Gene Krupa Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was an American jazz drummer, band leader, actor, and composer known for his energetic style and showmanship. His drum solo on "Sing, Sing, Sing" (1937) elevated the role of the drummer as a frequently used solo voice in the band. He is also known for defining the standard drum kit used today in collaboration with brands Slingerland and Zildjian. Krupa is considered "the founding father of the modern drumset" by "Modern Drummer" magazine. The youngest of Anna (née Oslowski) and Bartłomiej Krupa's nine children, Gene Krupa was born
Gene Krupa the second from 1946 to her death in 1955. He remarried in 1959 to Patty Bowler and they were divorced within ten years. In 1943, Krupa was arrested for possession of two marijuana cigarettes. He was charged with local and federal charges (contributing to delinquency of a minor) and was given a 90-day jail sentence for the first and convicted of the second. He served 84 days of the local sentence (time served for a crime for which he was not guilty). He was exonerated/acquitted of all charges when it was proven that he was framed, as the prosecution's key