Carl Bunch
Encyclopedia
Carl Bunch was an American musician.
Carl Bunch was born in Big Spring, Texas and began playing drums as a teenager, in order to recover from extensive surgery on his right leg. By age seventeen, he was recording with Ronnie Smith and the Poor Boys, in Clovis, New Mexico. Buddy Holly
was also recording in Clovis at the same time and was impressed with the young drummer.
Bunch was invited to join Holly on the "Winter Dance Party" tour in 1959, along with Tommy Allsup
and Waylon Jennings
. The tour bus heater failed, and Bunch suffered from frostbite and was hospitalized. On February 3, 1959, Holly, Ritchie Valens
, and J.P. "The Big Bopper
" Richardson were killed in a plane crash. Bunch rejoined the tour on February 5, in Sioux City, Iowa. Ronnie Smith, Jimmy Clanton
and Fabian
were also recruited to help fill out the playbill. The tour ended on February 15, 1959, in Springfield, Illinois.
Bunch then enlisted in the United States Army, but eventually he was drawn back to music. After his discharge from the Army, he spent some time playing for the Bob Osburn band, before moving to Nashville
to play for Hank Williams, Jr.
and Roy Orbison
.
Carl Bunch eventually left the music industry and became a minister. He attended Buddy Holly-related events during the 2000s, signing autographs as "The Frostbitten Cricket". Carl died on March 26, 2011 from diabetes.
Carl Bunch was born in Big Spring, Texas and began playing drums as a teenager, in order to recover from extensive surgery on his right leg. By age seventeen, he was recording with Ronnie Smith and the Poor Boys, in Clovis, New Mexico. Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
was also recording in Clovis at the same time and was impressed with the young drummer.
Bunch was invited to join Holly on the "Winter Dance Party" tour in 1959, along with Tommy Allsup
Tommy Allsup
Tommy Allsup is an American musician.He worked with entertainers such as Buddy Holly and Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys...
and Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
. The tour bus heater failed, and Bunch suffered from frostbite and was hospitalized. On February 3, 1959, Holly, Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
, and J.P. "The Big Bopper
The Big Bopper
Jiles Perry "J. P." Richardson, Jr. also commonly known as The Big Bopper, was an American disc jockey, singer, and songwriter whose big voice and exuberant personality made him an early rock and roll star...
" Richardson were killed in a plane crash. Bunch rejoined the tour on February 5, in Sioux City, Iowa. Ronnie Smith, Jimmy Clanton
Jimmy Clanton
Jimmy Clanton is an American singer who became known as the "swamp pop R&B teenage idol". His band recorded a hit song "Just A Dream" which Clanton had written in 1958 for the Ace Records label. It reached number four on the Billboard chart and sold a million copies...
and Fabian
Fabian
-People:*Fabian Månsson, , Swedish socialist*Fabian , , 1950s American teen idol and singer*Fabian Bachrach, an American photographer*Fabian Cancellara, , Swiss professional road cyclist...
were also recruited to help fill out the playbill. The tour ended on February 15, 1959, in Springfield, Illinois.
Bunch then enlisted in the United States Army, but eventually he was drawn back to music. After his discharge from the Army, he spent some time playing for the Bob Osburn band, before moving to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
to play for Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
and Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
.
Carl Bunch eventually left the music industry and became a minister. He attended Buddy Holly-related events during the 2000s, signing autographs as "The Frostbitten Cricket". Carl died on March 26, 2011 from diabetes.