The Bobby Fuller Four
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1962 in El Paso, Texas, United States |
| Founder | Bobby Fuller |
| Defunct | 1966 |
| Headquarters | Hollywood, California , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
The Bobby Fuller Four—occasionally presented as Bobby Fuller 4—was an American rock & roll ensemble active in the mid-1960s, established by Bobby Fuller. The band originated in 1962 in Fuller's hometown of El Paso, Texas and gained significant recognition through the Mustang Records label based in Hollywood, California. Their most prominent tracks include "Let Her Dance", "I Fought the Law", and "Love's Made a Fool of You".
History
In 1961, Fuller recorded his debut single, "You're in Love," collaborating with the local group the Embers; this track achieved regional acclaim. The following year, he assembled a new lineup featuring his brother Randy on bass and Gaylord Grimes on drums. Their release "Gently My Love," laid down at Norman Petty Recording Studios in Clovis, New Mexico, also found success within the region, although Fuller aspired to reach a wider audience.
After ending his association with Yucca Records in Alamogordo, New Mexico—the label behind his initial two singles—Fuller began distributing music via his own independent labels using recordings made in his home studio. During this period, the band's name alternated between "Bobby Fuller" and "Bobby Fuller and the Fanatics." Essential contributors included guitarist Jim Reese and drummer Dalton Powell, both previously members of the Embers.
By 1963, the group sought major label backing in Hollywood and drew interest from Bob Keane of Del-Fi Records, who, however, believed they lacked commercially viable songs. Returning to El Paso, they continued to produce regional hits, most notably "I Fought the Law." Toward the end of 1964, Fuller along with Randy Fuller and Jim Reese relocated to California to renew discussions with Del-Fi Records. Due to family commitments, drummer Dalton Powell remained in El Paso and was succeeded by DeWayne Quirico, who received direct mentorship from Fuller.
The band portrayed themselves in the 1966 movie The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, performing numbers such as "Make The Music Pretty" and providing instrumental support for Nancy Sinatra on "Geronimo."
Del-Fi Records
Following their emerging successes, Keane signed the group to Del-Fi. Their initial release under Del-Fi was "Those Memories of You," issued on its subsidiary Donna Records and credited to Bobby Fuller and the Fanatics. As their local fan base expanded, Keane launched Mustang Records specifically for Fuller's band. Mustang's inaugural release was "Thunder Reef" in 1965, attributed to the Shindigs to capitalize on the ABC television program Shindig!. Seeking a definitive band name, Keane ultimately chose the Bobby Fuller Four, emphasizing Fuller's role; this title debuted with "Take My Word." Although some members felt this designation placed excessive focus on Fuller himself, it was retained.
Their subsequent single "Never to be Forgotten" enjoyed regional success; however, "Let Her Dance" marked their first national breakthrough, narrowly missing entry into the Billboard Hot 100 by peaking at 133 yet achieving Top 40 status in select markets. Acting on Randy Fuller's advice, they re-recorded their El Paso hit "I Fought the Law," which gained widespread popularity and reached number nine nationally in 1966. Following extensive touring, internal discord emerged: drummer DeWayne Quirico departed unexpectedly and was replaced by John Barbata, while negotiations facilitated Dalton Powell’s return. The band delivered memorable renditions of "I Fought the Law" on NBC's Hullabaloo and appeared on Shivaree.
With Powell reinstated, they released "Love's Made a Fool of You," a cover of a Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery composition that achieved national charting. The follow-up track "The Magic Touch," recorded during Barbata’s period with the band, garnered local attention but did not replicate previous commercial achievements. By July, stability waned: Reese received a military draft notice and sold his Jaguar XKE to Fuller; meanwhile Powell planned to depart to attend to family obligations.
Aftermath
On July 18, 1966, Bobby Fuller was found dead under enigmatic conditions; his battered body was discovered inside his vehicle near his residence in Hollywood, with indications pointing to gasoline ingestion. While acquaintances suspected involvement of organized crime, law enforcement classified the death as a suicide.
The group dissolved shortly after Fuller's passing. Their last single, "It's Love, Come What May," received minimal promotional effort. Subsequently, Keane established the Randy Fuller Four to capitalize on earlier achievements. This lineup included Randy Fuller (bass/rhythm guitar), DeWayne Quirico (drums), Mike Ciccarelli, and Howard Steele (lead guitar and bass). Despite releasing multiple singles—one of which featured overdubbed vocals on "It's Love, Come What May"—the ensemble disbanded by 1967 without attaining chart recognition.
The majority of former band members continued their musical pursuits; Jim Reese passed away in 1991 due to a heart attack while playing golf.
Bobby Fuller's life and career have been documented in two publications: I Fought The Law: The Life and Strange Death of Bobby Fuller authored by Miriam Linna & Randell Fuller (2015) and Rock & Roll Mustangs by Stephen J. McParland (2009; revised 2021).
Singles
| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated |
Label and number | US[1] | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | "You're in Love"1 b/w "Guess We'll Fall in Love" |
Yucca 140 | Non-album tracks | |
| 1962 | "Gently, My Love"1 b/w "My Heart Jumped" |
Yucca 144 | ||
| "Nervous Breakdown"1 b/w "Not Fade Away" |
Eastwood (No #) | |||
| 1963 | "Saturday Night"1 b/w "Stringer" |
Todd 1090 | ||
| 1964 | "King of the Beach"1 b/w "Wine, Wine, Wine" |
Exeter 122 | ||
| "She's My Girl"1 b/w "I Fought the Law" |
Exeter 124 | |||
| "Fool of Love"2 b/w "Shakedown" |
Exeter 126 | |||
| "Those Memories of You"2 b/w "Our Favorite Martian" |
Donna 1403 | |||
| "Wolfman"3 b/w "Thunder Reef" |
Mustang 3003 | |||
| 1965 | "Take My Word"A b/w "She's My Girl" |
Mustang 3004 | KRLA King of the Wheels | |
| "Let Her Dance"A b/w "Another Sad and Lonely Night"A Also released on Liberty 55812 and Mustang 3012 |
Mustang 3006 | 133 | ||
| "Never to Be Forgotten"A b/w "You Kiss Me" (from I Fought the Law) |
Mustang 3011 | |||
| "I Fought the Law" b/w "Little Annie Lou"A (from KRLA King of the Wheels) |
Mustang 3014 | 9 | I Fought the Law | |
| 1966 | "Love's Made a Fool of You" b/w "Don't Ever Let Me Know" |
Mustang 3016 | 26 | Non-album tracks |
| "The Magic Touch" b/w "My True Love" |
Mustang 3018 | 117 | ||
| “It's Love, Come What May”4 b/w “Wolfman” |
Mustang 3020 |
ATracks from first Mustang album also featured on follow-up I Fought the Law
1 Singles released as by Bobby Fuller
2 Released as by Bobby Fuller and The Fanatics
3 Released as by The Shindigs
4 Released as by Randy Fuller, actually recorded by The Bobby Fuller Four with Randy's vocals overdubbed on A-side
Initial US releases
- KRLA King of the Wheels (Mustang M-900 [mono] / MS-900 [stereo], 1965)
- I Fought The Law (Mustang M-901 [mono] / MS-901 [stereo], 1966)
- Celebrity Night At PJ's (cancelled; subsequently featured in the Never To Be Forgotten: The Mustang Years box set, 1997)
Collections and reissues
- The Bobby Fuller Memorial Album (LP, President 1003, 1968)
- The Best of the Bobby Fuller Four (LP, Rhino RNDF-201, 1981)
- KRLA King of the Wheels (LP, Line LP-5146, 1981)
- I Fought the Law (LP, Line LP-5133, 1981)
- The Bobby Fuller Memorial Album (LP, Strand 6.24885, 1982)
- Let Them Dance (The Rare Sides) (LP, OutLine OLLP-5272, 1983)
- Live on Stage (LP, OutLine OLLP-5302, 1983)
- I Fought the Law (LP, Eva 12032, 1983)
- Live Again (LP, Eva 12046, 1984)
- The Best of the Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Rhino 70174, 1990)
- The Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Ace CDCHD-956, 1990)
- Live at PJ's...Plus! (CD, Ace CDCHD-314, 1991)
- The Best of the Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Ace CDCHD-388, 1992)
- The Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Del-Fi DFCD-70174, 1994)
- Never to Be Forgotten: The Mustang Years (3-CD box set, Mustang/Del-Fi DFBX-3903, 1997)
- The Mustang Years (2LP, Munster MR-184, 2000)
- I Fought the Law and Others (7-inch EP, Munster 7141, 2000)
- I Fought the Law: The Best of The Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Del-Fi/Rhino 71904, 2001)
- I Fought the Law and Other Hits (CD, Flashback/Rhino 78170, 2004)
- Rhino Hi-Five: The Bobby Fuller Four (CD, Rhino [number unknown], 2006)
- Magic Touch: The Complete Mustang Singles Collection (CD, Now Sounds [UK] WCRNOW-57, 2018)
Chronology
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External links
- ↑ The Bobby Fuller Four - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.