From that time forward, most of his career was spent with Big Bands. He worked for Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey and Harry James briefly and then later led a succession of bands of his own. He was famous, he won more awards than any other drummer, his work was going well, but he wasn't making any real money. The chances are, that is the story of his musical life. He died of cardiac arrest, stemming from cancer, on the second of April in his 70th year, said to be the greatest jazz drummer of all time.
Many people think the drum is the most obvious of instruments.
In truth it is almost that simple. The beat has to be steady, of course, but with all of the great drummers, the beat has a kind of driving urgency which goes beyond the merely steady and seems to lift the band and push it forward. All the great drummers have it and you spot it in an instant if its there, and miss it immediately if it is not. In the old days, Cozy Cole and Jonah Jones had it. When Rich picked up his sticks, it made a difference.