Sam Moore

Born in Miami, Florida, in 1935, Sam Moore first honed his skills performing gospel before establishing himself along the state's R&B circuit. His partnership with Dave Prater began in 1961 at Miami's King of Hearts club, where Moore stepped in to rescue Prater's faltering take on Jackie Wilson's "Dogging Around," prompting the pair to launch the act Sam & Dave. Early singles on Roulette Records yielded little success until Jerry Wexler placed them with Atlantic in 1965 and dispatched them to Memphis for sessions at Stax. There they amassed a run of signature tracks such as "Soul Man," "Hold On, I'm Coming," and "I Thank You." Though electrifying onstage, the duo's offstage friction led to their 1970 breakup.

Moore planned a 1971 solo debut under the guidance of arranger and saxophonist King Curtis, yet Curtis's violent death left the project unfinished; the resulting album, Plenty Good Lovin', finally surfaced in 2002. Occasional Sam & Dave reunions occurred through the 1970s and 1980s until Prater's fatal 1988 car accident. Moore sustained his career through sporadic recordings and live work, cutting a fresh "Soul Man" with Lou Reed for the 1986 film of the same name, appearing alongside Junior Walker in the 1988 comedy Tapeheads, joining Conway Twitty on "Rainy Night in Georgia" for the 1994 all-star set Rhythm Country and Blues, and supplying backing vocals for Bruce Springsteen's 1992 release Human Touch.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of Sam & Dave, Moore struggled to secure a solo contract until Rhino backed the 2005 sessions for Overnight Sensational. Issued the next year and helmed by Randy Jackson, the album featured contributions from Springsteen, Steve Winwood, Jon Bon Jovi, Sting, Paul Rodgers, Eric Clapton, and additional guests. He maintained an active touring schedule for the ensuing decade before issuing the patriotic covers collection An American Patriot in 2017. Springsteen again enlisted him for the 2022 soul tribute Only the Strong Survive, where Moore sang on "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" and "Soul Days." Moore passed away in Coral Gables, Florida, on January 10, 2025, at age 89 while recovering from surgery.