Slingerland Bass Drum, used by Buddy Rich: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This drum was made by Slingerland in Chicago, Illinois, around 1938-1940. It is a Bass Drum, Radio King Series, with a wood ply shell covered with a White Marine Pearl finish, black painted hoops, and 20 tympani handle separate tension rods with double grip hooks. There are 2 medallions on the shell:

This drum is from a drumset used by Buddy Rich in 1983-1987. The drumset was put together, restored, and given to Buddy Rich in 1983 by Mr. Joseph MacSweeney, owner of the Eames Drumshell Company of Saugus, Massachusetts.

Bernard "Buddy" Rich (1917-1987) began his professional career as a drummer, tap dancer, and singer with his parents' vaudeville act before the age of two. By the time he was six, "Traps, the Boy Wonder," had performed on Broadway and toured the United States and Australia.

With the demise of the vaudeville circuit and the popularity of the swing era, Buddy became an orchestra musician. His talents as a drummer landed him a job offer with Joe Marsala's band at the Hickory House in New York City in 1937. This led to a long line of high-profile performances with Bunny Berrigan, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, and Benny Carter. Buddy's playing style was characterized by phenomenal speed, four-way independence, and an uncanny way of driving a big band.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date made: 1938-1940
• user: Rich, Bernard "Buddy"
• maker: Slingerland Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company
• Object Name: drum
• Physical Description: wood (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 18 in x 28 in; 45.72 cm x 71.12 cm
• Measurements: drum: 18 in x 28 in; 45.72 cm x 71.12 cm
• Measurements: drum head: 3/4 in x 26 3/4 in; 1.905 cm x 67.945 cm
• Measurements: backing: 11/16 in x 26 3/4 in; 1.74625 cm x 67.945 cm
• place made: United States: Illinois, Chicago
• ID Number: 1988.0665.03
• catalog number: 1988.0665.03
• accession number: 1988.0665
• Credit Line: Gift of Cathy and Marie Rich
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.