Gene Krupa

Biography

Gene Krupa (1909–1973) was an American jazz drummer from Chicago who became the music's first drum star with *Benny Goodman* on 'Sing, Sing, Sing'. From 1938 he led his own successful orchestra, helped standardise the modern drum kit, and wrote the era's standard drum method. His energetic, flamboyant playing shaped every jazz and rock drummer who followed. He died in Yonkers in 1973.