Also the young drummer from this story is sort of a weird figure. Who knows who really said what. But it is a fact that he returned home with Rogers drums.
I'd like to comment on some of this if I may... especially so the Buddy Rich connection being discussed here. That will ALWAYS flush me out of the shrubs!
Buddy Rich rarely if ever, gave lessons of any kind to anyone... and that statement is a fact. Now, I am NOT saying that the young man in the story by Gilnar didn't speak with Buddy, or even hang out with him for a bit, or even have Buddy show him a couple things.. ( more on THAT in a moment ) .. as I wasn't there... but lessons? Most probably not. The reason? Buddy didn't know HOW he did any of what he did! He just did it! This was one of the main reasons that he shied away from doing clinics, etc. He really didn't know how to demonstrate/show what he did. I have done tons of research on BR over the decades, and what I am saying here came straight from Louie Bellson and Joe Morello. Both friends of Buddy's, with LB being more so as they BOTH played with Norman Granz's JATP. Regarding Buddy's endorsement of drum companies and/or making recommendations on what drums to play:
Again... most probably didn't happen. However!, Buddy WAS extremely happy with Rogers drums and specifically Joe Thompson while he was with the company. I can believe that he might have told this young man to get Rogers drums in a moment of weakness or melancholy, as he DID in fact really like Rogers drums... 'till CBS took over that is, and we all know the result of that! Otherwise, Buddy played a particular drum companies drums because they PAID him to do so. Period. He really didn't care otherwise. Interestingly, the first company that came up with some bucks for him to play their brand was... Trixon/Vox! I believe the fee at the time was $25K, which was BIG BUCKS in 1967. Heck, I'd take that now!
Tommyp