Johnny Carson - drummer?

aydee

Platinum Member
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A lot us older guys know that Johnny was not only a drum enthusiast, what with all those great episodes with Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson on the Tonight Show, but was also a very good drummer himself.
Does anyone know if there is a clip of him actually playing the drums? I remember seeing one years ago, but utube throws up nada.

( This, btw is about a bet with a friend, I need too win. )

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From Wikipedia...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Carson


"Also an amateur drummer, Carson was shown on a segment of 60 Minutes practicing at home on a drum set given to him by close friend Buddy Rich, who was the jazz musician with the most appearances on The Tonight Show. Writer Gore Vidal, another frequent Tonight Show guest and friend, writes about Carson's personality in his 2006 memoirs."
 
Speaking of musical talk show hosts... Anyone see Conan rocking out w/ Jack White last night on the debut? Not bad. Sweet Les Paul too.
 
Never knew that about Johnny Carson. Intersting to read.

Conan jammed with Ted Nugent one episode. Really funny stuff.
 
Buddy plays a fairly deep bass drum in this vid. It looks like 18" deep! didn't think they made that depth at that time....

That video is stretched horizontally a fair bit. That kicker looks like a 16" deep one, which was still pretty unusual at the time.

Buddy did mix up gear a bit. Here is a clip of him with two rack toms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--kNlCXa8GM

I also remember him playing a whole solo with matched grip, despite his previous exclamations that matched grip players were hacks. I can't find the video on utube so perhaps my memory is jaxed up. LOL.

For the OP, go to about 2:10 and you will see Johnny play some quick figures with some big pencils. It is pretty obvious that Carson had put some time into playing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks9vytLW7UE
 
That video is stretched horizontally a fair bit. That kicker looks like a 16" deep one, which was still pretty unusual at the time.


That looks freaky deeky. You're right.
 
yep, his playing was a cool little secret back then...
 
Surprising to see those ducos, I'll bet Johnny's own kit was a bit more upscale. Surprising too, to me, that ducos are the more expensive in that Luddy line, as they once were the low end kit.
 
photo_18.jpg
 
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