery, when asked by a nurse if he was allergic to anything he replied, "Yes ... country music!" Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.