SOUNDTRACK4LIFE: THE B-SIDES: Happy 81st Birthday Mr Soul Man!

Wednesday, 12 October 2016

Happy 81st Birthday Mr Soul Man!

Like a number of the great Soul Singers of the 1960s Sam Moore first found his voice singing Gospel and along with Dave Prater they had both sung in Gospel groups prior to meeting in 1961where they were soon discovered and signed to Roulette Records.

Keep A' Walkin' backed by I Need Love was their debut single in 1962 (though others report that I Need Love was actually the A-Side. According to Discogs it was only the B-Side).

In 1964 they were signed to Atlantic Records by Jerry Wexler before being "loaned out" to Stax Records. Their fortunes were about to change. Their six singles on Roulette had not charted but once within the fold of Stax and a new set of songwriters (mainly David Porter and Issac Hayes) and being backed by Booker T and The MG's good things were about to follow.

Their first two singles for Stax Records in 1964, A Place Nobody Can Find / Goodnight Baby and I Take What I Want / Sweet Home did not chart.

Hold On! I'm Comin' would be a huge smash hit for Sam & Dave in 1966 reaching #21 on The US Hot 100 to be followed a year later with their biggest hit of their career in Soul Man (peaked at #2).

Between You Don't Know Like I Know (1965) and I Thank You (1968) they released ten straight Top 20 R&B Chart hit singles.

Sam Moore would go on to some minor Solo success after Sam & Dave split, though there were a few reunions, the last being 31st December 1981 at The Old Waldorf in San Francisco.

Dave Prater died in a car crash 9th April 1988.

Sam Moore has performed in films and contributed to soundtracks (a re-recording of Soul Man with Lou Reed reached #30 in 1986 on the UK Singles Chart) and both he and Dave Prater were elected to The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Sam Moore with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

25th Anniversary of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2009