Carl H. Bunch (November 24, 1939 – March 26, 2011) was an American musician. Carl Bunch was born in Big Spring, Texas and began playing drums as a teenager while recovering 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. Holly invited Bunch,

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, and

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to be his backing band for the

Winter Dance Party On February 3, 1959, American rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson were all killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with pilot Roger Peterson. The event later became ...

tour in 1959. Holly's band also backed other acts on the tour, including

Ritchie Valens Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens was killed ...

and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper). When Bunch had to be left behind in the Ironwood Michigan hospital across the border from Wisconsin. He was hospitalized for frostbite he experienced after the tour bus heater failed, Holly and Valens took turns in the drum chair playing behind the various acts. On February 3, 1959, Holly, Valens and Richardson were killed in a plane crash en route to the next tour stop. Bunch rejoined the tour on February 5, in

Sioux City, Iowa Sioux City () is a city in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 85,797 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Iowa. The bulk of the city is in Woodbury County ...

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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

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and Roy Orbison. Carl Bunch eventually departed from 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 at age 71.

References

External links

Interview with Carl Bunch: Real Country Music

Interview with Carl Bunch: Music Dish

1939 births 2011 deaths American drummers People from Big Spring, Texas Deaths from diabetes {{US-drummer-stub