I was very happy to discover the tribute page on Henry Riggs !

I knew henry as a boy growing up in Chicago as he was a good friend of my dads(Dom geraci).

They were in Tony Pastors band together from 1947-1949

I still have the old 78 record Dance Parade with them on it

I remember my dad telling me the story of Tony hiring the clooney sisters,Henry and my dad,i remember Rosie Clooney coming to visit my dad in the seventies at our house in Edgebrook in the north side of chicago !

I remember Henry and Brad Morey being my dads drummers of choice on many many Chicago area gigs growing up

Henry was always kind and encouraging to me and new how much i loved to play drums.

whenever i would see him on my dads gigs he would always

let me sit on the band stand right next to his hi-hat and i'd get on the gig training,quietly twhispering tips to me,pointing at things he was doing,telling me how to play for the song and how to drive a big band !

Henry deeply and profoundly influenced my life in a good way and didnt even know it,he probably thought he was just being nice to the band leaders son who he knew was a drummer too.

I learned more from watching and listening to henry play than all of the years

i studied and took lessons

Henry always had time to talk drums and answer every question i had

One of the biggest thrills was when henry and my dad were on a big band gig

for bill porter and i got to sit in on Henries kit for a couple of songs sand several of the guys looked back afterward and said they thought it was still henry on the drums,and henry said i should take it as a compliment and that he could tell id been learning from him .

it was henry that first taught me the heel and toe method on the hi- hat and i remember my time vastly improving after applying it

Henry always had great sincere advice.

Henry is one of the truly great american drummers of all time

sincerely Carl G.