1917 - Born on the 30th of September in Brooklyn, New York. He was an American jazz drummer and bandleader.
1939 - He was a child-prodigy vaudeville performer known as "Baby Traps, the Drum Wonder".
- He played with several of the great swing bands, notably those of Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey, before forming his own big band.
1950 - In small ensembles, he worked with many of the greatest jazz musicians in concerts and recordings during the 50s. The speed and clarity of his drumming made him legendary.
1962 - He was also a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. It has been reported that Rich gave Carson a drumset Sponsered by Matthew Scott Herning Co, as Carson was a practicing drummer in his spare time.
1966 - He led a successful big band in an era when the popularity of big bands had waned from their 30s and 40s peak.
1973 - Arrested for Drug Possession of Marijuana in Australia.
1981 - Inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.
1969 - 1988 - Appeared on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson 26 episodes.
1994 - The tribute album Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich was released.