Bobby Fuller on the single cover of I Fought the Law

Bobby Fuller (October 22, 1942 – July 18, 1966) was an American rock singer and guitar player best known for his classic "I Fought the Law". Image File history File links BobbyFullerFour. ... Image File history File links BobbyFullerFour. ... I Fought the Law is a much-covered song originally recorded by Sonny Curtis and The Crickets (post Buddy Holly). ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... I Fought the Law is a much-covered song originally recorded by Sonny Curtis and The Crickets (post Buddy Holly). ...

Career

Born in Baytown, Texas, Robert Gaston Fuller spent most of his youth in El Paso, Texas, where he idolized Buddy Holly, a fellow West Texan. He played in clubs, bars, and recorded on independent record labels in Texas, with a constantly-changing line-up, during the early 1960s. The only constant band members were Bobby himself (on vocals and guitar), and his younger brother, Randy, on bass. Most of these independent releases (except two songs that were recorded at the studio of Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico), and an excursion to Yucca Records also in New Mexico, were recorded in the Fullers' own home-cum-studio, with Bobby acting as the producer. He even built a primitive echo chamber in the backyard. 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 even offered the use of his 'studio' to local acts for free so he could hone his production skills. Baytown is a city located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. ... El Paso redirects here. ... Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959),[1] better known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and a pioneer of rock and roll. ... Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... An independent record label is variously described as a record label operating without the funding (or outside the organizations) of the major record labels, and/or a label that subscribes to indie philosophies such as DIY and anti-corporate art. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Norman Petty (May 25, 1927 - August 15, 1984) was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern pop music. ... Clovis, New Mexico is a small city in Curry County, New Mexico, United States, with a population of approximately 32,700 (2000 census). ...

Bobby moved to Los Angeles in 1964 with his band The Bobby Fuller Four and was signed to Mustang Records by producer Bob Keane, noted for discovering Ritchie Valens and producing many surf music groups. Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Ritchie Valens (born Ricardo Steven Valenzuela, May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959) was a pioneer of rock and roll and a forefather to the Latin Rock movement. ... Surf music is a genre of popular music associated with surf culture. ...

At a time when the British invasion and folk rock were culturally dominant, Fuller stuck to Buddy Holly's style of classic rock and roll with Tex Mex flourishes. His recordings reveal the influence of Eddie Cochran, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Little Richard and the Everly Brothers in cover recordings and original compositions, as well as instrumental surf guitar. Less well known was Fuller's ability to emulate the reverb-laden surf guitar sounds of Dick Dale and the Ventures. His first Top 40 hit was "Let Her Dance" written by Bobby Fuller. His second hit "I Fought the Law" hit #4 on Billboard and was written by Sonny Curtis, a former member of Holly's group The Crickets, and recorded by the line-up of the Fuller brothers, James Reese on guitar and Dalton Powell on drums. His third Top 40 hit was the Buddy Holly cover song "Love's Made a Fool of You". Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Los Lobos Chicano rock or Latin rock is rock music performed by Mexican American groups or music with themes derived from Chicano culture. ... Ray Edward Eddie Cochran (October 3, 1938 – April 17, 1960) was an early American rockabilly musician and an important influence on popular music during the late 1950s and early 1960s. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... “Elvis” redirects here. ... Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5, 1932), better known by the stage name Little Richard, is an African-American singer, songwriter, and pianist, who began performing in the 1940s and was a key figure in the transition from rhythm & blues to rock and roll in the mid-1950s. ... Don (born February 1, 1937 in Brownie, a small coal-mining town (now defunct) near Central City, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky) and Phil Everly (born January 18, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois) are country-influenced rock and roll performers who had their greatest success in the 1950s. ... Top 40 is a radio format based on frequent repetition of songs from a constantly-updated list of the forty best-selling singles. ... Sonny Curtis (born May 9, 1937, in Meadow, Texas) is an American singer and songwriter. ... The Crickets The Crickets were the backing band from Texas in the United States, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. ...

Death

Just after "I Fought The Law" became a top ten hit, Bobby Fuller was found dead in a parked automobile near his Los Angeles home. The police considered the death an apparent suicide, however many people still believe Fuller was murdered. He was found with multiple wounds all over his body and covered in gasoline leading many to speculate that the perpetrators fled before they could set the car on fire. He is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles. Dead at age 23, Fuller barely outlived his idol, Holly, who died at 22. For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ... Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery is located at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive in Los Angeles, California, on the south edge of the San Fernando Valley by Burbank (and on the north side of the Santa Monica Mountains from Hollywood). ...

The 2002 novel The Dead Circus, by John Kaye, includes the murder of Bobby Fuller as a major plot point. At the end of the book, the main character decides that Fuller had been killed by mafia henchmen trying to please Frank Sinatra. This article is about the literary concept. ... This article is about the criminal society. ... “Sinatra” redirects here. ...

The Rock*A*Teens refer to Fuller's alleged murder in the song "Who Killed Bobby Fuller?", on their 1995 self-titled debut. A different song with the same name was previously recorded by Irish rock band Black 47 in 1994. The Rock*A*Teens were a indie rock band from Cabbagetown near Atlanta, Georgia during the 1990s, associated with a neighborhood called Cabbagetown. ... Black 47 is an American-Celtic rock band made up of Irish expatriates, formed in New York City by Larry Kirwan and Chris Byrne in 1989. ...

After his brother's death, Randy Fuller took over lead vocal duties and named the band after himself. As this did not work out at all, the band broke up only within months of Bobby's death. Randy Fuller recorded a couple of solo singles and 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. An LP Long playing (LP), either 10 or 12-inch diameter, 33 rpm (actually 33. ... Atco Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMGs Rhino Entertainment. ... There are two notable people named Dewey Martin: Dewey Martin (musician) Drummer/vocalist (b. ...

Legacy

Fuller's recordings have been reissued by Norton Records, Del-Fi Records, Rhino Records and Munster Records. Norton Records, an independent New York City record label founded by musicians Miriam Linna and Billy Miller in 1986, maintains a focus on retro rock, rockabilly, punk, garage rock, lounge music and R&B. Linna and Miller have successfully reissued many obscurities and classics from the 1950s and 1960s, and... Rhino Entertainment is a specialty record label originally known for releasing retrospectives of famous comedy performers, including Stan Freberg, Tom Lehrer, and Spike Jones. ...

Fuller is referenced in the song "Dirt" on Lou Reed's solo album [Street Hassle]

Fuller is also referred to in the song "Monster Hospital" by the band Metric.

Fuller is also the subject of Black 47's "Who killed Bobby Fuller?" Black 47 is an American-Celtic rock band made up of Irish expatriates, formed in New York City by Larry Kirwan and Chris Byrne in 1989. ...

John Mellencamp refers to Bobby Fuller in the song, "R-O-C-K In the USA," on Mellencamp's "Scarecrow" album (1985/Riva Records).

A Japan-only tribute album, entitled Our Favorite Texan: Bobby Fuller Four-Ever! was released on CD in 1999 on #9 Records. It featured artists such as Marshall Crenshaw, Young Fresh Fellows, Bill Lloyd, Walter Clevenger, and Smithereens side project Buzzed Meg. CD may stand for: Compact Disc Canadian Forces Decoration Cash Dispenser (at least used in Japan) CD LPMud Driver Centrum-Demokraterne (Centre Democrats of Denmark) Certificate of Deposit České Dráhy (Czech Railways) Chad (NATO country code) Chalmers Datorförening (computer club of the Chalmers University of Technology) a 1960s... This article is about the year. ... Somethings Gonna Happen 12 single sleeve (1981). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Smithereens are a collection of small fragments considered as a whole There is also a rock band from New Jersey called The Smithereens ... In popular music, a side-project is a project undertaken by one (or several) person already known for their involvement in another band. ...

Fuller's death was once examined by the television series, "Unsolved Mysteries." This article contains a trivia section. ...

Producer/Engineer/Artist Terry Manning, then a teenage friend and musical accomplice, made his 'recording debut' on Fuller's version of "Not Fade Away" when he unknowlingly phoned Fuller during the recording of the song. The ringing phone can be heard during the guitar solo. Terry Manning is a music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer known for work in rock, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres. ... Not Fade Away is a 1957 song by Buddy Holly. ...

Discography

Original US singles

• "Guess We'll Fall In Love" / "You're In love" (Yucca 45-140, 1962) ¹
• "My Heart Jumped" / "Gently My Love" (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 Law" / "Little Annie Lou" (Mustang 3014, 1965) ⁵
• "Love's Made A Fool Of You" / "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, 1981) 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, buth 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

• Unofficial Bobby Fuller Fansite
• Bobby Fuller entry at Rockabilly Hall of Fame
• Bobby Fuller discography at Rockin' Country Style
• Video of Bobby Fuller preforming I Fought The Law
• Bobby Fuller's Gravesite
• Bobby Fuller featured on Where The Action Was rock history tour