Jerry Fuller, Songwriter For “Travelin’ Man” and “Young Girl” Dies At 85

Jerry Fuller, the composer responsible for timeless hits like “Travelin’ Man” and “Young Girl,” passed away at 85 years old.

Fuller’s wife informed the New York Times that the songwriter passed away on July 18 as a result of complications from lung cancer. Fuller, who was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1938, first experienced music by participating in talent shows alongside his older brother, Bill. As a grown man, he pursued his musical aspirations by leaving college and relocating to Los Angeles in 1959.

During autumn, he achieved his initial minor success by creating a rockabilly version of the country song “Tennessee Waltz.” While Fuller had talent as a singer, he found more success in his career by writing hit songs for other musicians.

What Hit Songs Did Jerry Fuller Write?

In 1961, he wrote “Travelin’ Man,” the story of a young lothario with romances around the world. “It’s a fairly simple song,” Fuller admitted in the documentary The Wrecking Crew. “I took a world atlas and I looked up, what do they call a girl in Germany? A fraulein. What do they call a senorita in Mexico? I didn’t know wahine for Hawaii, so I said Polynesian baby. And I made a song out of it. A girl in every port was the idea.”

Friend and regular collaborator Glen Campbell assisted Fuller in recording the song. His original plan was to provide the song to Sam Cooke, who later recorded a different song written by Fuller, but ultimately it went to Ricky Nelson. “Travelin’ Man” achieved global success, with sales exceeding six million copies. Fuller and Nelson started working together often, creating more successful songs like “A Wonder Like You,” “Young World” and “It’s Up to You.”

During the second part of the 1960s, Fuller was taking on multiple roles, working as a record producer and discovering new talent, all while composing songs. He was responsible for O.C. Smith’s version of “Little Green Apples,” which peaked at the second spot on the Billboard chart. However, his greatest achievement was found when Fuller came across Gary Puckett singing at a bowling alley in San Diego.

Gary Puckett and the Union Gap went on to achieve a series of successes, such as “Young Girl,” “Lady Willpower,” and “Over You.” Fuller wrote and produced all three, and “Young Girl” is one of the most well-known songs of the time.

Fuller also wrote songs for Johnny Mathis, John Anderson, Andy Williams, Ray Price, and Reba McEntire.