How did I get that gig? Oh yeah. I wanted to study with a guy named Buddy Baker, a composition teacher who was a great arranger for Disney Studios. He made an album with Herb Jeffries, and I liked the way he wrote for strings. Since Benny Goodman was retiring, I said, "I want to go out and study with Buddy Baker. " Buddy Baker knew Tommy Dorsey very well, and also the baritone saxophone player was good friends with Buddy Baker. He was the baritone saxophone player with Tommy Dorsey's band. So word got around. Buddy Rich had left the band. He went into the Marines. They heard about me, so I got the call to come in and audition for Benny Goodman [sic: Tommy Dorsey]. At that time, Ted FioRito was the only guy that let me use the two-bass-drum idea. Benny Goodman wouldn't let me use it. He said, "I don't want to pay for two guys. One bass drum is enough. " So I did. I did. But Tommy Dorsey loved the two-bass-drum idea. He saw me set up my drums. He was awed by that. Two bass drums, 20 xinches] long - tubular; 26 x 18 middle tom-tom; and also 9 x 13, 7 x 11 on each side;x 16 floor tom; 18 x 16 floor tom. When I set up that drum - when I finished setting it up  is it all right to use a cuss word? - Tommy Dorsey looked at me and he said, "All you need is a brush up your ass for a [? ] and you've got a [?]. " That's his exact words.