Bobby Fuller
Encyclopedia
Robert Gaston "Bobby" Fuller (October 22, 1942 – July 18, 1966) was an American
rock
singer, songwriter, and guitar
player best known for his singles "I Fought the Law
" and "Love's Made a Fool of You
," recorded with his mid-1960s group, the Bobby Fuller Four.
, Fuller moved as a small child to Salt Lake City
, Utah
where he remained until 1956, when he and his family moved to El Paso
, Texas. His father got a job at El Paso Natural Gas
at that time. It was the same year that Elvis Presley
became popular, and Bobby Fuller, then 12 going on 13, became mesmerized by the new rock and roll sound. He idolized fellow West Texan Buddy Holly
(a native of Lubbock
), and pursued his own music career as a vocalist and guitarist. During the early 1960s, he played in clubs and bars in El Paso, and he recorded on independent record label
s in Texas
with a constantly changing line-up. The only constant band members were Fuller and his younger brother, Randy Fuller (born on January 29, 1944, in Hobbs
, New Mexico) on bass. Most of these independent releases (except two songs recorded at the studio of Norman Petty
in Clovis
), and an excursion to Yucca Records, also in New Mexico, were recorded in the Fullers' own home studio, with Fuller acting as the producer. He even built a primitive echo chamber in the back yard. The quality of the recordings, using a couple of microphones and a mixing board purchased from a local radio station, was so impressive that he offered the use of his 'studio' to local acts for free so he could hone his production skills.
Fuller moved to Los Angeles
in 1964 with his band The Bobby Fuller Four, and was signed to Mustang Records by producer Bob Keane
, who was noted for discovering Ritchie Valens
and producing many surf music
groups. By this time, the group consisted of Fuller and his brother Randy on vocals/guitar and bass respectively, Jim Reese on guitar and DeWayne Quirico (later replaced by Dalton Powell) on drums.
At a time when the British Invasion
and folk rock
were the dominant genres in rock, Fuller stuck to Buddy Holly's style of classic rock and roll
with Tex Mex
flourishes. His recordings, both covers and originals, also reveal the influences of Eddie Cochran
, The Beatles
, Elvis Presley
, Little Richard
, and the Everly Brothers, as well as surf guitar. Less well known was Fuller's ability to emulate the reverb
-laden surf guitar of Dick Dale and The Ventures. His first Top 40 hit, though not on the Hot 100, was the self-penned "Let Her Dance". His second hit, "I Fought the Law", peaked at #9 on the Hot 100 on 12–19 March 1966. The song was written by Sonny Curtis
, a former member of Buddy Holly's group The Crickets
, and recorded by the line-up of the Fuller brothers, James Reese on guitar, and Dalton Powell on drums. The group's third Top 40 single was a cover of Holly's "Love's Made a Fool of You."
The Bobby Fuller Four appeared in the 1966 movie The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
, apparently backing up Nancy Sinatra on the song "Geronimo" and continuing to play during a pool-party scene.
" probably caused by gasoline vapors and the heat. He found no bruises, no broken bones, no cuts. No evidence of beating." Kuipers further explains that boxes for "accident" and "suicide" were ticked, but next to the boxes were question marks. Despite the official cause of death, some commentators believe Fuller was murdered.
Erik Greene, a relative of Sam Cooke
, has cited similarities in the deaths of Cooke and Fuller. Fuller bandmate, Jim Reese, suspected that Charles Manson
may have had something to do with Fuller's death but never provided credible evidence. A sensationalist crime website has speculated that the LAPD may have been involved because of Bobby's connection to a Mafia-related woman.
Fuller is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park
in Los Angeles.
After his brother's death, Randy Fuller took over lead vocal duties and named the band after himself, but the band broke up within months of Bobby's death. Randy Fuller recorded a couple of solo singles, then in spring 1969 joined Dewey Martin
's New Buffalo (Springfield), which evolved into Blue Mountain Eagle
in July 1969. He appeared on the band's lone LP
for Atco Records
in early 1970 before briefly joining Dewey Martin and Medicine Ball.
Bobby Fuller's recordings have been reissued by Norton Records
, Del-Fi Records, Rhino Records and Munster Records.
1 Released as by Bobby Fuller / Guitarist Jim Reese And The Embers, Vocal. Issued twice with the same catalog number, but with completely different versions of both tracks.
2 Released as by Bobby Fuller.
3 Released as by Bobby Fuller And The Fanatics.
4 Released as by The Shindigs.
5 Released as by The Bobby Fuller Four
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
singer, songwriter, and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
player best known for his singles "I Fought the Law
I Fought the Law
"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and became popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979...
" and "Love's Made a Fool of You
Love's Made a Fool of You
Love's Made a Fool of You is a song originally performed by Buddy Holly. It was later re-recorded by Sonny Curtis and The Crickets, with the lead vocal by Earl Sinks, and famously covered by the Bobby Fuller Four.Buddy Holly first wrote the song in 1954...
," recorded with his mid-1960s group, the Bobby Fuller Four.
Life and career
Born in Baytown, TexasBaytown, Texas
Baytown is a city within Harris County and partially in Chambers County in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S. state of Texas. Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, it lies along both State Highway 146 and Interstate 10. As of 2010, Baytown had an population of 71,802...
, Fuller moved as a small child to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
where he remained until 1956, when he and his family moved to El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, Texas. His father got a job at El Paso Natural Gas
El Paso Natural Gas
El Paso Natural Gas is a system of natural gas pipelines that brings gas from the Permian Basin in Texas and the San Juan Basin in New Mexico and Colorado to West Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, California and Arizona. It also exports some natural gas to Mexico. It is owned by El Paso Corporation...
at that time. It was the same year that Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
became popular, and Bobby Fuller, then 12 going on 13, became mesmerized by the new rock and roll sound. He idolized fellow West Texan Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
(a native of Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
), and pursued his own music career as a vocalist and guitarist. During the early 1960s, he played in clubs and bars in El Paso, and he recorded on independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
s in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
with a constantly changing line-up. The only constant band members were Fuller and his younger brother, Randy Fuller (born on January 29, 1944, in Hobbs
Hobbs, New Mexico
Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 28,657 at the 2000 census.Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lea County.-Geography:...
, New Mexico) on bass. Most of these independent releases (except two songs recorded at the studio of Norman Petty
Norman Petty
Norman Petty was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern popular music, including pop and rock....
in Clovis
Clovis, New Mexico
Clovis is the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 32,667 at the 2000 census; according to 2010 Census Bureau estimates, the population had risen to 37,775....
), and an excursion to Yucca Records, also in New Mexico, were recorded in the Fullers' own home studio, with Fuller acting as the producer. He even built a primitive echo chamber in the back yard. The quality of the recordings, using a couple of microphones and a mixing board purchased from a local radio station, was so impressive that he offered the use of his 'studio' to local acts for free so he could hone his production skills.
Fuller moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1964 with his band The Bobby Fuller Four, and was signed to Mustang Records by producer Bob Keane
Bob Keane
Bob Keane was an American musician, producer and owner of the record label Del-Fi Records. He was perhaps best known for being the producer and manager of Ritchie Valens.-Early years:...
, who was noted for discovering Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
and producing many surf music
Surf music
Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Orange County and other areas of Southern California. It was particularly popular between 1961 and 1965, has subsequently been revived and was highly influential on subsequent rock music...
groups. By this time, the group consisted of Fuller and his brother Randy on vocals/guitar and bass respectively, Jim Reese on guitar and DeWayne Quirico (later replaced by Dalton Powell) on drums.
At a time when the British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
and folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
were the dominant genres in rock, Fuller stuck to Buddy Holly's style of classic rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
with Tex Mex
Chicano rock
Chicano rock is rock music performed by Mexican American groups or music with themes derived from Chicano culture. Chicano Rock, to a great extent, does not refer to any single style or approach. Some of these groups do not sing in Spanish at all, or use many specifically Latin instruments or sounds...
flourishes. His recordings, both covers and originals, also reveal the influences of Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, and the Everly Brothers, as well as surf guitar. Less well known was Fuller's ability to emulate the reverb
Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed. A reverberation, or reverb, is created when a sound is produced in an enclosed space causing a large number of echoes to build up and then slowly decay as the sound is absorbed by the walls and air...
-laden surf guitar of Dick Dale and The Ventures. His first Top 40 hit, though not on the Hot 100, was the self-penned "Let Her Dance". His second hit, "I Fought the Law", peaked at #9 on the Hot 100 on 12–19 March 1966. The song was written by Sonny Curtis
Sonny Curtis
Sonny Curtis is an American singer and songwriter. Most of his work falls into the Pop and Country genres. He was a teenage pal and band member with Buddy Holly in Lubbock, Texas...
, a former member of Buddy Holly's group The Crickets
The Crickets
The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
, and recorded by the line-up of the Fuller brothers, James Reese on guitar, and Dalton Powell on drums. The group's third Top 40 single was a cover of Holly's "Love's Made a Fool of You."
The Bobby Fuller Four appeared in the 1966 movie The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini is the seventh of the American International Pictures beach party films and was released in 1966. The entire film takes place in and around a haunted house with no beach in sight, with the teenage gang instead cavorting in and around it and the adjacent swimming...
, apparently backing up Nancy Sinatra on the song "Geronimo" and continuing to play during a pool-party scene.
Death
Within months of "I Fought The Law" becoming a top 10 hit, Fuller was found dead in an automobile parked outside his Hollywood apartment. The Los Angeles deputy medical examiner, Jerry Nelson, performed the autopsy. According to Dean Kuipers: "The report states that Bobby's face, chest, and side were covered in "petechial hemorrhagesPetechia
A petechia is a small red or purple spot on the body, caused by a minor hemorrhage ."Petechiae" refers to one of the three major classes of purpuric skin conditions. Purpuric eruptions are classified by size into three broad categories...
" probably caused by gasoline vapors and the heat. He found no bruises, no broken bones, no cuts. No evidence of beating." Kuipers further explains that boxes for "accident" and "suicide" were ticked, but next to the boxes were question marks. Despite the official cause of death, some commentators believe Fuller was murdered.
Erik Greene, a relative of Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
, has cited similarities in the deaths of Cooke and Fuller. Fuller bandmate, Jim Reese, suspected that Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
may have had something to do with Fuller's death but never provided credible evidence. A sensationalist crime website has speculated that the LAPD may have been involved because of Bobby's connection to a Mafia-related woman.
Fuller is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery is part of the Forest Lawn chain of Southern California cemeteries. It is at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, on the lower north slope at the far east end of the Santa Monica...
in Los Angeles.
After his brother's death, Randy Fuller took over lead vocal duties and named the band after himself, but the band broke up within months of Bobby's death. Randy Fuller recorded a couple of solo singles, then in spring 1969 joined Dewey Martin
Dewey Martin (musician)
Dewey Martin was a Canadian rock drummer, best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield.-Career:Martin was born Walter Milton Dwayne Midkiff in Chesterville, Ontario in 1940. He was raised there and the surrounding Smiths Falls and Ottawa...
's New Buffalo (Springfield), which evolved into Blue Mountain Eagle
Blue Mountain Eagle (band)
Blue Mountain Eagle was a short-lived American rock group that evolved out of New Buffalo Springfield in August 1969 and recorded a lone album for Atlantic/Atco Records, which they were personally signed to by label founder Ahmet Ertegun.-Origins:...
in July 1969. He appeared on the band's lone LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
for Atco Records
Atco Records
ATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
in early 1970 before briefly joining Dewey Martin and Medicine Ball.
Bobby Fuller's recordings have been reissued by Norton Records
Norton Records
For the Canadian independent record label of the same name, see Matt Minglewood.Norton Records, a New York City based independent record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller, maintains a focus on primitive, retro rock'n'roll, rockabilly, garage punk, garage rock, lounge music...
, Del-Fi Records, Rhino Records and Munster Records.
Compositions
Bobby Fuller's compositions included "Let Her Dance", "Another Sad and Lonely Night", "She's My Girl", "Take My Word", "Phantom Dragster", "King of the Wheels", "Fool of Love", "Never to be Forgotten", "My True Love", "Only When I Dream", "Little Annie Lou", "A New Shade of Blue", "Saturday Night", "You Kiss Me", and "Don't Ever Let Me Know".Original US singles
- "You're In love" / "Guess We'll Fall In Love" (Yucca 45-140, 1961) 1
- "Gently My Love" / "My Heart Jumped" (Yucca 45-144, 1962) 2
- "Nervous Breakdown" / "Not Fade Away" (Eastwood NO8W-0344/0345, 1962) 2
- "Saturday Night" / "Stringer" (Todd 45-1090, 1963) 2
- "Wine, Wine, Wine" / "King Of The Beach" (Exeter EXT 122, 1964) 2
- "I Fought The Law" / "She's My Girl" (Exeter EXT 124, 1964) 2
- "Fool Of Love" / "Shakedown" (Exeter EXT 126, 1964) 3
- "Those Memories Of You" / "Our Favorite Martian" (Donna 1403, 1964) 3
- "Wolfman" / "Thunder Reef" (Mustang 3003, 1964/65) 4
- "Take My Word" / "She's My Girl" (Mustang 3004, 1965) 5
- "Never To Be Forgotten" / "You Kissed Me" (Mustang 3011, 1965) 5
- "Another Sad And Lonely Night" / "Let Her Dance" (Mustang 3012, 1965) 5
- "Another Sad And Lonely Night" / "Let Her Dance" (Liberty 55812, 1965) 5
- "I Fought The LawI Fought the Law"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and became popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979...
" / "Little Annie Lou" (Mustang 3014, 1965) 5 - "Love's Made a Fool of YouLove's Made a Fool of YouLove's Made a Fool of You is a song originally performed by Buddy Holly. It was later re-recorded by Sonny Curtis and The Crickets, with the lead vocal by Earl Sinks, and famously covered by the Bobby Fuller Four.Buddy Holly first wrote the song in 1954...
" / "Don't Ever Let Me Know" (Mustang M 3016, 1966) 5 - "The Magic Touch" / "My True Love" (Mustang 3018, 1966) 5
- "It's Love, Come What May" / "It's Love, Come What May" (Mustang 3020 [promo], 1966) 5
Original US albums
- KRLA King Of The Wheels (Mustang M-900 [mono] / MS-900 [stereo], 1966) 5
- I Fought The Law (Mustang M-901 [mono] / MS-901 [stereo], 1966) 5
Compilations and reissues
- The Bobby Fuller Memorial Album (LP, President 1003, 1968) 2
- KRLA/King Of The Wheels (Line LP 5146, 1981) 5
- I Fought The Law (Line LP 5133, 1981) 5
- The Bobby Fuller Memorial Album (LP, Strand 6. 24885 AS, 1982) 5
- The Best Of The Bobby Fuller Four (LP, Rhino 201, 1982) 5
- Let Them Dance (The Rare Sides) (LP, Line LP 5272, 1983) 5
- Live On Stage (Line OLLP 5302, 1983) 5
- Bobby Fuller Tapes, Vol. 1 (LP, Rhino 057, 1983) 2
- Bobby Fuller Tapes, Vol. 2 (LP, Voxx LP 200.028, 1984) 2
- Memories Of Buddy Holly (LP, Rockhouse LP 8407, 1984) 2
- I Fought The Law (LP, Eva 12032) 5
- The Best Of The Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Rhino 70174, 1990) 5
- The Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Ace 956, 1990) 5
- Live At PJ's Plus! (CD, Ace CDCHD 314, 1991) 2
- The Best Of The Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Ace 388, 1992) 5
- El Paso Rock Vol. 1 : Early Recordings (CD, Norton 252, 1996) 2
- El Paso Rock Vol. 2 : More Early Recordings (CD, Norton 260, 1997) 2
- Shakedown! : The Texas Tapes Revisited (2CD box set, Del-Fi DFBX 2902, 1996) 2
- Never To Be Forgotten : The Mustang Years (3CD box set, Mustang/Del-Fi DFBX 3903, 1997) 5
- The Mustang Years (2LP, Munster 184, 2000) 5
- I Fought The Law And Others (7" EP, Munster Ref. 7141, 2000) 5
1 Released as by Bobby Fuller / Guitarist Jim Reese And The Embers, Vocal. Issued twice with the same catalog number, but with completely different versions of both tracks.
2 Released as by Bobby Fuller.
3 Released as by Bobby Fuller And The Fanatics.
4 Released as by The Shindigs.
5 Released as by The Bobby Fuller Four
External links
- [ Bobby Fuller] at Allmusic
- Bobby Fuller at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Bobby Fuller - Never To Be Forgotten
- Unofficial Bobby Fuller Fansite
- Bobby Fuller entry at Rockabilly Hall of Fame
- Bobby Fuller discography at Rockin' Country Style
- Bobby Fuller featured on Where The Action Was rock history tour
- Bobby Fuller Four entry at Classic Bands