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Jerry Fuller, Travelin’ Man and Young Girl Songwriter, Passes Away at 85
Jerry Fuller, who was an esteemed songwriter with over 1100 songs accredited to his name, died at the age of 85.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Jerry Fuller, the songwriter and producer of many classic hits who had worked with Cher, Glen Campbell, Don McLean, Marty Robbins, Vanessa Williams, Hank Snow, and more, passed away at the age of 85.
He was known for hits like Travelin’ Man for Ricky Nelson and Young Girl for Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. Some other tracks he produced include Al Wilson’s Show and Tell and O.C. Smith’s Little Green Apples, among many others.
Songwriter Jerry Fuller dies of lung cancer
Bobbi Marcus, his publicist, disclosed that Fulller died on Thursday at his Sherman Oaks residence due to complications from lung cancer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He first partnered with Puckett in 1967 for Gary Puckett and the Union Gap's million-selling single Woman Woman, which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 1968, his contributions as a writer and producer accounted for such multi-million albums as Young Girl, Lady Willpower and Over You that even outsold The Beatles.
Gary Puckett said that Jerry Fuller played a major part in shaping his music career because of his vision, which became an integral part of him musically.
He wrote in a statement, "What can ANYONE say about a man who gave SO much to SO many through his talents and efforts in the world of music. Thank you, Jerry! The world was a better place with you in it."
Revisiting Jerry Fuller's songwriting legacy
Fuller discovered Glen Campbell while touring with The Champs in 1960 and persuaded him to move to Los Angeles. Campbell helped Fuller demo Travelin’ Man, originally written for Sam Cooke. However, Ricky Nelson recorded it, and it topped the Hot 100 in 1961. Nineteen songs recorded by Nelson were written by Fuller, including: Congratulations, Young World, and It’s Up To You.
Additionally, in 1968, he produced O.C. Smiths’ version of Little Green Apples, which went to number two on the charts, and wrote/ produced Show and Tell (1974), performed by Wilson, reaching the top spot.
Born November 19th, 1938, in Fort Worth, Texas, Fuller began making music at the age of eleven with his brother Bill as The Fuller Bros. In 1957, he recorded I Found a New Love, and in 1958, he released his first album, Teenage Love. After moving to Los Angeles in 1959, he became a demo singer, which led to a recording contract with Gene Autry’s Four Star Music and Challenge Records.
Two years of songwriting and entertaining troops were spent by Jerry while serving in the U.S. Army after being drafted. Upon discharge from service, he joined Four Star’s Manhattan office. In Albany, he discovered The Knickerbockers, producing their top-20 hit Lies.
In the late ‘60s, Fuller produced Mark Lindsay’s solo hits like Arizona and Miss America. Throughout the ‘70s, he worked with artists like Johnny Mathis and Mac Davis through his Moonchild Productions and Fullness Music Co. He also wrote country songs with Ray Price and Reba McEntire, like I Still Long To Hold You Now And Then, That Makes Two Of Us.
Other musicians who have recorded Fuller songs include: Gene Vincent, Cher, James Darren, Bobby Vee, Lou Rawls, Ray Charles, and The Ventures, among others, totaling over one thousand tracks.
He is survived by his wife, Annette, and children, Adam and Anna.
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