Carl Bunch
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Carl Bunch (born November 24, 1939 in Big Springs, Texas) is an American musician.
Carl Bunch 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, TX. Buddy Holly was also recording in Clovis at the same time and was impressed with the young drummer.
Bunch was invited to join the Winter Party Dance Tour in 1959, along with Tommy Allsup and Waylon Jennings. Due to the failure of the tour bus heater, Bunch suffered from frostbite and was hospitalized three days before the crash. He rejoined the tour on Feb 5th, In Sioux City, IA. Ronnie Smith, Jimmy Clanton and Fabian were also recruited to help fill out the playbill and Waylon Jennings sang lead for the deceased Buddy Holly. The tour completed on Feb 15th, 1959 in Springfield, IL.
Following the end of the Winter Party Dance Tour, Bunch enlisted in the United States Army, but eventually he was drawn back to music. After his discharge, 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 is now retired and lives in Southern California.
