Life and career
Harold David Box was born to Virginia and Harold Box on August 11, 1943 in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Box's family moved to Lubbock, Texas in 1946. Box was greatly influenced by his father, a self-taught Western Swing fiddle musician and started singing at the age of three, making public appearances at this time. His father taught him to play guitar at the age of nine. His style was later influenced by recordings of Buddy Holly. In 1958, Box formed his own band, The Ravens, with Box on vocals and Fender Stratocaster guitar, and classmates Lynn Bailey on bass, and Ernie Hall on drums. The band cut their first demos at Mitchell Studio in Lubbock. As a close neighbor of Jerry Allison's parents, Ernie Hall reported that The Crickets needed a replacement for guitarist and vocalist Sonny Curtis, who had been drafted into the Army. The Ravens sent in their demos and auditioned, eventually winning the role; Box and Hall went to Los Angeles to cut the Crickets' next single. Box and Hall's composition, "Don't Cha Know" was used as the A-side, while a Buddy Holly composition, "Peggy Sue Got Married" was used as the B-side. Box played guitar and sang, Joe B. Mauldin played bass, Ernie Hall played drums on "Don't Cha Know", while Jerry Allison played drums on "Peggy Sue Got Married" and acoustic guitar on "Peggy Sue Got Married". This was the final single by the Crickets on Coral Records. For the following three weeks, Box supported the Crickets on tour before returning home to complete schooling. Box continued his music as a solo artist primarily at Ben Hall / Hi-Fidelity Studio located in Big Spring, Texas with specific performances on East Coast tour, and played guitar for Dusty Springfield first USA recording at RCA. Box was also included in the all-star August 1964 radio KILT Back-to-School Show at the Sam Houston Coliseum Houston, Texas. David Box and fellow Texan artist, B.J.Thomas, were both label-mates signed to the independent Joed label. October 23, 1964, David Box was a passenger in the small Cessna 172 Skyhawk piloted by Bill Daniel including passengers Carl Banks and Buddy Groves of The Kings Band Houston, Texas. The other band members, Glen Spreen and Bill Tillman, were invited earlier on this flight, however, both declined; David Box, who was a visiting musician guest, accepted the invitation. Their plane crashed, killing him. The plane's pilot did not possess a federal license. Many accounts exist about that day as pilot error is the final contributing factor.Honors
David Box is buried in Restlawn Memorial Park in Sulphur Springs. His gravestone reads: "I'll Sing Throughout Eternity." Box was inducted posthumously to the West Texas Music Hall of Fame and the Buddy Holly Walk of Fame ( West Texas Walk of Fame) in Lubbock in September 2006."Out of The Box"
"Out of the Box: The 50th Anniversary Tribute To David Box Songs" was commissioned and released on CD in October 2014 by Box's younger sister, Rita Box Peek. The album is a contemporary instrumental reworking of David Box songs, performed by Lubbock musician Brian McRae. McRae played David Box's original Stratocaster guitar (in duo and solo settings) on the album. Rita, known as the guardian of David Box's legacy, co-produced along with Brian McRae "to extend David Box music within a new format for the 21st Century and beyond." The album was released in conjunction with a David Box tribute she organized and presented at theDiscography
Singles
Albums
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Box, David 1943 births 1964 deaths People from Sulphur Springs, Texas Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1964 Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Musicians killed in aviation accidents or incidents