A few years ago, I wrote a story for Modern Drummer, but it never has been published. It was about 1993 and I was allowed inside the Smithsonian Institution to see, hold and inspect the Radio King set that Buddy Rich used the last three years of his life.

The museum's officials told me that they had nine times the items in storage that they had out on display. There's that little display area over all. They weren't sure if Buddy's set would ever be on view.

I was driven to a high tech facility out in the middle of somewhere and checked in by the guards. I had to leave my driver's license at the door for security. A guide led me to a large metal door, tapped out numbers on an alarm system and invited me to enter the climate controlled room. In the room were a number of cabinets.

Out of two or three of them came "the Master's" Radio Kings. They were scuffed and scratched. Plastic was missing on the 9 x 13 where it rubbed against the snare. The snare drum had a bungee cord on it, I guess to hold the strainer on.

Officials let me dehead every drum and inspect all of them. I could see wonderful internal patchwork and varnishing done by Joe MacSweeney as he restored mismatched Slingerlands for Buddy.

He had burned "Buddy Rich model" into the shell of the snare drum. It was obviously a labor of love.

Buddy used a Leedy hoop mount clamp to hold the ride tom and had a pair of vice grip pliers to clamp on to the clamp. I saw an old terry cloth robe in the trap case and the garish orange top canister throne made for Mr. Rich.

My contact at the Smithsonian wasn't sure if the drums would be cleaned or restored. Their position was to leave them as they got them.

I have just heard that the drums are now out for the public to see. So, just like Dorothy's Ruby Slippers, and the Spirit of St. Louis, Buddy Rich's drums are there for the world to see. These are the things that dreams are made of.

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