Gatemouth Moore dies

[brownie]

From AP:

Arnold Moore

YAZOO CITY, Miss. (AP) - Arnold Dwight "Gatemouth" Moore, a blues singer who wrote songs later recorded by B.B. King and

Rufus Thomas, died Wednesday, the coroner said. He was 90.

In addition to "Did You Ever Love A Woman?", which King and Thomas recorded, Moore also wrote "Somebody's Got To Go"

and "I Ain't Mad at You Pretty Baby."

Moore claimed the nickname "Gatemouth" came from his loud singing and speaking voice. He arrived in Kansas City at

age 16, and sang with the bands of Bennie Moten, Tommy Douglas and Walter Barnes.

He was ordained as a minister in Chicago in 1949, and through the 1970s recorded gospel music and worked on religious

programs on television and radio.

His last album, "Great R&B Oldies" in 1977, included recut blues classics and new songs, including a salute to his Memphis

stomping ground in "Beale Street Ain't Beale Street No More."

In 2004, the Mississippi Legislature adopted a resolution commending Moore's career.

[GA Russell]

Was he the Gatemouth who performed in a cowboy outfit, or am I thinking of another Gatemouth?

[John L]

Was he the Gatemouth who performed in a cowboy outfit, or am I thinking of another Gatemouth?

You are probably thinking of Gatemouth Brown who, fortunately, is still with us

Gatemouth Moore was a really fine singer. RIP

[GA Russell]

Thanks John. I think you're right.

[Joe]

For those who may have missed it (like me, until yesterday):

I'm not certain, but I believe this is the first collection to be issued -- at least in the CD era -- of Moore's earliest recordings. As an added bonus, sidemen include:

-- Tiny Grimes

-- John Hardee

-- Sammy Benskin

-- Pete Johnson

-- and a small swing-to-bop, mostly Ellingtonian band led by Budd Johnson and featuring Dick Vance, Jimmy Hamilton, Harry Carney, Junior Raglin and J. C. Heard

Good stuff.

Edited August 15, 2005 by Joe