Edwin Thomas “Ed” Shaughnessy ( Jersey City , January 29, 1929 – Calabasas , May 24, 2013 ) was an American drummer . Although he is best known for his collaborations with Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Band, Ed has worked intensively (during his almost seventy-year career) with many artists, including: George Shearing , Jack Teagarden , Charlie Ventura (in the 40s ) and the bands of Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey (in the 1950s). In the 1960s he worked with Count Basie instead before joining the Tonight Show Band. He also took part in a drum competition with Buddy Rich .

Despite being best known as a Big Band drummer, Shaughnessy also played in small groups with Gene Ammons , Roy Eldridge , Billie Holiday , Mundell Lowe , Teo Macero , Charles Mingus , Shirley Scott , Jack Sheldon , Horace Silver and many others.