Sam Moore of Legendary Soul Duo Sam & Dave Dies

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Sam Moore, who with Dave Prater formed the legendary soul duo Sam & Dave, earning such hits as “Hold On, I’m Comin'” and “Soul Man” for the Atlantic-distributed Stax label, died today (January 10, 2025) in Coral Gables, Fla., at 89. The cause of death was reported by several sources as “complications recovering from surgery.”

One of rock’s finest vocalists, Paul Rodgers, wrote in tribute, “You were beautiful, so full of life and energy, so giving and loving. As a one of a kind singer and as a man you taught me so much. You have left an imprint on our hearts permanently. Brother, I will miss you until we meet again in heaven.”

Born Samuel David Moore in Miami, Fla., on October 12, 1935, Moore is considered one of the great voices of the ’60s soul music era. He began his career singing gospel tunes and playing the Florida R&B circuit. While playing at a Miami club, the King of Hearts, in 1961, he met Prater, another struggling singer. As Sam & Dave, they found musical compatibility performing as a duet act and began recording for Roulette Records. Their early releases were not successful until 1965 when Jerry Wexler signed them to Atlantic Records. He sent them to work with Stax producer and soul legend Isaac Hayes in Memphis and they soon hit paydirt with a string of hits in 1966-67, including “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” which topped the R&B chart, “Soul Man” (their biggest pop hit at #2, and #1 on the R&B chart) and “I Thank You,” each written by the songwriting team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter, and backed in the studio by the Stax house band, Booker T. and the MG’s.

Watch them perform “Hold On, I’m Comin'” on The Midnight Special with several members of the MG’s, including Steve Cropper and Donald “Duck” Dunn

Their formidable live act earned them the nickname “Double Dynamite.” However, the pair did not get along offstage and they split up in 1970. Moore intended to launch a solo career in 1971 with an album produced by King Curtis, a legendary arranger and sax man. Curtis was murdered a short time before it was completed and the album was not released for more than 30 years.

Throughout the years, Moore and Prater occasionally reunited to perform as Sam & Dave, including after the Blues Brothers (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd), backed by an all-star band featuring most of the MG’s, covered “Soul Man” on their 1978 #1 album Briefcase Full of Blues. They also performed on tour through 1981. The relationship was always a strained one, ending when Prater died in a 1988 car accident. Moore later appeared in the film sequel Blues Brothers 2000 in the role of a preacher, delivering a powerful rendition of the classic “John the Revelator.”

In 1992, Sam & Dave were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the Hall’s 25th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in 2009, Moore performed “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin'” with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.

On Dec. 29, 2024, less than two weeks before he died, Moore wrote, “Just learned of the passing of President Jimmy Carter, who I had the great pleasure and honor of knowing and performing 4 times, the first when he was in office as president and threw an incredible musical event on the White House salon and the last time was the fundraiser after the hurricanes at Texas A&M just a few years ago. I saw him also briefly at the memorial service for former President George HW Bush, who I also had a great pleasure of performing for including at one of his inaugural events. Jimmy was a really special man [and] a really special human being.”

Music writer Dave Marsh called Moore “the greatest living soul singer.” Sam & Dave’s recorded legacy is available here.