JAMES & BOBBY PURIFY

Biography

James & Bobby Purify were a Southern soul vocal duo built around the high, gospel-tinged tenor of James Lee Purify (born May 12, 1944, Pensacola, Florida) and originally Robert Lee Dickey (born September 2, 1939, Tallahassee, Florida). The two cousins came out of Florida’s club and band circuit in the early 1960s, with Purify singing in local groups and Dickey working in outfits such as the Dothan Sextet before they were paired by producer Papa Don Schroeder in Pensacola around 1965.[5][7] Signed to Bell Records and recorded largely at American Sound Studio in Memphis with songwriters Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, they broke through in 1966 with the pleading ballad "I'm Your Puppet," which rose to No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a defining hit of the era’s deep Southern soul sound.[1][4][7] Their debut success led to a run of late‑1960s singles including "Wish You Didn't Have to Go," "Let Love Come Between Us," "Shake a Tail Feather," "I Take What I Want" and others that charted on the R&B and pop listings and made them favorites on both the US soul scene and the emerging UK Northern Soul circuit.[1][4][7]

By the early 1970s, health problems led Robert Dickey to retire from music; he was replaced by Ben Moore, another Florida singer who then performed and recorded under the name Bobby Purify, creating a second incarnation of James & Bobby Purify.[7] This new lineup revived "I'm Your Puppet" in 1976 for Mercury Records, scoring a UK Top 20 hit and finding fresh success in Europe alongside singles such as "Morning Glory," "Get Closer," and "Slow Dancing," while also cutting the album Purify Bros. that leaned into smoother, mid‑’70s soul and ballad styles.[1][7] Across both line‑ups, the duo’s music fused gospel-inflected vocals, Southern soul grit, and pop‑friendly arrangements, and they became enduring favorites among Northern soul collectors and classic soul DJs. Although their mainstream chart run was relatively brief, "I'm Your Puppet" in particular has been widely covered and licensed, ensuring the James & Bobby Purify name remains linked with one of the quintessential soul singles of the 1960s.[1][4][7]

Fun Facts

• James & Bobby Purify were cousins: James Lee Purify from Pensacola and Robert Lee Dickey from Tallahassee, Florida, both adopting the shared stage surname "Purify."[5][7]
• "I'm Your Puppet" was successful enough to become a hit twice: first in 1966 in the US and then again in 1976 in the UK when James re‑cut it with the second Bobby Purify, Ben Moore.[1][4][7]
• Although often associated with the broader Motown and classic soul era, their records were actually cut in the Southern soul hubs of Florida and Memphis and released on New York‑based Bell Records rather than Motown.[1][4][7]
• Robert Lee Dickey retired from music due to health issues and returned to Tallahassee, where he worked outside the industry and was later remembered locally more by his real name than by his Bobby Purify stage persona.[5][7]

Members

• Bobby Purify (from 1965 until 1971)
• Bobby Purify (from 1971 until 1981)
• James Purify

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Papa Don Schroeder - Pensacola DJ, producer, and songwriter who assembled the duo, produced their early Bell Records sessions, and guided their career breakthrough. ("I'm Your Puppet" and other mid‑1960s Bell singles recorded at American Sound Studio) [c. 1965–1968]
• Dan Penn - Songwriter and producer whose Southern soul writing style strongly shaped the duo’s material and sound. (Co‑writer and producer of "I'm Your Puppet," writer/co‑writer of other Bell-era tracks) [mid‑1960s]
• Spooner Oldham - Keyboardist and songwriter whose churchy organ/piano and songs helped define their early recordings. (Co‑writer of "I'm Your Puppet" and session player on early Bell recordings) [mid‑1960s]

Key Collaborators

• Robert Lee Dickey (original Bobby Purify) - Original partner in the duo, singing harmony and sometimes lead alongside James Purify. (Original hit version of "I'm Your Puppet," "Let Love Come Between Us," "Shake a Tail Feather," and other 1966–1968 Bell singles and albums) [1965–early 1970s]
• Ben Moore (second Bobby Purify) - Replaced Robert Dickey in the duo, touring and recording as the new Bobby Purify. (1976 re‑recording of "I'm Your Puppet," singles such as "Morning Glory," "Get Closer," and the album Purify Bros.) [mid‑1970s onward]
• American Sound Studio house musicians - Memphis session players who backed the duo on their Bell recordings, contributing to their distinctive Southern soul sound. (Backing tracks on "I'm Your Puppet" and other late‑1960s Bell singles) [mid‑1960s–late 1960s]

Artists Influenced

• Northern soul and rare soul DJs/collectors in the UK - Their singles became staples in the Northern soul scene, inspiring later UK appreciation of deep Southern soul and prompting reissues and revivals. ("I'm Your Puppet," "Let Love Come Between Us," and other Bell-era sides frequently spun at Northern soul events) [late 1960s onward]
• Later soul and pop artists covering "I'm Your Puppet" - The song’s enduring popularity led many singers to reinterpret it, keeping the duo’s style in circulation. (Subsequent cover versions of "I'm Your Puppet" across soul and pop catalogs) [1970s–present]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #classic-pop-and-rock