Rated by Rolling Stone at number seven in their list of the 100 greatest
drummers of all time, Gene Krupa is seen as a pioneer and set the course for
what is now seen as modern rock drumming.
Born in Chicago in 1909, Krupa began playing drums professionally in the
mid-1920s and joined his first band - Thelma Terry and Her Playboys - in 1927.
He followed this by performing with Benny Goodman's orchestra and became an
intrinsic part of the group, leading to the pair having a conflict after a show
at Carnegie Hall in 1938. He formed his own orchestra with a range of players
inc...