I’ll be spending the next week trying to refurbish all the lost vitamin D back into my body under the bright sun of Florida. While I am there, I will do my best to keep up the posts on here as best I can, so forgive me if a day or two goes by with nary a mention of music.
Thanks!
Robert
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Bobby Fuller
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.
Born in Baytown, Texas, Fuller spent most of his youth in El Paso, Texas. 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, and recorded on independent record labels 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.
The Bobby Fuller Four
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.
The Bobby Fuller Four
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.
The last photo taken of Bobby Fuller
Just after “I Fought The Law” became 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 hemorrhages” probably caused by gasoline fumes 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.
Confusion has reigned over Fuller’s death, with many misinterpreting the coroner’s verdict of asphyxiation and the police’s report: “Deceased was found lying face down in front seat of car: a gas can, 1/3 full, cover open; windows were all rolled up and doors shut, not locked; keys not in ignition.” This has been construed by some as Fuller swallowing gasoline when, in fact, asphyxiation would have been caused by a deadly build-up of gasoline fumes in a sealed environment.
Bobby Fuller was found laying down in the car
Erik Greene, a relative of the late singer Sam Cooke, has cited similarities in the deaths of Cooke and Fuller. The only one which survives scrutiny is that both attended the same night club. Fuller bandmate, Jim Reese, suspected that Charles Manson may have had something to do with Fuller’s death but has 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.
Bobby Fuller's final resting place at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles, California
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.
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”.
You can find more on the suspicious nature of Bobby Fuller’s death by clicking HERE.
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(with Nancy Sinatra for the film, “The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini”)
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Joe Willie Wilkins
Joe Willie Wilkins (January 7, 1921 – March 28, 1981) was an American Memphis blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. Whilst he influenced contemporaries such as Houston Stackhouse, Robert Nighthawk, David Honeyboy Edwards, and Jimmy Rogers, Wilkins’ bigger impact was on up and coming guitarists, including Little Milton, B.B. King, and Albert King. Wilkins’ songs included “Hard Headed Woman” and “It’s Too Bad.”
Wilkins was born in Davenport, Coahoma County, Mississippi. He grew up on a plantation near Bobo. His father, Papa Frank Wilkins, was a local sharecropper and guitarist, whose friend was the country bluesman, Charley Patton. Young Wilkins learned to play guitar, harmonica and accordion. His early proficiency of the guitar, and slavish devotion to learning from records, earned him the nickname of “Walking Seeburg” (Seeburg Corporation being an early manufacturer of jukebox).
(L to R): Joe Willie Wilkins, Pinetop Perkins, Sonny Boy Williamson II, announcer Hugh Smith, James "Peck" Curtis, and Houston Stackhouse on the King Biscuit Time program in the KFFA studio, 1944
Becoming a well-known musician in the Mississippi Delta, by the early 1940s Wilkins took over from Robert Lockwood, Jr. in Sonny Boy Williamson II’s band. In 1941, Wilkins relocated to Helena, Arkansas, and joined both Williamson and Lockwood on KFFA Radio’s “King Biscuit Time”. Through the 1940s Wilkins broadcast regularly playing alongside Williamson, Willie Love, Robert Nighthawk, Elmore James, Memphis Slim, Houston Stackhouse and Howlin’ Wolf. His guitar playing appeared on several recordings by Williamson, Love and Big Joe Williams, for the latter of whom he played bass.
For Muddy Waters, Wilkins was noted as the first guitarist from the Delta who played single string guitar riffs without a slide. Later on Waters stated:
“The man is great, the man is stone great. For blues, like I say, he’s the best.”
Joe Willie Wilkins
Forming The Three Aces with Willie Nix and Love in 1950, he rejoined Williamson at KWEM Radio, which led on to Wilkin’s becoming part of the studio band at Sun Records. He was also utilized by Trumpet Records, and as a prominent sideman, Wilkins recorded with Williamson, Love, Nix, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, Roosevelt Sykes, Big Walter Horton, Little Walter, Mose Vinson, Joe Hill Louis, Elmore James, and Floyd Jones.
Charley Booker’s final recording was as a guest with Wilkins at a 1973 blues festival at Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The same year, Mimosa Records released a single of Wilkin’s debut vocal performance. Adamo Records later issued a live album of some of his concert dates.
His working relationship and friendship with Houston Stackhouse endured over the years, with Stackhouse at one time living in the same premises as Wilkins and his wife. Wilkins and Stackhouse played at various blues music festivals, and were part of the traveling Memphis Blues Caravan. After undergoing a colostomy in the late 1970s, Wilkins still continued to perform until his final East Coast tour in 1981.
Wilkins is buried near Memphis in the Galilee Memorial Gardens.
There is some confusion over both the precise date of birth, and death, for Wilkins. Various sources quote 1923 as his year of birth, and many cite 1979 for his death. However, in the latter respect Allmusic quotes “his final performances were an East Coast tour in 1981, and he died in the week following these engagements.
(with Houston Stackhouse)
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(with Sonny Boy Williamson II, Elmore James, Leonard Ware and Willie Love)
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Otis Rush
Otis Rush (born April 29, 1935 in Philadelphia, Mississippi) is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes. With similar qualities to Magic Sam and Buddy Guy, his sound became known as West Side Chicago blues and became an influence on many musicians including Michael Bloomfield and Eric Clapton.
Rush is left-handed and, unlike many other left-handed guitarists, plays a left-handed instrument strung upside-down with the low E string at the bottom. He played often with the little finger of his pick hand curled under the low E for positioning. It is widely believed that this contributes to his distinctive sound. Other guitarists who restrung upside down include Albert King, Doyle Bramhall II, and Dick Dale. He has a wide-ranging, powerful tenor voice.
Otis Rush
After moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1948, Rush made a name for himself playing in clubs on both the South Side and West Side blues scenes. From 1956 to 1958, he recorded for the Cobra Records and released eight singles, some featuring Ike Turner on guitar. His first single “I Can’t Quit You Baby” in 1956 reached No. 6 on Billboard’s R&B chart. During his tenure with Cobra, he recorded some of his well known songs such as “Double Trouble” and “All Your Love (I Miss Loving).”
After Cobra Records went bankrupt in 1959, Rush landed a recording contract with Chess in 1960. He recorded eight tracks for the label, four of which were released on two singles that year. Six tracks including the two singles later came out on “Door To Door” album in 1969, a compilation with Albert King.
He also went into the studio for Duke Records in 1962, but only one single “Homework/I Have to Laugh” was issued from the label. It also received a release in Great Britain on Vocalion VP9260 in 1963. In 1965, he recorded for Vanguard which can be heard on the label’s compilation album, Chicago/The Blues/Today! Vol.2.
In the 1960s, Rush began playing in other cities in the U.S. and also to Europe, most notably the American Folk Blues Festival.
In 1969, the album Mourning in the Morning was released on Cotillion Records. Recorded at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the album was produced by Michael Bloomfield and Nick Gravenites (then of Electric Flag). The sound that incorporated soul and rock was a brand new direction for Rush.
In 1971, Rush recorded the album Right Place, Wrong Time in San Francisco, California for Capitol Records, but Capitol decided not to release it. The album was finally released in 1976 when Rush purchased the master from Capitol and had it released by P-Vine Records in Japan. Bullfrog Records released it in the U.S. soon after. The album generally has since gained a reputation as one of the best works by Rush.
In the 1970s, he also released some albums on Delmark Records and also from Sonet Records in Europe, but by the end of the decade he stopped performing and recording.
Rush made a come back in 1985 making a U.S. tour and releasing the live album, Tops, recorded at the San Francisco Blues Festival.
In 1994, Rush released Ain’t Enough Comin’ In, the first studio album in 16 years. Any Place I’m Goin’ followed in 1998, and Rush earned his first Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1999.
Otis Rush and Jimmy Page
Though he has not recorded a new studio album since 1998, he continued to tour and perform. In 2002, he was featured on the Bo Diddley tribute album Hey Bo Diddley – A Tribute!, performing the song “I’m A Man”.
However, he suffered a stroke in 2004 which has kept him from performing since. In 2006, Rush released his latest CD, Live and From San Francisco on Blues Express Records, a live recording from 1999. Video footage of the same show was released on the DVD Live Part 1 in 2003.
Rush has two daughters and two sons from a previous marriage and 2 daughters from his second marriage, Lena and Sophia.
(with Eric Clapton)
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(with Eric Clapton and Luther Allison)
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ROBERT ROUSE
Robert has been performing
in bands and writing songs
since 1969. He is a former
writer and performer for the
Bob & Tom Show. He lives
in Fort Wayne, IN with his
wife, Sheri and their three
children, Dustin, Harrison
and McCartney.
CLICK HERE
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CLICK HERE
The Gloucester Blues Project Blog
Every Sunday, Peter Tibbles contributes a column called "Elder Music" at the web site, TIME GOES BY. Check it out. For archives of previous "Elder Music" columns click HERE.
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Robert Rouse. All
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