Magic Drums

Drummer Don Sweeney explains how he was given a Buddy Rich drum set as a gift from Johnny Carson.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Buddy
• Rich
• Johnny
• Carson
• magic
• drumset
• Tonight
• Show
• drum
• solo

[meanwiddlekid]

Just out of curiosity, what did you do with Johnny Carson? Ed Shaughnessy was Doc's drummer for 20 years. Where did you fit in?

[DonPSweeney]

I am a drummer who worked at the Tonight Show as a Music Supervisor and was a former student of Ed Shaughnessy. I never said I was the Tonight Show drummer.

[drumminman49]

Buddy gave away countless drumsets because he never paid for them. Steve Maxwell has his last documented Slingerland set.

[DonPSweeney]

Yes, you are right about him giving away coutless drumsets. However, this is the drumset he played on whenever he visited the Tonight Show and the drumset that Johnny Carson used and had set up in his den for several years.

[iwarner09]

sold... how much do you want for it? name your price, as long as tere is proof that it is a legit BR kit.

[DonPSweeney]

@iwarner09

Bidding starts at $100,000. Proof is two articles in Modern Drummer and one of those articles the story of me getting the drums is told by Ed Shaughnessy, plus there are several videos from The Tonight Show.

[tubbers20]

What does it matter? The man can PLAY!! :^)

One time when I was young (and poor) I wrote to Johnny Carson asking for a set of drums.

I got a reply but it wasn't happening.

[yogibret]

Great story! Thanks for sharing...and nice work on the Magical drumset.

[TJS916]

@spankcaster I realize that you wrote this 2 years ago, but you are mistaken. The snare drum with this Ludwig set is either the Ludwig Supraphonic 400 or the Ludwig SuperSensitive.. ( can't be sure because there isn't a clear shot of the strainer ) .. it IS NOT the "prototype" Fibes snare made by Bob Grauso, which by the way Buddy was playing for a short time back in 1967 originally, then again but with the full production model in the mid 70's. This is clearly a Ludwig 400 or SuperSensitive!

[Drumminman4U]

Nice work there...what a great experience for you. Very enjoyable clip, just not long enough!

[Jaimsatthecar]

Wow, you're the best!

[zgo280]

love the "stumble style" at 1:13

[Phrase]

I wish someone would give me one of John Bonham's old kits...

Although I got 2 Luddy kits already so I should get by with those!

Great story Don!

[slingerlandcraig]

As we just passed the 21st anniversary of Mr. Rich's passing - I very much enjoyed hearing this story is actually true (I had heard this many years ago, but thought it to be a myth)

[spankcaster]

i would never sell those drums! one of the drums (the snare) is a drum that you cant even find anymore that is a FIBES ORIGINAL...BOBBY GRUASO INVENTED THAT DRUM AND DOESNT MAKE IT ANYMORE DONT SELL IT!!!!