By Russ:
She is an American pop, R&B, and soul singer best known for her 1976 hit song, “Misty Blue” but she started out with a Girl Group called The Poppies.
She has put out 20 albums over her career so far, as still counting.
I will focus on the earlier part of her journey, which became gradually diminished by the disco period.
Dorothy Moore
Videos:
1966 The Poppies – Lullaby Of Love
.
Misty Blue
.
What Am I To Do
.
Songs:
Funny How Time Slips Away (1976)
.
Special Occasion (1978)
.
I Believe You
.
What Is This (1986)
.
All Night Blues
.
If You Give Me Your Heart – with Little Milton & Dorothy Moore
.
Talk To Me Every Beat Of My Heart
.
Mississippi Song
.
Since I Don’t Have You / Since I Fell For You (1979 Medley)
.
Dorothy Moore was born October 13, 1946, in Jackson, Mississippi. Her parents were Mary Moore and Melvin Hendrex Senior. Her father performed under the stage name Melvin Henderson as a member of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi. She was raised by her great grandmother.
At age three, Dorothy’s mother discovered she possessed a vibrato in her vocal tones, and from then on her mother purchased her musical instruments and accompanied her to gospel programs.
She began singing with The New Stranger Home Baptist Church Choir at the age of five, and, eventually, she became a soloist.
At the Jackson State University, Dorothy formed an all female group called the Poppies with Petsye McCune and Rosemary Taylor. They were signed to Epic Records using the Date subsidiary label.
The Poppies
Their song, “Lullaby Of Love” reached number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1966.
The Poppies worked with The Four Tops, Bobby Goldsboro, and Wilson Pickett.
Her Solo Career
Dorothy established a solo career in 1976 with a series of ballads of the highest order, recording for Malaco Records.
In 1976 she hit the top of the charts with ‘Misty Blue‘ (#1 R&B, #3 on the pop Billboard Hot 100),
‘Funny How Time Slips Away‘, the Willie Nelson song, reached #7 on the R&B chart and #58 on the pop chart.
and ‘I Believe You‘ (#5 R&B, number 27 pop)
in 1977 all became enormous hits and soul standards in their own right.
Dorothy’s recordings in the next few years were not nearly as successful as she became swamped increasingly by the disco trend.
Some Early Albums
1976 – Misty Blue
1978 – Once More With Feeling
Contains the Track: Special Occasion
1979 – Definitely Dorothy
Contains the Track: Since I Don’t Have You/Since I Fell for You (Medley)
—
After a lengthy hiatus, Moore recorded a gospel album, Givin’ It Straight To You (1986) for the Rejoice label of Nashville. The album included a cover of “What Is This”.
She next recorded two albums for Volt Records. She returned to the Malaco label in 1990, for whom she recorded several albums during the ensuing decade and into the new millennium.
Moore has four Grammy Award nominations. Her version of “Misty Blue” appeared on the 2005 compilation album, Classic Soul Ballads.
She has been inducted into
- the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame,
- Drum Major for Justice MLK Award 2008,
- Lifetime Achievement Award Monterey Bay Blues Festival,
- James Brown Heritage Jus Blues Award 2009,
- The Blues Foundation Board of Directors Award 2006-2012,
- nominated for two Blues Music Awards 2013,
- Mississippi Arts Commission Achievement Award,
- Mississippi Blues Trail Markers.
On June 6, 2015 Moore was inducted into the Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame in Clarksdale, MS.
Moore started the record label Farish Street Records in 2002. The label is named to honor Farish Street, the home to live and juke blues music in the neighborhood where Dorothy was raised.
Moore’s albums Please Come Home For Christmas, Gittin’ Down Live, I’m Doing Alright and Blues Heart were released on the Farish label.
–o–
