James and Bobby Purify

James Lee Purify and Robert Lee Dickey, known as James & Bobby Purify, are an R&B singing duo from Pensacola, Florida. They formed in 1965 with Dickey adopting the stage name "Bobby Purify." The duo signed to Bell Records in 1966 and achieved immediate success with "I'm Your Puppet," written by Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn. Produced at FAME Studios, the song reached number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold an estimated one million copies. Their follow-up hit, "Let Love Come Between Us" in 1967, peaked at number 23 on the same chart. The duo continued to record and tour until Dickey retired from music in 1971 for health reasons. James Purify then worked as a solo singer until 1974 when he teamed up with Ben Moore, who adopted the stage name "Bobby Purify." Together, they re-recorded "I'm Your Puppet" which reached number 12 on the UK Singles Chart in 1976. James & Bobby Purify released their debut album James & Bobby Purify in 1967 and a compilation titled Shake A Tail Feather! The Best Of James And Bobby Purify in 2002, which included notable songs like "Morning Glory". Ben Moore released his solo album Purified in 1979 and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1983. James Purify died from complications of COVID-19 on January 22, 2021, while Ben Moore passed away on May 12, 2022.

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