( CNN ) -- Ed Shaughnessy , the longtime drummer for `` The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson , '' has died , a close friend said Sunday . He was 84 . Robyn Flans , a close friend of 30 years and the co-writer of his memoir , `` Lucky Drummer , '' said the iconic musician suffered a fatal heart attack at his home in Calabasas , California , Friday morning . During Shaughnessy 's 30 years with Carson , he became known for his drum battles with frequent guest Buddy Rich . Those battles can still be seen in clips on YouTube . He also played with such jazz greats as Tommy Dorsey , Duke Ellington , Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett and showed his versatility by accompanying sitar master Ravi Shankar . On `` The Tonight Show , '' Shaughnessy even played with Jimi Hendrix . `` Every drummer has his story to tell of how kind and generous of spirit he was , '' Flans said . `` He influenced so many people . He was the guy . He was on television every night reaching all those people . You always saw the smile behind the kit . That was my Eddie . '' Flans said Shaughnessy 's health had been deteriorating over the past two weeks . They had gone to the hospital the night before he died because he was n't feeling well . She said his fatal heart attack `` took everyone by surprise . '' His late wife , Ilene , was the voice of Disney 's `` Cinderella . '' Shaughnessy is survived by his son , Dan . People we lost in 2013 : The lives they lived .
Ed Shaughnessy played piano for ` ` The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson '' for many years . He had worked with Buddy Rich , played with Duke Ellington , Ella Fitzgerald . ` ` You always saw the smile behind the eyes , '' a close friend says .