Sam Mooreone half of the 1960s duo Sam & Dave, has passed away. He was 89 years old.
According to Moore’s rep, the late singer — best known for hits like “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin'” — died on Friday morning in Coral Gables, Fla., due to complications while recovering from surgery.
His singing partner Dave Prater died in a car accident in 1988.
MARIE OSMOND SAYS BROTHER WAYNE’S DEATH LEFT A ‘GOLIA HOLE’ IN HER HEART
Moore died on Friday. He was 89 years old. (Getty Images)
The soul and R&B duo performed together for nearly two decades beginning in the early 1960s. Best known for their high energy and gospel-infused performances, the duo has become influential to numerous artists including Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and more.
In the 1980s, the Blues Brothers – comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi – put soul and blues back on the map after they covered Sam and Dave’s “Soul Man” on ‘Saturday Night Live’. They often paid tribute to Sam & Dave during their performances.
Moore was born on October 12, 1935 in Miami, Florida, and began his singing career in church.
Moore struggled with drug addiction in the 1970s. (Getty Images)
He and Prater performed in soul and R&B clubs in the 1950s, but did not meet until 1961 in Miami, according to Associated Press.
LIKE WHAT YOU READ? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
The duo had a contentious relationship towards the end of their run. Moore sued Prater after Prater began touring with a new bandmate as New Sam & Dave, according to the AP.
Sam & Dave started in the 1960s. (Getty Images)
Moore struggled with drug addiction throughout the 1970s, which eventually affected his career. His wife Joyce helped him get treatment for addiction. After getting sober, Moore began accepting jobs he didn’t expect.
“I played a lot of cruises, I did a lot of old shows,” he once told the AP.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE FOR THE FUN NEWSLETTER
“It’s funny to think about it now. And I’ve done a lot of shows where if I was doing a show with an old show, I had to audition,” he said. “But you know what? You keep your mouth shut and you come up there and you sing as loud as you can and you perform as hard as you can, and you get that little bit of money and you go about your business and try to pay those bills. I’m laughing about it now, but at the time, man, it was really serious.”
Moore is survived by his wife Joyce, daughter Michell and two grandchildren.
