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Sam Moore, one half of the iconic soul duo Sam & Dave, died Friday in Coral Gables, Florida, following an unknown cause of surgery. He was 89 years old.
His wife and manager Joyce Moore confirmed his death. facebook post.
He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 1992, and he and Dave Prater, who died in a car accident in 1988, are the creators of America’s No. 1 hit, “Soul Man.” Two crossover hits from 1967.
Moore, a tenor, and Prater, a baritone, performed together from 1961 to 1981 after meeting as gospel singers. They established themselves as a legendary live attraction, their energy earning them the nickname “The Sultans of Sweat” and establishing them as the greatest soul act of the ’60s, second only to Aretha Franklin.
They eventually recorded for Stax via Atlantic Records and began charting in 1965. The following year, their first big hit, “Hold on I’m Comin’,” reached number one in the United States. twenty one.
“I Thank You” (1968) was his second Top 10 hit, following the Grammy Award-winning “Soul Man.”
They went on to perform with and with everyone from Otis Redding to Sha Nana.
Their recording career cooled down in the ’70s, but they became popular again in 1979 thanks to Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi’s parody group, The Blues Brothers.
Their music was featured in the 1980 feature film The Blues Brothers.
By that time, their relationship had deteriorated. They performed together on New Year’s Eve 1981, walked off stage, and never spoke a word to each other after that.
Moore was born in Miami on October 12, 1935. He had a difficult childhood and youth, including being shot in high school for a love triangle and going to prison for hiring a sex worker.
Even if his work with Prater did not lead to a brotherhood, religion and music helped him maintain it. Quickly famous and respected, he and Mr. Prater (both of whom had battled drug addiction) famously split and reunited many times.
After the duo’s breakup and Prater’s death, Moore continued as a solo artist, releasing the long-lost 1971 album Plenty Good Lovin’ in 2002 to rave reviews, and the 1998 film sequel Blues. He also made a cameo appearance in “Brothers 2000”. ”
He continued to perform for the rest of his life and received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2019.
Mr. Moore is survived by his wife.
