Darondo

A regional Bay Area character as much as he was a musical force, Darondo (born William Pulliam) cut a striking and stylish figure in his Rolls-Royce, sharp suits, numerous rings, and expensive shoes as he worked the stages of San Francisco and Oakland in the 1970s. Born in Berkeley, California, on October 5, 1946, Darondo took to music as a child. Eventually he impressed enough people to warrant recording sessions, and released a handful of funk and soul singles on Music City Records, including the regional hit “Didn’t I”.

He became a fixture in the San Francisco area, often appearing at the storied Bimbo’s 365 Club. But wider success eluded him, and he stepped away from music in the late ‘70s to embark on a career in television and other pursuits. After decades of obscurity, Darondo’s music was brought into the public eye in 2005 when BBC Radio host Gilles Peterson exhumed “Didn’t I” for his Gilles Peterson Digs America compilation. That was enough to rekindle interest in Darondo’s scant recorded output. His songs were compiled anew for the digital age, and many were later featured on television series including Breaking Bad, The Blacklist, and High Fidelity. Pulliam died on June 9, 2013.