From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Sat Apr 20, 2002  2:20 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Johnny Fuller
 
JOHNNY FULLER

Born 20 April 1929, Edwards, Mississippi
Died 18 May 1985, Oakland, California

Born in Mississippi, Johnny Fuller moved to Vallejo, California
as a kid. He started out as a gospel singer in the late Forties, but
switched to blues (Charles Brown style) by 1954, after he had learned
to play piano. Fuller's records soon appeared on various West Coast
labels, among them Flair, Money, Aladdin, Hollywood and Specialty.
After Johnny Ace killed himself on Christmas Eve 1954, Fuller recorded
"Johnny Ace's Last Letter" for Aladdin. He continued to demonstrate his
versatility with a slew of New Orleans-recorded R&B records on Imperial.
By 1957 he was firmly seduced by rock 'n' roll. His two best known
records are probably "All Night Long" (first released on Irma in May
1958, then on Checker) and "Haunted House" on Specialty. The latter
sold well enough to gain him a spot on tours with Paul Anka and Frankie
Avalon. The song was revived by Sam the Sham, Gene Simmons (# 11
in 1964), the Compton Brothers (# 11 country, 1969), Jerry Lee Lewis,
Roy Buchanan and many others. Fuller returned to the blues in the 60s,
but his success was over, though he recorded an excellent album for
Bluesmaker in 1974. He later worked as a garage mechanic until he
died of a heart attack at the age of 56.

For a list of his rock 'n' roll 45s see Terry Gordon's website:
http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/f/full6000.htm
Recently released on Official were the CD's "Johnny Fuller : West Coast
R&B and Blues Legend, Vol. 1 and 2". Not having heard them, I don't
know if I can recommend them.