Everyday Creation
Everyday Creation is about purpose, awe and good vibrations. The show's title refers to three types of creation: The ways we express ourselves (for example, with art, music and so many other pursuits fueled by purpose and passion); the parts of life that fill us with awe (birth, death, love, the big picture); and our personal power to create our best possible lives while also making the world a better place. Here, you’ll encounter interviews, essays and some episodes created simply for information and fun. I'm your host Kate Jones, welcoming you to Everyday Creation.
Everyday Creation
Jerry Fuller Wrote "Travelin' Man" and Discovered Talent (Glen Campbell, others) in Unlikely Places
As a singer, Jerry Fuller had hits early in his career with "Betty, My Angel" and "Tennessee Waltz," but he made it big as a songwriter and producer. He wrote over 400 songs in eight years and discovered several talents, including Glen Campbell, the Knickerbockers, and Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. He produced the top 10 hits "Young Girl," "Lady Willpower" and "Over You'" and wrote two number one songs: "Show and Tell" by Al Wilson and "Travelin' Man" by Ricky Nelson.
The image in this episode's chapters and thumbnail is of Fuller's "Teenage Love" album. Also in the chapters, you'll find an image of "Four Decades: A Songwriter Sings His Hits." Both of these CDs are on Amazon.
You can listen to him singing "Betty, My Angel" in this video, which also features several vintage photos from the '50s.
To watch Ricky Nelson perform "Travelin' Man" in 1985, go here.
This tribute is one of 41 stories that Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime journalist, has written and recorded in honor of the music notables who passed away in 2024. He's written tributes for other years as well. You can listen to the ones from 2023 on Everyday Creation. We'll have the 2022 tributes available later this year.
Sheldon also is the creator of Song of the Day, a story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Audible, iHeart and Spotify.
Sheldon:
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Jerry Fuller started singing with his brother when
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they were children,
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but it was his songwriting and producing that
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made him famous.
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Fuller died from lung cancer complications
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July 18 at his home in Sherman Oaks,
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California.
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He was 85.
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The Song of the Day is paying tribute
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to the singers, songwriters and musicians
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who died in 2024.
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His demo singing led to getting a recording
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contract.
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He had a couple of small hits early
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in his career.
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"Betty, My Angel" reached number 94
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and "Tennessee Waltz," 63 on the Billboard Hot
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100.
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Fuller started selling and producing his own songs.
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He wrote more than 400 songs in eight
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years at Four Star Music.
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Fuller knew talent.
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He made more discoveries than a Spanish explorer.
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He heard Glen Campbell singing in an Albuquerque,
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New Mexico, nightclub and convinced him to move
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to Los Angeles.
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He discovered the group the Knickerbockers
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and produced their top 20 hit "Lies."
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He found Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
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in a San Diego bowling alley lounge.
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He wrote and produced "Young Girl," "Lady Willpower"
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and "Over You," all top 10 hits in
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1968.
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He wrote two number one songs, Al Wilson's
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"Show and Tell" and Ricky Nelson's
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"Travelin' Man."
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He wrote "Travelin' Man" in his car while
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waiting to pick up his wife. The song
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is about a man who has a girl
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in every port.
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Fuller used an atlas to pick the countries
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in the song.
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Fuller wrote the song with Sam Cooke in
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mind, but Cooke's manager heard it and didn't
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like it. Nelson's bass player in the next
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office over heard it, and he did like
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it. He asked Cooke's manager about the song.
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Cooke pulled it out of the trash and
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gave it to
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him. The song was Nelson's second and last
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number one hit, though he recorded 18 more
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songs of Fuller's.
Kate:
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That was Song of the Day creator Sheldon
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Zoldan. And I'm Kate Jones, host of Everyday
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Creation.
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Thank you for joining us today.
