Bobby Fuller
Robert Gaston Fuller (October 22, 1942 – July 18, 1966)[1] was an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for "Let Her Dance" and his cover of the Crickets' "I Fought the Law," recorded with his group The Bobby Fuller Four.
For other people named Robert Fuller, see Robert Fuller (disambiguation).
Bobby Fuller
Robert Gaston Fuller
October 22, 1942
Baytown, Texas
July 18, 1966 (aged 23)
Los Angeles, California
Singer-songwriter, musician
Vocals, guitar, piano, drums
1958–1966
Liberty, Yucca Records, Mustang Records, Todd
Early life[edit]
Born in Baytown, Texas, Fuller was born to Leonard and Eva Barrett Fuller, the middle of three boys, having a maternal older half-brother, Jack, and a younger brother, Randy. 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.[2] His father got a job at El Paso Natural Gas at that time.[2] It was the same year that Elvis Presley became popular, and Bobby Fuller became mesmerized by the new rock and roll star. Fuller soon adopted the style of fellow Texan Buddy Holly, fronting a four-man combo and often using original material.
Death[edit]
Within months of "I Fought the Law" becoming a top 10 hit, Fuller was found dead in an automobile parked outside his Hollywood apartment.[1] The Los Angeles deputy medical examiner, Jerry Nelson, performed the autopsy. According to Dean Kuipers:[7] "The report states that Bobby's face, chest, and side were covered in 'petechial hemorrhages,' probably caused by gasoline vapors and the summer heat. He found no bruises, no broken bones, no cuts. No evidence of beating." Kuipers further explains that boxes for "accident" and "suicide" were checked, but next to the boxes were question marks. Despite the official cause of death, some commentators believe Fuller was murdered.[8][9]
Erik Greene, a relative of Sam Cooke, has cited similarities in the deaths of Cooke and Fuller. Fuller's bandmate Jim Reese suspected that Charles Manson played a role in Fuller's death, but never provided credible evidence; Manson was in prison from 1961 to 1967. A sensationalist crime website has speculated that the Los Angeles Police Department may have been involved because of Fuller's connection to a Mafia-related woman.[10]
Fuller was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles.[11] His death was profiled in a segment of Unsolved Mysteries.[12]
His death was also explored in the May 11, 2015, episode of the NPR program All Things Considered.[13] The program references the book I Fought the Law: The Life and Strange Death of Bobby Fuller by Miriam Linna, with contributions by Randy Fuller.[14] Sometime after the Unsolved Mysteries segment in question initially aired, the cause of Fuller's death was officially changed from "suicide" to "accident".[12]
In popular culture[edit]
New York City Celtic rock band Black 47 released a song titled "Who Killed Bobby Fuller" on their second album, Home of the Brave, in 1994,[15] and Atlanta indie rock band The Rock*A*Teens released an identically titled song on their 1996 self-titled debut album.[16] Lou Reed referenced both Bobby Fuller by name and "I Fought the Law" on the track "Dirt" from his 1978 album Street Hassle,[17] as did indie rock band Metric on their 2006 single "Monster Hospital".[18] In 2013, producer and artist Terry Manning released a tribute album to his friend and mentor Bobby Fuller entitled West Texas Skyline.[19] In 2016 the Austin band Holy Wave (whose members are originally from El Paso) released the song "California Took My Bobby Away" about Bobby Fuller, featured on their album Freaks of Nurture. In 2017, Chuck Prophet released an album titled Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins.