Some of us Rush fan’s will remember Freddie as the guy who taught the worlds best drummer a thing or two. While Mr. Peart would admonish such hyperbole it is , none-the-less a poignant statement for us mere mortals.

Freddie, you will be missed!

Sxo

Stephen McDonald
Whitby On
Canada

Sindor@rogers.com

Well said to Neil. My father had a saying, when you have a full funeral, and friends gathered to celebrate your time here, what more can be said than, “You did good.” RIP.

Freddie educated and touched, so many in his life, and in turn, those folks went on to touch others, perhaps in ways Freddie would have never imagined. He lead a long and colorful life indeed, and for that, a celebration of his gifts (music of course,as well as his gift for helping folks “get out of their own way”)is a wonderful way to have him live on.

For all those who were fortunate enough to learn from Freddie, become a part of his journey, my condolences for your loss, he made quite the impression on all those he met.

“Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.” Eskimo Proverb.

RIP Freddie Gruber, you will never be forgotten for you live on in all those you touched.

A wonderful tribute. I can say that Freddie’s teaching has elevated Neil’s playing style so much more, just when you thought that was not possible..

As s Rush fan of 30 years Neal Peart is one of my heroes,and argueably the greatest drummer in the world,so Mr Gruber was indeed a master to teach Neal a new direction in drumming and uplift his spirit to get him playing again,A true musical great will be sadly missed R.I.P

It seems that God reaches down and touches certain people.Michael Jordan,Wayne Gretzky,Tiger Woods,Neil Peart,Hussein Bolt…… Individuals that are just a bit better at their chosen pursuit than,well,everybody else.Mr Gruber was one the early recipients of that honor.There is no greater act than that of a teacher.It means you have the virtue of sharing in your heart.Well done,and well spoken,Mr. Peart.The world has lost one of it’s Masters.Now God does’nt have to reach too far to touch Freddie again. Rest Easy Sir .

A fitting tribute for a real musicians musician.

Somewhere there is a hell of a jam session going on with yet another great sitting in.

Thanks for keeping the beat Freddie.

What a wonderful tribute. Freddie, you wielded drumsticks like a painter with a brush. You showed so many people the art form of drumming and your legacy will surely live on. Neil, thank you for introducing a generation to Freddie. Rest in Peace Freddie…

Unfortunately, I did not know Freddie personally. I only knew him vicariously through all of those that did have the wonderful fortune of knowing him and passing along his poignant intellect and intuitively natural insight to life. I could only imagine how much he will be missed by so many that were close, when I miss him, only through remote association. Thank you Freddie for giving so much to so many. And thank you Neil Peart for stating so clearly, what an absolute legend this man was that walked among us for over 84 years. You will be missed Freddie.

Very nice tribute Neil.

Until I had read this very informative and moving tribute by Neil earlier this evening, I had known very little about Freddie Gruber. This is indeed both an education with regards to Freddie’s contributions to the world of drumming (particularly with regards to those students who would carry on some of the finer traditions of jazz stylings into their own individual playing), as well as a glimpse inside the soul of the man himself.

The professor of the Professor…..someone who need to be honored in every moment, someone who will be missed in every beat he left to us.

Freddie is now on the team Up in the Drummers Paradise.
RIP.

Thank your for sharing that wonderful story, Neil. Freddie had an interesting life! I’ve also met several smokers that were healthy into their 80s. I always made a point of asking about their diets. The link seemed to be that they avoided dairy products. Pick Cheese or Chesterfields, but not both. I am sorry for your loss and very glad that you had a chance to absorb some of Freddie’s spirit while he was here. Peace and Petunias, Val

When I first saw Freddie giving Neil lessons,I wondered how he would sound afterwards. As always,I was impressed, but Freddie seemed to touch Neil BEYOND the kit. Neil seemed to become even wiser as a person having known Freddie in a way that I,too,can appreciate,getting to “hang” with older musicians who happen to be teachers. The world needs more Freddie-like people. People who march to their own beat (pun intended) and who stress being an individual rather than just another cookie-cutter player.

He has passed the torch and we will make it burn brighter! Thank-you,Freddie!

A man who touched the world has left us, but that with which he touched us remains forever. Thanks, Freddie.

Sad to hear of the passing of Freddie Gruber. I got to know him through the writings of Neil Peart and growing up as an early drummer with the knowledge of him. I had the pleasure of speaking with him through an associate and looked forward to it each time. He has always had a special place in my life’s thinking. You will be greatly missed. Thanks for sharing this tribute to the legend. Rest in peace Freddie!

“Without ever trying to disrupt a particular drummer’s ‘character’, he helped each student discover, express and refine his own individual voice.” Those words perfectly describe what an art/music/drum teacher is all about. Freddie must have been a blessing in so many students’ lives. Wish I could have met him. All the best to his family and friends.

Thanks so much Neil for the eloquent words for Freddie. I know may Rush fans became instant Gruber
fans after your touching interview in Beyond the Lighted Stage! I lost my 87 year old mom five days after Freddie passed so will always remember both as the Octobers of the future come and go.

One could draw a parallel between Freddy’s teaching philosophy and our very life. A drum stick stroke has a beginning, followed by a short tenure which precedes an abrupt ending; the resultant percussive strike. A person’s life begins with birth, followed by a tenure which precedes inevitable death. This tenure is often depicted on a headstone or marker following a person’s passing as a dash between two dates. Regardless of the length of time between birth and death, it’s that dash that represents the actual life itself. Death will always be the end result, but it is up to the living individual to make that “dash” count for something, to fulfill its own meaning. Freddy applied this to drumming. He focused on the “non-note” portion, since this consumes the majority of a drummer’s time. The inevitable percussive strike can only be enhanced by a definitive, meaningful preceding stroke; that “dance”, as Freddy referred to it. Thank you, Freddy, for a profound lesson that applies to us all, drummers, and non-drummers. God Speed!

Lets all stop and think of the ones that have touched us in many ways. My heart is with all how stop to read and share, but especially Neil for giving this Memoriam. I can only imagine how difficult this time is for you. Thanks for the words and Please…Keep the sticks move’n. You are our, our kids, Freddy and Buddy.

It is sad to know,just as someone was introducing you to a person,through their writing,that the person you were getting to know,and yearning to know more of,was,sadly, leaving our world.My condolences go out to his friends,family and those of us who can only know him through his works and stories.The world is certainly poorer without this unusually special man.Godspeed ,Freddy. May your legacy live on through all whom you touched,taught and shared your wit and wisdom!

Well put Neil. The Jazz legends that leave us, leave us with a wealth of knowledge, the paraddidles, rudiments, triplets and that amazing orbital motion.
Freddies up there with Buddy working on new stuff,,,,,can’t wait to hear it!

The unparalleled musician and drummer accomplishments by Mr.Freddy Gruber certainly have transcended a tremendous legacy through a litany of other great musicians that truly become “Professors on the drum kit”. None other than Mr. Neil Peart “who got out of his own way” because of Mr. Gruber’s tutelage. Mr. Peart improved exponentially and so did many other great drummer maestros who had the privilege of honing their talents because of Freddy Gruber. Music is better place because of him. His influence and invention caused the once mediocre “beat keeper” hidden behind the band to evolve into a symphonic force that audibly moved to the forefront of the melodies that we hear today. “The beat” he created is now a necessary part in the harmonic sounds familiar to any who listens to music. He was a great pioneer who discovered that simple sounds of wooden sticks thumping on drum heads and brass plates can become complex innuendos of musical vitality that enlighten the heart and soul of an audience. His music will live on in all those who remember him and anyone who creates musical beats on account of his discoveries. “Life is what it is”, but without Freddy drumming and music “would have been what it was”. Freddy you will be missed, but not forgotten. Thank you for all that you did for music and you along with all the other great musician and composers long since past have made our world a little better place.

Very touching. Thanks, Neil, for such a deeply thought out piece on the life and times of Freddie Gruber. He will be missed. Rest in piece, Freddie. You’ve earned it.

Thank You Neil for sharing thoughts of your friend Freddy. What a special person he is. My drumming changed drastically for the better after I started thinking of it as “a dance”. He always had a way of explaining what was going on in a drummers mind when the drummer couldn’t explain it himself. He was light years ahead of his time. “There are no straight lines in nature” is my favorite quote of his.