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Sam Moore, Half of Soul Duo Sam and Dave, Dead at 89

CultureCelebs
By Craig Garrett
January 12, 2025 | 7:34 a.m. CST
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Photo by S.Buckley / Shutterstock

Sam Moore, the legendary soul icon and one-half of the Grammy-winning duo Sam and Dave, passed away on Friday at the age of 89.

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Moore, best known for creating iconic soul hits like “Soul Man” and “Hold On! I’m Comin’” alongside his late partner Dave Prater, passed away at his Florida home following an unspecified surgery earlier in the week. While the exact cause of his death remains undisclosed, his wife, Joyce Moore, confirmed the news of his death to Rolling Stone.

Prater, Moore’s former partner, tragically lost his life in a car accident in 1988.

The pioneering Black artists were famous for their energetic performances. They became one of the leading acts at Memphis-based Stax Records in the 1960s. With Stax, they performed alongside stars like Otis Redding and worked with Isaac Hayes and David Porter.

The duo’s timeless hit, “Soul Man,” released in 1967, earned them a Grammy and cemented their crossover success. The track not only dominated the R&B charts but also soared to No. 2 on the pop charts. Featured on their third album, the song was reportedly inspired by the civil rights riots in Detroit.

Of course, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd adopted “Soul Man” as their signature tune while performing as the Blues Brothers.

Sam Moore Forged a Bond with Dave Prater Over an On Stage Gaffe

Moore was born on October 12, 1935, in Miami. Like his future partner, he began singing in church and honed his craft on the Southern gospel circuit. Their paths eventually converged in 1961 during an amateur night at Miami’s King of Hearts Club, per Stax Records.

Prater reportedly forgot the lyrics to the song “Doggin’ Around” when Moore joined him, marking the beginning of a legendary partnership that would later earn a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The dynamic, high-energy duo had already made a name for themselves and secured a deal with Atlantic Records. However, they were soon shifted to the subsidiary label Stax. There, they teamed up with the legendary house band, Booker T. & the M.G.’s. This collaboration marked the beginning of an impressive streak of 10 consecutive Top 20 R&B hits, starting with the classic “You Don’t Know Like I Know.”

Sam Moore’s Partnership with Dave Prater was Often Troubled

Often dubbed “Double Dynamite,” Sam & Dave earned fame in the late ’60s for their electrifying and captivating live performances, which perfectly complemented the exceptional quality of their studio recordings, according to a Stax profile.

The duo went their separate ways in 1970 but reunited on several occasions before Prater’s tragic and untimely death. Moore later disclosed that he had briefly worked as a pimp before their partnership. Their relationship was further complicated by struggles with heavy drug use. In 1968, tensions grew worse when Prater shot his wife, further straining their already troubled relationship.

Moore battled addictions to cocaine and heroin and revealed in a 2002 interview with the Independent that his struggles extended to extreme promiscuity. At the time, he estimated he had “14, maybe 15” children.

The soul singer also performed at President Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017.

Moore is survived by his wife Joyce, his daughter Michell, and two grandchildren.