David Box

Harold David Box (August 11, 1943 – October 23, 1964)^[1] was an American rock musician in the early 1960s. Box was influenced by fellow Texan Buddy Holly, and even took his place as singer of his group, the Crickets, for a short time after Holly's death. Box also collaborated with Roy Orbison, and found local success with his group, the Ravens. Box died on tour in a plane crash in 1964 at the age of 21, coincidentally in a similar manner to Holly.

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.^[2] His father taught him to play guitar, and he received one as a present for his eighth birthday. His style was influenced by early performances by Buddy Holly in 1954. In 1958, Box formed his own band, The Ravens, with Box on vocals and 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 guitar on "Peggy Sue Got Married". This was the final single by the Crickets on Coral Records. For the following three weeks, Box and Hall supported the Crickets on tour before returning home to complete their schooling.^[3]

Box died on October 23, 1964, in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk which crashed nose-first and overturned at Houston, Texas. The other three people aboard the plane also died.^[4]

Discography

Singles

*With The Crickets

Albums

References

1. ↑ http://www.davidbox.net/story.php
2. ↑ http://www.davidbox.net/story.php
3. ↑ http://www.superoldies.com/buddyholly/related/dbox.html
4. ↑ planecrashinfo.com Famous People Who Died in Aviation Accidents: 1960s
5. ↑ http://buddyhollyandthecrickets.com/related/dbox.html
6. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/david-box-story-r604550
7. ↑ http://www.rollercoasterrecords.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2472