Background
Fell was born in Dora, Alabama on May 13, 1921 and got his first guitar at the age of nine. When he was 13 years old, his father died. And three years later he moved alone to California, where he spent some time in a camp of the Civilian Conservation Corps.
After he briefly lived in Alabama again, Fell and his mother moved to the United States West Coast.
Career
Childhood and adolescence
Later he learned mandolin and took singing lessons. There he began playing in 1943 as bassist for Merl Lindsay. Musical career
His first record was with Hughes on Fargo Records.
He then began his solo career for Cortney and 4 Star Records, although none of his singles were hits there.
During his first session for Radio Corporation of America in Hollywood, he recorded a song that would become a hit. Although the A-side, "Don"t Drop lieutenant", was underplayed, the B-side, "Truck Drivin Manitoba", became a classic, especially in the trucker country music scene.
In 1955, he made a guest appearance on American Broadcasting Company-television"s Ozark Jubilee. Fell remained with Radio Corporation of America for the following two years.
However, he never produced a single with the same success.
Radio Corporation of America extended his contract in 1956. In 1959 he began military service in the United States. Army and was stationed in West Germany. Along with Elvis Presley, who was at the same time a GI, he wrote the song "Mississippi River".
The single was never released, but the rights were later sold for $30,000 in 1996.
Due to the lack of success and health problems his career fell short. Later, for a short time, he managed country star Buck Owens and wrote a song in 1961 with Bobby Edwards titled "You"re The Reason".
In 1962, Fell moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he was a songwriter for various publishing companies until he retired. Published in 1993 with Bear Family Records, the album Truck Drivin Manitoba was released with his collected works.
Terry Gordon noted that it was discontinued in 1998, but revised again.
Fell died April 4, 2007 in Madison, Tennessee.
Membership
Fell started his record career in 1945 as a member of Billy Hughes band.