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The Reverend James Moore | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1956-02-01)February 1, 1956 |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan |
| Died | June 7, 2000(2000-06-07) (aged 44) |
| Genres | Gospel music |
| Occupation | Gospel singer |
| Instruments | Vocals, Piano, Organ |
| Years active | 1973–2000 |
| Labels | States, Malaco |
James Leslie Moore Sr. (February 1, 1956 – June 7, 2000) was an American gospel musician and minister. He died in 2000, aged 44.[1][2]
Career
In his early days, Moore was under the tutelage of a woman by the name of the late Elma Hendrix Parham.[2] She later introduced him to Gospel music legends and personal friends, primarily from the Church of God in Christ, such as the late Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, the late Rev. James Cleveland, and Andraé Crouch, among many others, thereby contributing to his musical expertise & artistic craft.
After the much experience in music & performance that Moore had since he was a youth, he later took his foot into the music industry himself, under Savoy Records, releasing his debut album, "Thank You Master", in January of 1974, at the age of seventeen. [3] He also gave much acclaim to the late Parham, the Church of God in Christ and the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA) for the molding of his gospel music career.
After many chart-topping gospel hits and much-noted success in the 1980s and early 1990s, Moore became a household name among many gospel music listeners.[4] He found mainstream success in the music industry, after his "Live" debut in 1988, under Malaco Records, and also recorded two live albums, in 1990 and 1994, with The Mississippi Mass Choir, singing duets with founding member Franklin Delano Williams on the 1990 album, "Live with the Mississippi Mass Choir." This would be a turning point for Moore, his music, and his musicality. Moore also featured on many records & albums of colleagues during the 80s and 90s, either singing alongside or contributing to the composition or arrangement side of their records.
He was also worked with singer LaShun Pace in the early 90s, just years prior before her divorce in 1993.[5]
Later years and illnesses
Continuing in the 1990s, Moore was faced with an onslaught of illnesses, with his health deteriorating. As a youth, he suffered from juvenile diabetes, which later developed into type 1 diabetes. In 1992, he confessed on his album, "Live in Detroit", how he was said to have had a sugar count of 690. In 1993, he was diagnosed with colon cancer, in which he notes on the record "I Will Trust In The Lord..." Rev. Moore had recorded a new record with Mississippi Mass in May 1994 at Jackson State University which was later, upon recovering from the cancer, however, months after the recording in November 1994, he experienced and was diagnosed with kidney failure, which had been connected to an outgrowth of diabetes. As time progressed during the following months, he was required to be placed on dialysis three times a week, along the frequent use of a wheelchair. After the release of Live At Jackson State University in February 1995, he had begun to go blind by that May[4][6][full citation needed][7]
In January 1996, Rev. Moore served as guest on "Jesus Can Paid It All" on the Mississippi Mass Choir, live recording of, I See You In the Rapture. In September that year, he served as guest at the "Hattie B's Daughter" recording with Dorothy Norwood. He would be seen ministering at the COGIC Convocation that November.
Moore returned to his own catalog of records, with "It Ain't Over (Till God Says It's Over)" was recorded on his forty-first birthday in 1997 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and released that summer. Precisely two years after the live recording of the previous record, brought along his last album entitled "Family and Friends, Live from Detroit", which was recorded in February 1999 on his forty-third birthday in his hometown of Detroit, with some of his dearest industry friends and gospel notables, such as Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Rudolph Stanfield, Jr., and Darius Twyman. The album was released in early 2000, shortly before his death at the age of 44.
Personal life
In 1987, Moore was married to a woman named Karen before his marriage declined, and he filed for divorce in 1989 due to his wife's infidelity. He remained a single father of three children. Moore is survived by three children: his daughter Tamara Moore and his son Armel Moore And James Moore Jr. Moore also has six other children, who are his nieces, nephews, and stepchildren, who are mentioned on the back cover of his final album, "Family and Friends: Live from Detroit".
Awards
Rev. Moore received several awards and accolades, including a Stellar Award for Best Male Solo Performance and three Grammy Nominations.[1][8] He also won several awards from the GMWA and a Dove Award.
Discography
Moore’s albums include; [2]
- Thank you Master (1974)
- Brothers and Sisters, I will be praying for you (1981)
- He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs (1982)
- God can do anything (1985)
- Something old and something new (1987)
- Live (1988)
- Reverend James Moore with the Mississippi Mass Choir (1990)
- Live in Detroit (1992)
- I will trust in the Lord (1993)
- Reverend James Moore with the Mississippi Mass Choir: Live at Jackson State University (1995)
- It ain’t over (till God says it’s over) (1997)
- Live from Detroit (2000)
References
- ^ a b "Rev. James Moore Tribute". Gospel Flava. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Rev. James Moore". Discogs. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ Bush, John. "Rev. James Moore". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
- ^ a b North, Stan. "Rev. James Moore (1956-2000): A Tribute". GospelFlava.com. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
- ^ "RIP LaShun Pace: Soloist, Member of Anointed Pace Sisters". Journal of Gospel Music. 22 March 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ^ books.google.com/books?id=aggEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA81&dq=Rev+James+Moore+kidney&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjz5aiBmryNAxUR48kDHY6KMnEQ6AF6BAgFEAM#v=onepage&q=Rev%20James%20Moore%20kidney&f=false
- ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1995-05-13.
- ^ "Rev. James Moore". Grammys. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
External links
- Rev. James Moore at AllMusic
- James Moore memorial
