Editing Bobby Fuller (section)

==Career==
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During the early 1960s, he played in clubs and bars in El Paso, and he recorded on [[independent record label]]s in [[Texas]] with a constantly changing line-up. The only constant band members were Fuller and his younger brother, [[Randy Fuller (musician)|Randy]], on bass. These independent releases (except two songs recorded at the studio of [[Norman Petty]] in [[Clovis, New Mexico|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.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lehmer|first=Larry |title=The Day The Music Died: The Last Tour Of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Richie Valens|publisher=Music Sales Group|year=2004|pages=212, 213|isbn=0-8256-7287-2}}</ref>  By this time, the group consisted of Fuller and his brother Randy on vocals/guitar and bass respectively, [[Jim Reese (musician)|Jim Reese]] on guitar and [[DeWayne Quirico]] on drums. This lineup recorded "I Fought The Law". (There are actually two versions of "I Fought The Law" by Fuller, the original hit that was released as a [[Single (music)|45-rpm single]] and the re-recording that was issued on an album. The arrangements are identical, but the vocals by Fuller are slightly different.)

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 [[Chicano Rock|Tex Mex]] flourishes. His recordings, both [[Cover version|covers]] and originals, also reveal the influences of [[Eddie Cochran]], [[The Beatles]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Little Richard]], and [[The Everly Brothers]], as well as [[Surf music|surf guitar]]. Less well known was Fuller's ability to emulate the [[Reverberation|reverb]]-laden surf guitar of [[Dick Dale]] and [[The Ventures]]. His first [[Top 40]] hit was the self-penned "[[Let Her Dance]]".<ref>{{cite book|last=Corcoran|first=Michael Joseph|title=All Over the Map: True Heroes of Texas Music|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=2005|page=147|isbn=0-292-70976-5}}</ref> His second hit, "I Fought the Law", peaked at No. 9 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on March 12–19, 1966. The song was originally written and recorded by [[Sonny Curtis]], who became a member of Buddy Holly's former group [[The Crickets]] after Holly's death.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lehmer|first=Larry |title=The Day The Music Died: The Last Tour Of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Richie Valens|publisher=Music Sales Group|year=2004|page=213|isbn=0-8256-7287-2}}</ref> The group's third Top 40 single was a cover of Holly's "Love's Made a Fool of You".<ref>{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits|publisher=Billboard Books|year=2004|page=246|isbn=0-8230-7499-4}}</ref>