Sam Moore, Legendary “Soul Man” Singer And Half Of Sam & Dave, Dead At 89

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Moore was working on a gospel album prior to his death.

Legendary soul singer Sam Moore, one-half of the iconic duo Sam & Dave, has passed away at 89.

Moore, best known for he and groupmate Dave Prater’s 1967 hit, “Soul Man,” died Friday (Jan. 10) in Coral Gables, Fl. The reported cause of death was the result of complications suffered while recovering from a surgical procedure Moore had recently underwent.

Bruce Springsteen, a collaborator and close friend of Moore, reacted to the singer’s abrupt passing in a tribute post on social media.

“Over on E Street, we are heartbroken to hear of the death of Sam Moore, one of America’s greatest soul voices. There simply isn’t another sound like Sam’s soulful tenor in American music,” Springsteen wrote on Bluesky.

“Having had the honor to work with Sam on several occasions, he was a sweet and funny man. He was filled with stories of the halcyon days of soul music, and to the end had that edge of deep authenticity in his voice I could only wonder at. We offer our prayers to his wife Joyce and thanks to the immortal recordings Sam left us. God bless.”

A Florida native, Moore was first discovered by late R&B icon Sam Cooke, who offered Moore a gig as his replacement in the gospel group, The Soul Stirrers. However, among becoming enamored by singer Jackie Wilson’s flair and musical style, he decided to transition into pop, eventually meeting fellow crooner Dave Prater and forming the duo, Sam & Dave.

Signing a record deal with Atlantic Records in 1965, Sam & Dave produced the hits “Hold On, I’m Coming” and “Soul Man,” both of which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Singles chart. Released in 1967, “Soul Man” earning Moore and Prater a GRAMMY Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental the following year.

After splitting with Prater in 1970, Moore inked his own solo deal with Atlantic Records shortly after, recording a shelved solo album that included features from Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway.

He and Prater would reunite in 1971, releasing the album, Back at Cha, in 1975, and tour domestically and internationally throughout the ’70s and early ’80s.

The duo would receive a surge in popularity as a result of The Blues Brother film, which prominently featured actors John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s remake of “Soul Man,” which reached Billboard’s Top 40 chart.

Moore and Prater, who passed away in 1988, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, with “Soul Man” being added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry a decade later.

Moore also achieved success in the ’90s, earning two Country Music Association nominations for he and Conway Twitty’s 1994 collaboration “Rainy Night in Georgia,” including album of the year and vocal event of the year

Sam & Dave was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy in 2019, a testament to the duo’s legacy and influence, which has been hailed by musical icons including Phil Collins, Garth Brooks and Jon Bon Jovi, among countless others.

Prior to his death, Moore was working on recording a gospel album with Rudy Perez.