Ed Shaughnessy was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on January 29, 1929 as Edwin Thomas Shaughnessy. He took piano lessons for two years without much enthusiasm, then switched his focus at age 14 when his father gave him a rudimentary drum kit. Ed recalls in his autobiography, 'Lucky Drummer', published in 2012:

"My dad brought me home those drums, and my attention could not stay on the piano. As soon as the drums came into the house, I got fired up."

He practiced fervently, participated in Manhattan jam sessions as a teenager and was a full-time professional by the time he graduated from high school.

Ed had performed and/or recorded as a sideman with Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Billie Holiday and numerous others. He replaced Buddy Rich in Tommy Dorsey's band.

So Ed was a well-traveled and highly regarded jazz drummer when he was offered the Tonight job in 1963, shortly after Johnny Carson had taken over as the show's host.

He had also worked for four years as a staff musician at CBS Television, and, remembering the tedium of that studio job, he was not sure he wanted another.

However, Ed took the job and stayed for 27 years, until Jay Leno became the host in 1992 and brought in his own band. Being the house drummer for the Tonight Show meant being flexible enough to support all manner of performers — from rock stars to opera singers.

Among Ed Shaughnessy's fondest memories of his years as drummer in Doc Severinsen's band on the Tonight Show were accompanying Jimi Hendrix in 1969 and engaging in a high-energy drum battle with Buddy Rich in 1978.

Ed's first and only recording as a leader, the quintet album 'Jazz in the Pocket', was released in 1990.

In addition to his son Dan, Ed Shaughnessy is survived by three grandchildren. His wife of 47 years, Ilene Woods, died in 2010.