In Memoriam

Elden C. "Buster" Bailey
by James A. Strain

PAS Hall of Fame member Elden C. 'Buster'Bailey, born April 22, 1922, passed away in Sarasota, Florida on April 13, 2004, after a long illness. Bailey, a member of the percussion section of the New York Philharmonic for 42 years (1949-91), was considered by his colleagues to be the best all-around symphonic percussionist, par none. Noted for his exceptional snare drumming, his performances influenced countless players via recordings and live performances.

At Bailey's 1996 induction into the PAS Hall of Fame, Christopher Lamb, current Principal Percussionist of the New York Philharmonic, remarked, 'When I was learning the repertoire, I studied every recording that Buster did in order to learn how he interpreted each phrase. There is always such a musical shape and subtlety to his performance.'Morris 'Arnie'Lang, a long-time member of the section with Bailey, also stated, 'Buster is without a doubt the best all-around symphonic player. People know his snare drumming but are not aware of his great mallet playing and artistry on the small percussion instruments. Playing alongside him was a joy because of his impeccable time sense and just plain enjoyment of music.'

Bailey's first teacher, at the age of nine, was Howard N. Shaw, who had studied with Harry A. Bower. Bailey first appeared as a xylophone soloist at church at the age of 12, and performed over 100 times as a teenager, mostly as a xylophone soloist, before graduating from high school. He then attended the New England Conservatory of Music from 1941-42, where he studied with Larry White, and after serving in the 154th Army Ground Forces Band during World War II, he attended the Juilliard School as a student of Saul Goodman and Morris Goldenberg.

After freelance work in the New York area, Bailey successfully auditioned for Leopold Stokowski and was invited to join the New York Philharmonic in 1949. Upon Morris Goldenberg's retirement from the faculty at Juilliard, Bailey succeeded him in the position, thus influencing hundreds of students during his tenure there.

Bailey was an active member and supporter of PAS, as is his widow and fellow percussionist Barbara Bailey. Reflecting on his life and career, Barbara Bailey stated: 'He always referred to two things that were very special to him. First, that he was honored to be a member of the New York Philharmonic and especially the percussion section. Secondly, he was so very honored to be included in the PAS Hall of Fame with so many of his idols!'Those who knew him will sincerely miss Buster’s jovial persona, but thankfully his musical legacy will live on through his many students and voluminous recorded performances.

Buster Bailey's PAS Hall of Fame bio