Monday, December 05, 2011

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Bobby Fuller Four

Artist:The Bobby Fuller Four
Song:I Fought The Law
Album:Chart Toppers: Rock Hits Of The 60s





The Bobby Fuller Four had a top ten hit in 1966 with I Fought The Law. Fuller was on his way to a long career in music when he died in a suspicious manner in 1966. If you think Fuller reminds you of the late great Buddy Holly, you're on the right track. He was born Oct. 22, 1942 in Baytown, TX. His family moved to Salt Lake City and then back to El Paso in 1956. Fuller idolized fellow Texan Buddy Holly and was inspired to become a musician. Along with his brother Randy on bass, Fuller played local clubs and recorded a few singles. He moved to Los Angeles in 1964 and The Bobby Fuller Four was signed to the Mustang subsidiary of Del-Fi Records. Del-Fi owner Bob Keane discovered Richie Valens. Along wirh Bobby & Randy Fuller, the band was Jim Reese on guitar and Dewayne Quirico and later Dalton Powell on drums. Fuller didn't mess around. He wanted to be Buddy Holly. He had several hits but I Fought The Law reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. I Fought The Law was written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets. So if Holly had lived, he might have recorded it. The Crickets recorded it in 1960. I Fought The Law got a huge boost when The Clash covered it in 1979. Joe Strummer told fans to listen to Fuller's version. You can get it on this budget various artists comp from PolyGram's Priority label. Sadly Bobby Fuller was found dead in a car outside his Los Angeles apartment building on July 18, 1966 at age 23. The Los Angeles medical examiner ruled it as suicide though Fuller's family and friends have always believed he was murdered. It could have been a mob hit. One of Sam Cooke's relatives thought it was similar to Cooke's murder. Randy Fuller attempted to keep the band together unsuccessfully and he later joined a reformed Buffalo Springfield and Dewey Martin and Medicine Ball after Buffalo Springfield split up. Here's The Bobby Fuller Four performing I Fought The Law on Hullaballoo 1965.

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