Soul music pioneer Sam Moore dies aged 89 after 'surgery complications'

Sam Moore, famed as one half of the legendary soul and R&B duo Sam and Dave, has passed away at the grand age of 89. (Image: Getty)

Sam Moore, famed as one half of the legendary soul and R&B duo Sam and Dave, has passed away at the grand age of 89.

He shaped the music of icons like Michael Jackson, Al Green, and Bruce Springsteen with captivating, gospel-infused performances that many hail as some of the most electrifying live shows of the 1960s.

Moore captivated audiences with hits such as "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Comin'," contributing to a revival in the popularity of soul, R&B, and blues genres during the '80s.

Sadly, Moore's life came to an end on Friday morning in Coral Gables, Florida, where he succumbed to complications following surgery, confirmed by his publicist Jeremy Westby.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognised Moore and Prater's immense contribution to music by inducting them in 1992. Before their induction, the dynamic duo was second only to Otis Redding on the rosters of Stax Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee, reports the Mirror.

Sam Moore (left) was half of Sam & Dave with Dave Prater, who was the deeper baritone (Image: Mirror )

Their signature stage presence transformed gospel's call-and-response into an exhilarating performance style, and they delivered timelessly beloved soul tracks including "You Don't Know Like I Know," "When Something is Wrong With My Baby" and "I Thank You."

Isaac Hayes and David Porter, the songwriting and production powerhouses, penned most hits for Sam and Dave. Their performances often featured the Stax house band, Booker T. and the MGs, whose guitarist Steve Cropper earned one of the music industry's most iconic acknowledgments as Sam and Dave called out "Play it, Steve" during the classic "Soul Man."

The '60s duo Sam and Dave, known for their soulful hits, saw their star dim after the decade ended. However, their classic track "Soul Man" surged back into popularity in the late 1970s when it was covered by the Blues Brothers, played by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, with many of the original musicians reprising their roles.

Moore, hailing from Miami, Florida, had ambivalent feelings as the track became linked with the "Saturday Night Live" duo, with younger listeners thinking it was a Blues Brothers original.

Yet this cover sparked a revival for Sam and Dave, leading to a resurgence in success until their eventual split in 1981. The band enjoyed two US number ones and also made waves across the pond in the UK with Soul Sister Brown Sugar hitting the number 15 spot on our shores.

Prater, renowned for his deep voice, tragically passed away at just 50 years old in 1988 due to a car accident in Sycamore, Georgia. Fast forward to 2008, the film "Soul Men" hit the screens, featuring two former singers grew who apart but had an uncanny resemblance to the real-life duo, prompting Moore to unsuccessfully sue over the similarities.

Starting his singing career in church, Moore developed a bond with Prater after coaching him through song lyrics, quickly ascending to fame as a celebrated local act in Miami. Their talent didn't go unnoticed, leading to a contract with Atlantic Records in 1965, when Moore was 30, and Prater not far behind at age 28.

Moore tied the knot with his better half, Joyce, back in 1982, and together they have a daughter and the joy of two grandchildren. He looked back on his past struggles with candour during a 2006 interview, giving credit to Joyce for her pivotal role in conquering his drug addiction as his professional career wound down.

Post-addiction, Moore would take his talent to the seas and exclusive events including those attended by presidents, one of which was Barack Obama.

The proud grandfather reminisced: "I did a lot of cruise ships, I did a lot of oldies shows. That's funny to think back to it now. And I did a lot of shows where if I did a show with an oldie show, I had to actually audition."

"But you know what? You keep your mouth shut and you get up there and you sing as hard and perform as hard as you can, and get the little money and go on about your business and try and pay those bills. I'm laughing about it now, but at that time, man, it was really serious."