Ailing: Carl Bunch, drummer on Buddy Holly's last tour
deb...@comcast.net
California two days ago with hemmoraging and a collapsed lung. His lung
has been reinflated but he now has viral pneumonia. I spoke with him
last night and he feels he's on the mend and is sure look forward to
the Clovis Music Festival. Keep Carl in your prayers.
deb...@comcast.net
"Runaround Sue" during the Winter Dance Party, not likely since it
wasn't released until 1961!)
http://www.musicdish.com/mag/index.php3?id=9704
Busgal
Originally posted by Rascalita
Newscast from February 1959
Rascalita: It's our great pleasure to interview our friend Carl Bunch.
Ol'Steel: Carl and I grew up in the same oil town, Odessa, Texas. We're
a few years apart in age, but we both know about sandstorms that turn
the sky brown, playing music in dangerous places, watching out for
rattlesnakes, and such; we also have some friends in common in the
music business. I even had the pleasure of working with Carl's mom,
Mrs. Doris Bunch, briefly in the early 70's for a security company out
at the airport. She was understandably very proud of Carl. Also, when
Carl found out we were in Spain without a Bible written in English, he
sent us one of his. OK, I'll get outta the way so we can get started.
LOL!
The Poor Boys; Carl Bunch at lower right
Rascalita: Yes Ol'Steel, please sit still for a minute! Howdy Carl,
welcome to RCM.
Carl Bunch: Hi Rascalita, It’s good to be here. <Big Smile>
Ol'Steel: Carl, you started playing drums as a form of exercise therapy
following surgery on your leg. At that time, did you ever dream that
your musicianship would take you to the heights you later experienced?
Carl Bunch: To answer your first question, the truth is that I hoped
and prayed from the first day I knew I could play to become as well
known as Gene Krupa, but I never had any idea it would come to pass.
Not that I’m as well known as Gene, but I’ve done pretty good for a
skinny kid from Odessa (not that I’m skinny anymore LOL!).
Speaking of Gene Krupa, I had a big band thrill just this past Friday.
I’m studying computers at a school called Advanced Career College and
one of my instructors, Bob Novel, has a big band. He had just come from
their regular Thursday band practice and told me he had a new drummer.
The young man's name is Sammy Kaye.
Sammy had told him he had just finished some kind of Buddy Holly
project and Bob asked him if he knew me. He said he’d never met me but
knew a lot about me. Bob told him we were good friends and so we are.
Now I’ll be going to Hollywood one Thursday with Bob for a rehearsal
with a genuine Gene Krupa style big band. Who’d have ever believed
that?
Rascalita: Were drums the first instrument you played?
Carl Bunch: My first instrument was actually a piano, though I never
really learned to play one very well. My glasses were as thick as Roy
Orbison's back then and I never learned to read music well because of
my poor vision. I played by ear.
Ol'Steel: I heard that J.R. McIntyre (a West Texas high school band
director and textbook author) told you to chew gum to help with your
timing when you were learning percussion; is that true?
Carl Bunch: Ol'Steel, it’s true about J.R. McIntyre. It got me in
trouble when I first started on TV. I was chewing gum as closely to
J.R.’s example as I could follow, which was pretty bad actually, and
our first mail at the TV station said for me to get the gum out of my
mouth. I showed it to Mr. McIntyre and he laughed. He said, "I hadn’t
thought about appearing on TV. I guess you can throw it away as long as
you don’t start rushing the beat."
Rascalita: The story goes that Buddy Holly saw you playing drums on a
recording session, while he was in the control room at the studio in
Clovis, New Mexico. How and when did you actually meet him?
Carl Bunch: I never really met Buddy Holly until he picked me up in his
Caddy at the airport in New York City. He hired me on Tommy Allsup’s
word that I was the man he needed to replace Jerry Allison. I have
Tommy to thank for my career, although I played with Roy Orbison both
before and after I was with Buddy. It was my tour with Buddy that
opened almost every door I’ve ever gone through since.
Rascalita: Any favorite road stories about the tour with Buddy?
Carl Bunch: I’m writing a book of my favorite road stories while I was
with Buddy. There's a lifetime of memories tied up in those few days
before he died. I think my favorite though would be the opening show in
Milwaukee. I was petrified before we went on stage. Buddy tried
everything he could think of to get me to calm down. He told me that I
was one of The Crickets now, and that I could break every drum head I
had and they would still love me.
He never understood that it wasn’t the audience I feared; It was him. I
wanted to please him more than anything I had ever wanted in my life,
and I was afraid I’d get out there and blow it big time, and I did. I
played great until Buddy started "Peggy Sue", at which point I went
nuts and started rushing the beat almost twice as fast as it should
have been. Sounded like I was playing at 78 RPM and Buddy was singing
at 33 and a third.
Left to right: Waylon Jennings, Buddy Holly, Tommy Allsup; Carl Bunch
at bottom center
He just stopped and let me go until I wore myself out and then started
again at the right speed. Later he laughed about it instead of jumping
on me like I expected. It never happened again. I lost my fear of him
that night, and was free from then on to just enjoy the fire out of
every minute we had together.
Ol'Steel: Waylon Jennings spoke very highly of you. Did your friendship
continue after the Winter Dance Party tour?
Carl Bunch: I’m very proud of Waylon's friendship and the good things
he had to say about me. He was the one responsible for getting me my
job with Hank Williams Jr., so I owe him a great debt of gratitude as
well.
He later offered me a job working with him when his drummer got busted
the third time crossing the Canadian border with pot in his possession.
I moved to Arizona to take the gig, but the drummer beat the rap and I
never got my chance. I probably would have never left the road if that
gig had come through. I’m glad now it didn’t because I’m married
thirty-six years to the best thing besides Jesus to ever happen to me.
That would be Dorothy.
Carl & Dorothy Bunch
Rascalita: What was Waylon like in those early days?
Carl Bunch: Waylon was an outlaw in the early days. Motorcycle gangs
followed him around, as they did Willie and Hank Jr. His music tells
the story of his life. Before he met and married Jessie, he had a song
called "Sweet Mental Revenge" that speaks to his thought processes
concerning unfaithful women.
My favorite part says, "I hope that a train from Carabou, Maine runs
over your new love affair, and you walk the floor from door to door and
pull out your peroxide hair. You never was my woman. You just could not
be true. So all in all, if the curtain's gonna’ fall, I hope that it
falls on you. And I’ll have sweet, sweet, sweet mental revenge".
Ol'Steel: Yeah, he recorded it again for a later album in the late
70's, I think. Ronnie Milsap had a hit with it too, if I remember
right.
Rascalita: I've read that you were very close to Ritchie Valens during
that tour. What did y'all talk about? What did y'all do to pass the
time on those long bus rides?
Carl Bunch: Ritchie was my bud. When the other guys would skunk me,
he’d always be there telling me not to let them get to me. When I just
had to talk to someone who understood about what a hoot it was to be
where I was and doing what I was doing, Ritchie was always there.
That’s mostly what we talked about. We were both so young and so full
of dreams of tomorrow and the joy of playing at our level, that we
became fast brothers. Music and hard living conditions will do that in
such a short period of time. We shared a world full of dreams and the
joy of sharing them made memories that still bring tears to my eyes.
Rascalita: Your feet got frostbitten and you were in hospital when
Buddy Holly's plane crashed. Wasn't it pretty difficult to go back to
work after you had learned about the accident?
Carl Bunch: I was so glad to rejoin the troupe, and so crushed at what
had happened, that continuing was a schizophrenic action. We stood on
stage and cried in front of thousands as we tried very bravely to carry
on. I thank God for Tommy Allsup for holding me together more than
letting me fall apart.
I have a line in one of my songs that says, "I was there the day they
say the music died, and I stood by and I watched Waylon cry, as we sang
It Don’t Matter Anymore. And I remember just like yesterday, all the
music that we used to play, and it makes my heart beat just like it did
before."
Going back was the hardest and sweetest thing I’ve ever had to do, but
the show must go on.
Rascalita: How did you start working for Roy Orbison, and what was he
like? I've heard he was very nice.
Carl Bunch: Roy Orbison was one of the most gentle and sweetest men I
have ever had the privilege to know. His drummer with the Teen Kings
was forever going on National Guard maneuvers and hustling professional
and amateur bowlers at the local bowling alley. He could easily make
more money in one night at the bowling alley than Roy could pay him in
a month, so when he wasn’t available, Roy used me. I remain forever
grateful.
I met Roy at a local Battle of the Bands when the Poor Boys were in
competition with the Teen Kings. He asked me that night if I would fill
in for his drummer when he wasn’t available and I said I would, as long
as it didn’t interfere with a Poor Boys gig. I was faithful to the Poor
Boys, but became a really good friend with Roy. All I can say is that I
wish I could have introduced you to him. You’d be as impressed as I am.
Rascalita: Tell us about the time you asked Elvis for a job.
Carl Bunch: Elvis and Roy were good friends. As a matter of fact, Elvis
called Roy the greatest Rock & Roll singer of all time, which says a
lot coming from the king.
When I was in Hollywood making a movie for MGM with Hank Williams Jr.,
we were on the set next door to Elvis, who was just finishing one of
his films. Lance Legalt (one of Elvis’ friends and part of his
entourage) was in our movie too, and he invited us next door to the
party.
Elvis always threw a party when he finished a movie. He’d have a big
banquet for everyone who had anything to do with his movie, from his
costars to the best boy. It was his habit to go around every table and
shake the hand of everyone there, thanking them for helping to make his
movie. He was a real gentleman.
At any rate, when he came to me he looked at me really funny and then
said,"I’m sorry but I can’t remember seeing you on the set."
I introduced myself and told him I was Lance’s guest, and that I was
next door making a movie with Hank Jr. He smiled and said, "Now I
remember you. You spent two hours begging me for a job, back when it
was just Scotty and Bill and me."
I said, "Yep, and you wouldn’t hire me. You said you guys were a string
band and you weren’t going to hire a drummer cause you couldn’t play
the Grand Ole Oprey if you did. And then a month later you hired D.J
Fontana."
"You still did OK for yourself." he said. "Roy told me you worked with
him for a while, then went with Buddy Holly, then after Buddy was
killed you went back on the road with him again. Now here you are next
door making a movie with Hank Williams Jr.; I’d say you did just fine."
he grinned.
I just sat there dumbfounded and he started to laugh. The louder he
laughed the more my mouth dropped open.
Finally he said, "Roy and I are good friends. We talk a lot about the
good old days when rock & roll was just getting started. You told him
about begging me for a job and when he told me the story, I remembered
like it just happened. You babbled on non-stop for two solid hours,
like you were on speed or something. Who’s gonna forget a thing like
that? By the way," he asked, "how’s it going on Hank Jr.’s set?"
"Great" I said, still dumbfounded. He smiled, patted me on the back and
moved to the guy setting next to me, a gaffer or something like that.
He gave him his full attention and talked with him for two or three
minutes before moving on.
I’ve never met another man, other than Garth Brooks, who can make you
feel like you really matter the way Elvis did me that day.
Ol'Steel: It must have been quite a musical switch for you, going from
working with rockers like Buddy and Roy to playing country drums for
Hank Williams, Jr.
Carl Bunch: About the difference between Country and Rock, everybody
thinks it would be a really big change going from Buddy and Roy to Hank
Williams Jr., but they don’t remember Bocephus on Verve [record label].
When I started with Hank Jr. he was about to have his 18th birthday
party. Hank wanted to play rock and roll when I joined his band. It
drove Audrey nuts. In case nobody’s noticed, Hank plays some pretty
solid country rock himself. Country was easy after rock, but I fell in
love with it almost instantly. Listning to Ray Charles sing "So
Lonesome I Could Cry" made a believer out of me. Country is real music,
from the hearts of real people telling real stories. I’m proud to call
myself country.
I was playing with Hank when he put his daddy’s old band, the Drifting
Cowboys back together. As a matter of fact, I was the first drummer to
ever play with the Drifting Cowboys; they were a string band when Hank
was alive. Back then they didn’t allow drums on the Grand Ole Opry, so
the character Red Buttons played in the movie "Your Cheating Heart"
never really existed. That’s the movies for you.
Ol'Steel: Wasn't Don Helms still in Hank's band at that time?
Carl Bunch: Don Helms told the funniest stories I believe I have ever
heard. Besides being an icon as a steel player, he is still a friend. I
know we lost Jerry Rivers, Hank's original fiddle player, a few years
back but I’m hoping Don is still with us. I’m as proud of having played
with him as I am of any of the other great musicians I’ve worked with.
Ol’Steel, you may not know this but I’ve worked with Buddy Emmons and
Curley Chalker as well. Nevertheless, I cherish every funny story Don
ever told on that bus. Some of them I can’t remember without laughing
out loud. He is a gem.
Ol'Steel: Did Miss Audrey still go on the road with Hank in those days?
Carl Bunch: Despite Hank Jr. hating every minute of it, Audrey did
travel with us from time to time and even performed on some of the
shows. I don’t know if you know it but Hank Jr. had himself legally
emancipated to separate himself from Audrey. He wanted to run his own
business and Audrey ran everything she could control.
It wasn’t a pretty separation. Audrey wasn’t even invited to the
premier of his movie "A Time To Sing", even though it was her money
that financed the film.
Rascalita: Can you describe how it felt to play the Opry for the first
time?
Carl Bunch: As to my first time to play on the Grand Ole Opry, it was
definitely one of those milestones in a lifetime of incredible
experiences. I was so nervous that I could hardly breathe, even though
all I had to play was a snare drum. At least they had come far enough
into the 20th century as to allow a snare drum; nowadays they let us
use the whole trap set.
Hank backed up two steps and bowed following a standing ovation. When
he did, he knocked my drum over and it went rolling down the stage. I
almost freaked out, running to grab it and get it back on the stand.
Suddenly there was this big arm around my shoulders and this deep,
friendly voice saying, "Don’t let it bother you, sonny. This is just a
little old radio show and only the people here could see, and they were
watching Hank Jr. instead of your little drum."
I looked up and it was Tex Ritter, coming to my rescue. That big old
smile could calm a twister and it was suddenly almost like it never
happened. Hanging my picture in Tootsies later that night and signing
the wall with paint following the show was a lot like the cherry on the
top of an ice cream sundae.
Rascalita: What other country acts have you played with?
Carl Bunch: While I was with Hank Jr. and the Cheatin’ Hearts, I had
the privilege of backing up more icons of country music than I’m
comfortable naming. The Cheatin’ Hearts were usually the only band on
the smaller package shows and we would back up all the other artists
who didn’t have a band of their own. It was, and still is, an honor to
be part of a Hank Williams Jr. package show, and we worked with them
all. Charley Pride was a lot of fun. Dottie West was a friend of
Hank's; she tried to hire me to work with her whenever Hank wasn’t
booked, but his manager wouldn’t hear of it. Marty Robbins was a
favorite friend of mine and the Singing Sheriff, Faron Young, was a
master of the stage.
I was in awe of most of these people. The list could go on almost
forever. I know their music will live that long. I wasn’t working with
Hank Jr. when I got my gig with Roger Miller, but I’ll cherish forever
our friendship.
"That’ll do, pig", the man said. Someone once told me it wasn’t
important who I knew, but who would admit knowing me. I’ve worked with
a lot of people who are still around to talk about it as well. I don’t
want to sound like a name dropper, so I’ll quit for now.
Ol'Steel: Now, Carl -- to quote Mohammed Ali, "It ain't braggin' if
it's true", and your experiences are a matter of historical record.
Gettin' back to business, you co-wrote “Lookie, Lookie, Lookie”, a
regional hit for your first band, "The Poor Boys". Have you done much
songwriting since then?
Carl Bunch: Thanks for asking about "Lookie, Lookie, Lookie" and the
Poor Boys. It's fun to remember where you came from and the Poor Boys
are still getting together every year or so to jam a little. I hope
we’ll all be together this September in Clovis for the first annual
Clovis Music Festival .
I started writing music in earnest when I was with Hank Jr. The first
country song I ever wrote, "Little All Night Diner" was written on one
of Hank Sr.'s old guitars, sitting on a king-size bed in the garage
apartment above the Caddy he died in. That was my first night in
Nashville. It was published by Hank Jr.'s publishing company the next
morning. Made my head spin like a top. I’ve never had a song published
or forgotten that fast, before or since, in my entire life. I had
visions of adequacy for a long time afterward, but nothing has happened
with any of my music since then, except a song I co-wrote with Hank Jr.
called "Try, Try Again". It was on the flip side of one of his # 1
hits. It was on one of his early Greatest Hits albums, but has been out
of print almost since it was released. I wasn’t given credit for the
song then and have never received any type of payment for it, but it
was recorded after I left the Cheatin’ Hearts.
Dorothy and I have written at least three albums worth of good Gospel
music and hope one day to record it, if for nothing else, for
posterity. I think you would like what we’ve written. Michael Jackson
owned five of our songs until they were ignored by his company long
enough for us to get them back.
That’s a funny story in itself. Michael and Sir Paul McCartney got in a
bidding war over Buddy's catalog while I was under contract to write
for ATV Music, who owned most of the Beatles catalog.
Paul won the war and Michael bought ATV just to get even. I don’t think
he ever even knew he owned our songs or would have cared if he found
out. Gospel music isn’t exactly his trip. Anyway we have them back now
and don’t intend to let anyone else publish them. We’ll do them
ourselves when God blesses us with the wherewithal to do so.
Ol'Steel: Tell us about your "Stage Wood Collectible" series. Is this
still available?
Carl Bunch: The Stagewood Collection is in limbo at this time. I’ve
sold one of the seven hundred limited editions and will continue to
sell them when I’m able to get my web site up and running again. The
first one sold for $150.00, but a buyer of such collectables in
Australia informed me that they should go for no less than $500.00
each, so some adjustments must be made before we continue.
Rascalita: What are you doing these days, Carl?
Carl Bunch: Believe it or not, I’ve started back to school this past
Monday to study for my certification as an MSCE, (Microsoft Certified
Systems Engineer). I go to school from 8:45 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday
through Friday for the next three and a half months.
At present, I’m looking for someone interested in booking Dorothy and
me on a tour of European Churches, Christian fellowships, and small
concert halls.
Barry Barnes just did a world-wide release of a new DVD including me
and everyone who worked with Buddy. That’s world-wide, except for the
U.S.
Carl Bunch today
Rascalita: What does the future hold for Carl Bunch?
Carl Bunch: I’m in touch with Paul King, president of the English Buddy
Holly Society about a European tour. Who knows what the future holds
for me. Outside of a home in Heaven, only the Lord knows.
Who knows what this little project might produce. I believe God is able
to do great things. I’m ready for what ever He wants to do. And I’m
thankful for you precious people who care enough about me to do this
interview.
Rascalita: Carl, thanks a bunch for sharing your memories with us here
at RCM. You've played with a lot of legends we all admire. It's been a
great pleasure for us to have this conversation with you, and I think
you'd better add us to the list for a copy of your book when it comes
out. Happy trails.
Carl Bunch: Happy trails to you.
James Neibaur
> another recent interview for realcountrymusic.org.
> Originally posted by Rascalita
> Newscast from February 1959
(snip)
Thanks for posting this, it was interesting and fun to read
JN
deb...@comcast.net
about it nearly 50 years later!