James Moore (singer)

Reverend James Moore Sr. (February 1, 1956 – June 7, 2000), born James Leslie Moore, was an American gospel artist. He died in 2000, aged 44.

In his early days, Moore was under the tutelage of a woman by the name of the late Elma Hendrix Parham, who 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. ^[1] 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 '90s, Moore soon became a household name among many gospel music listeners.^[2] 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 as well as his musicality itself. Moore also featured on many records & albums of fellow colleagues during the '80s & '90s, either singing alongside or contributing to the composition or arrangement side of their records. Continuing in 1990s, Moore was faced with onslaught of illnesses, and his health was 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 describing that blood was passing from his body, coming out like clots, as he put it. After recording his live album with Mississippi Mass in May 1994 in Jackson State University which was later successfully released in February 1995, several months later that same year of 1994, he experienced and was diagnosed with kidney failure, leaving him temporarily bound to a wheelchair, shortly thereafter becoming blind, and placed on dialysis three times a week.^[2] Determined to disallow any disease from hindering him to sing and minister, Moore continued singing, ministering, and recording. Moore's recording, "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 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. He leaves 2 children, 2 of whom are his daughter named Tamara Moore & his son named Armel Moore.

Rev. Moore has also won several awards and accolades, which include a Stellar Award for Best Male Solo Performance, three Grammy Nominations, Dove Award Recipient, and several awards from the GMWA.

• Rev. James Moore at AllMusic
• James Moore memorial