Joe B. Mauldin died in Nashville saturday he was 73.
Originally from Lubbock Texas he joined The Crickets at the age of 16 in 1957.
He toured with Holly on all of his tours except the last one in early 1959 on which Holly died in a airplane crash in Iowa.
He also appeared on all of Holly's best known recordings with the exception of "That'll Be The Day" which was recorded shortly before he joined the group and 'The String Sessions" Holly recorded in New York in October of 1958.
Afterwards he toured and recorded with fellow Crickets drummer Jerry Allison as the Crickets and supporting other artists such as The Everly Brothers and Bobby Vee .
In the 60's he worked for a time at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles where artists such as Eddie Cochran and Ritchie Valens recorded their late 50's early 60's hits.
In the 70's they backed Country Artist Waylon Jennings who had replaced Mauldin as Buddy Holly's bassist on the last fatal Winter tour on which Holly perished.
Considering the impact The Crickets had on the Beatles and The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton and scores of others the importance of Joe B.'s work cannot be over stated.
As a Guitarist Ive always been hugely inspired by the Crickets.
He will be missed.
Originally from Lubbock Texas he joined The Crickets at the age of 16 in 1957.
He toured with Holly on all of his tours except the last one in early 1959 on which Holly died in a airplane crash in Iowa.
He also appeared on all of Holly's best known recordings with the exception of "That'll Be The Day" which was recorded shortly before he joined the group and 'The String Sessions" Holly recorded in New York in October of 1958.
Afterwards he toured and recorded with fellow Crickets drummer Jerry Allison as the Crickets and supporting other artists such as The Everly Brothers and Bobby Vee .
In the 60's he worked for a time at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles where artists such as Eddie Cochran and Ritchie Valens recorded their late 50's early 60's hits.
In the 70's they backed Country Artist Waylon Jennings who had replaced Mauldin as Buddy Holly's bassist on the last fatal Winter tour on which Holly perished.
Considering the impact The Crickets had on the Beatles and The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton and scores of others the importance of Joe B.'s work cannot be over stated.
As a Guitarist Ive always been hugely inspired by the Crickets.
He will be missed.