'Tonight Show' Drummer Ed Shaughnessy Dies From Heart Attack
Celebrity

The drummer of a band for 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson' passed away at the age of 84 at his California home on Friday, May 24.

AceShowbiz - Ed Shaughnessy, a longtime drummer for "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson", died at the age of 84 on Friday morning, May 24. Robyn Flans, Shaughnessy's close friend, said that the drummer, who had been on the TV show for nearly 30 years, suffered a fatal heart attack at his home in Calabasas, California.

According to Flans, Shaughnessy's health kept getting worse over the past two weeks. The night before his death, Shaughnessy went to a hospital because he didn't feel good. Shaughnessy is survived by son Daniel Shaugnessy, daughter-in-law Nicah Shaugnessy and three grandchildren.

Shaughnessy was born on January 29, 1929, in Jersey City, New Jersey. He began learning drum at 14 after his father brought home a drum set. In the 1940s, he worked with Jack Teagarden, George Shearing and Charlie Ventura. In the 1950s, Shaughnessy worked in the Benny Goodman and %Tommy Dorsey bands.

He performed on some TV shows at CBS before joining Doc Severinsen's band in 1963. The band performed on Johnny Carson's "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson". Shaugnessy remained in the band until 1992.

Shaughnessy was married to Ilene Woods, the actress who voiced Cinderella in the 1950 film, "Cinderella". The couple tied the knot in 1963. In 2010, Shaughnessy lost his wife to Alzheimer's disease.

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