Sam Moore of the soul duo Sam and Dave has been added to the list of performers for President-elect Donald Trump‘s inaugural events.
Moore told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he felt that the criticism leveled at singer Jennifer Holliday, which led to her to back out of the event, was unfair. Several other musicians have also backed away from performing.
The 81-year-old Moore will perform at the Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration on Thursday. Others expected to play include country stars Lee Greenwood and Toby Keith.
Moore said he initially planned to attend the event at the Lincoln Memorial because he wanted to see Holliday sing, but when she backed out last week, he asked if he could sing in her place.
“I am not going to let them, the left side, intimidate me from doing what I feel is the right thing to do for the country and that (presidential) seal,” Moore said in a phone interview Tuesday.
Moore and his late musical partner Dave Prater were hit singers in the late 1960s with Isaac Hayes-penned hits like “Hold On, I’m Comin'” and “Soul Man,” which earned them a Grammy award. Prater died in 1988, but Moore continues to perform and record as a solo artist.
Moore, who has performed for five other US presidents, said he doesn’t know Trump personally and sometimes he’s been surprised by opinions expressed by Trump.
“He’s got a big mouth, like me,” Moore said. “Whether you agree with him or not, he’s going to say what’s on his mind.”
But he said Trump deserves a chance to prove himself as the next president.
“Give the man a shot,” Moore said. “He hasn’t even said ‘I do’ yet. Give him a chance. If you don’t like him after four years, then don’t vote for him next time.”
Poster Comment:
event at the Lincoln MemorialNever left Massa Abe's GOP plantation, and now he's the house negro.
#1: goldilucky To: hondo68 (#0)
goldilucky posted on 2017-01-18 14:05:20 Reply Private Reply
#2: Stoner To: hondo68 (#0)
Sam & Dave were great. The band I was in in HS & college played many of their songs at clubs, sororities and fraternities. The crowds always loved them !
Stoner posted on 2017-01-18 15:20:25 Reply Private Reply
#3: Stoner To: hondo68 (#0)
And I bet he puts on a hell of a good show !! Too bad Dave could not be with him.
Stoner posted on 2017-01-18 15:36:26 Reply Private Reply
#4: Deckard To: Stoner (#2)
Wow - no kidding? Man, you guys must have had a blast playing some of those songs!
Did you have a full horn section? Not to seem racist, but were you all white boys?
Deckard posted on 2017-01-19 12:40:54 Reply Private Reply
#5: Stoner To: Deckard (#4)
We were a 4 piece group, Drums, Keyboards ( Hammond B-3 w/two Leslie Tone Cabinets ), bass & guitar. Had great vocal harmony ( I did not sing ) I just played drums.
We were an all white group. Many blacks were shocked that we played a lot of black music so well.
It was a very enjoyable time of my life.
Stoner posted on 2017-01-19 13:59:35 Reply Private Reply
#6: Deckard To: Stoner (#5)
Oh - sweet. I love the sound of those.
It must have been fun hauling that around to gigs.
The song list sounds like one of the cover bands I was in. We had drums, bass, two guitars - sometimes one of the guitarists played keyboards.
Not a Hammond B3, just a Farfisa. I don't remember the model but it had two keyboards and no pedals other than a volume pedal.
It was a very enjoyable time of my life.
Same here - great times.
Deckard posted on 2017-01-19 14:37:48 Reply Private Reply
#7: Stoner To: Deckard (#6)
Yeah, especially at one particular club we played often, it was upstairs, and we had to take it up a fire escape. It was a bitch, but we were all young, and just about always had a couple groupies go with us. We thought a lot of times for some gigs to use the keyboardists Vox. But, it just did not have the right sound.
Some smaller venues we would just use one Leslie. Not as good, but could get by.
We modeled ourselves a lot like Young Rascals, and so many of the songs had to have the Hammond sound.
What instrument did you play?
Stoner posted on 2017-01-19 14:49:43 Reply Private Reply
#8: Stoner To: Deckard (#6)
Stoner posted on 2017-01-19 15:07:34 Reply Private Reply
#9: Deckard To: Stoner (#7)
Yeah, that makes sense, you must have had some great vocal harmonies too.
What instrument did you play?
I played bass and sang harmonies mostly but sang lead vocals on several songs. "I Feel Fine" and "Slow Down" by the Beatles, "I Fought The Law" by the Bobby Fuller Four.
We did "96 Tears" by ? and The Mysterians - simple keyboard part but really cool sounding.
I sang lead on "Travelin' Band" by CCR, "Crimson and Clover"...
My grandson started playing guitar at age 7, about two years ago.
I've been sending him MP3's of songs by Jimi Hendrix, Clapton, Jeff Beck, Beatles, some of the old blues masters, Chuck Berry, The Byrds - stuff you don't hear on the radio.
Deckard posted on 2017-01-19 15:08:13 Reply Private Reply
#10: Deckard To: Stoner (#8)
Oh man - DON'T get me started on the $#@& they play on the radio nowdays! LOL. I can't stand to listen to it for long at all.
They have a couple of "oldies" stations, but they play the same 100 or so songs over and over.
I get most of my music from Spotify - they have a pretty good selection of all kinds of music. I record the songs on Audacity, then convert them to MP3 for my player.
ARS - yeah, I have at least a dozen of their songs in my music library (MP3).
Deckard posted on 2017-01-19 15:13:36 Reply Private Reply
#11: Stoner To: Deckard (#9)
WOW.
My oldest just turned 41, damn I'm getting old. He started real young, just slamming around with old junkers friends of mine gave him. Like old Silvertones, and he had a lot of fun with those, acting like he was playing. At 7, I bought him a second hand Gibson SG, left hand model. I bought an amp from A guy I worked with, a Music Man 65 watt head, tube model, with a cabinet with I think it was two 12's. The guy still asks if he wants to sell it back. No way, he loves that amp. At 41, he still has the SG & the Music Man. He also, plays drums.
My youngest son, going on 29, plays drums & guitar. Years ago, I bought him a left hand Strat, and a small Fender amp. He moved out a year ago, after graduation from college, got job a couple counties away. He and his buds took over my wood shop to jam in. Now I have to move all their gear out so I can again use my saws, etc.
I really do not mind, I understand the music business, plus I would rather they be up there than to be somewhere getting into trouble. But, they do not approach music the way my group did. We were a lot more serious about it, and we made money too. Oh well, that is their business. If they are happy, I am happy, that is what counts!
Stoner posted on 2017-01-19 16:43:00 Reply Private Reply
#12: Stoner To: Deckard (#9)
Thats great. You are doing a wonderful thing, exposing your grandson to good music. Keep it up!!
Stoner posted on 2017-01-20 06:18:07 Reply Private Reply