Warren "Pete" Moore
| Warren "Pete" Moore | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Warren Moore |
| Born |
November 19, 1939 Detroit, Michigan, USA |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Labels | |
| Associated acts | The Miracles |
Warren "Pete" Moore (born November 19, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer notable as the bass singer for Motown group The Miracles from 1955 onwards, and is one of the group's original members. He is also a 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, and a BMI and ASCAP award-winning songwriter,[1] and was the vocal arranger on all of the group's hits.[2]
Career
A childhood friend of Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson, the two met at a musical event given by the Detroit Public School system, where Moore spotted Robinson singing as part of the show. The two became friends, and formed a singing group, which became the Miracles. Besides his work in the Miracles, Moore helped Miracles member Smokey Robinson write several hit songs, including The Temptations' "It's Growing" and "Since I Lost My Baby", and two of Marvin Gaye's biggest hits, the Top 10 million sellers," Ain't That Peculiar ", and "I'll Be Doggone".
Moore also co-wrote several of The Miracles' own hits. These included "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965), the million-selling Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee" The Tracks Of My Tears" (also 1965), for which he won the ASCAP Award Of Merit,[1] My Girl Has Gone, another Top 20 hit from 1965, "Going to a Go-Go" (also 1965) , (where he came up with the song's initial percussion sequence), and the multi-million selling #1 Pop smash, "Love Machine" (co-written with Miracles' member Billy Griffin) and the platinum album from which it came, City of Angels,[1] among others. The song "Overture" from that album,also co-written by Moore and Billy Griffin, was used as the official theme on Radio Monte Carlo in France from 1978 to 1979.[3] Moore also sung co-lead on a few recordings as well, such as "I Love Your Baby" and the groups' Billboard Top 40 hit "Doggone Right". Pete is also an accomplished producer, having produced several hit songs, including the Miracles' 1965 R&B chart hit, Choosey Beggar, their 1969 hit, Here I Go Again, the group's million-selling Top 10 hit, Baby Baby Don't Cry (also 1969), and the aforementioned City Of Angels album, along with albums by Marvin Gaye, and the Supremes.[4]
In late 2006, Moore re-united with original Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers for an extended interview on the Motown DVD release, "Smokey Robinson & The Miracles : The Definitive Performances". In the interview, Moore revealed for the first time that he was the group's uncredited vocal arranger. The second most prolific songwriter in the Miracles after Robinson, Moore's compositions have been recorded by Linda Ronstadt, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, George Michael, The Rolling Stones, Ramsey Lewis, Tom Jones, Luther Vandross, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and Debby Boone.
Moore is owner and CEO of Las Vegas-based entertainment firm, WBMM Enterprises,[3] and co-owner, with Miracles member Billy Griffin, of music publishing company, Grimora Music.[5] Moore and his wife Tina have two grown daughters, Monette and Monique.
Legacy
In 2007 Moore reunited on stage with original Miracles Bobby Rogers, Claudette Robinson, and Smokey Robinson to celebrate the group's 50th anniversary. In 2009, the Miracles received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[6]
In 2012, Pete Moore was retroactively inducted with the rest of the original Miracles, Bobby Rogers, Ron White, Claudette Robinson, and Marv Tarplin into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson. The induction was handled by a Special Committee, under the premise that the entire group should have been inducted with Robinson back in 1987.[7][8] Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson was the only member of the Miracles to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.[9]
- Moore has been a 4 time winner of the BMI award for songwriting.
- Moore has also been awarded by the American Society of Composers,Authors,and Publishers (ASCAP) for co- composing The Tracks Of My Tears with fellow Miracles Marv Tarplin and Smokey Robinson (see Reference).
- Moore was also honored with the other Miracles when the group received a star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on March 20, 2009.
- Pete Moore was inducted with the rest of The Miracles into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001 .
- Moore was inducted with the rest of The original Miracles into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on April 14, 2012 .
- Ebony, October 1971, pg 169)
References
- 1 2 3 http://www.gbelv.com/pete_moore_awards.html
- ↑ DVD: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Definitive Performances
- 1 2 gbelv.com
- ↑ Joslyn Layne. "Warren 'Pete' Moore - Music Biography, Credits and Discography : AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ↑ http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2005-02-06/sports/0502050166_1_smokey-robinson-orioles-fans-griffin
- ↑ "The Miracles". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-miracles/
- ↑ http://www.futurerocklegends.com/artist.php?artist_id=The_Miracles
- ↑ Plain Dealer File. "The Miracles: In the '60s, we loved and lost to this Motown legend's smooth songs (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2012)". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2012-07-28.
External links
- Songs Written by Pete Moore list with song positions and chart dates
- Interview with Pete Moore of The Miracles on the group's 2012 Rock Hall Induction
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