“To the end he had that edge of deep authenticity in his voice I could only wonder at”: Springsteen, and others, pay tribute to Sam Moore

Bruce Springsteen is one of the many figures from the worlds of rock and soul to pay tribute to Sam Moore, who died on Friday, aged 89.

"Over on E Street, we are heartbroken to hear of the death of Sam Moore, one of America's greatest soul voices," Springsteen said in a statement on his website.

"There simply isn't another sound like Sam's soulful tenor in American music. Having had the honour to work with Sam on several occasions, he was a sweet and funny man. He was filled with stories of the halcyon days of soul music, and to the end had that edge of deep authenticity in his voice I could only wonder at. We offer our prayers to his wife Joyce and thanks for the immortal recordings Sam left us. God bless."

Moore and Springsteen knew each other well – the soul man had made appearances on stage with the E Street Band and provided backing vocals on several tracks on the Boss’s 1992 album Human Touch. More recently, he had guested on Springsteen’s 2022 soul covers record, Only The Strong Survive.

Meanwhile, Jon Bon Jovi shared a very personal memory of the singer on social media: "I'm not saddened as much as I felt incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to be in his presence. Having had the opportunity to perform and even record with Sam was humbling and an honour. But knowing that I convinced Dorothea to come on what was our first date to see Sam and Dave in the spring of 1980 at the Fast Lane in Asbury park was one of my fondest memories. Sending my luv to his wonderful wife Joyce and imagining that heaven sounds a little better with the voice of an angel."

Sam & Dave - Soul Man (1967) - YouTube

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Elsewhere, Roger Daltrey said: "When I think back to my teenage years and the sounds of the records which would eventually shape my life to come, Sam Moore's voice still rings fresh in my ears. His pure soul voice was inspirational to me. Thank you, Sam for the great music."

Nile Rodgers, meanwhile, tweeted: “RIP to a great Soul Man and a great friend, Sam Moore! Condolences to his family and friends who are many.”

Moore was best known for being one half of Sam And Dave, the '60s soul duo he formed with Dave Prater. The pair’s crossover hits - Hold On, I’m Comin’ and the Grammy-winning Soul Man - became their passport to immortality. The duo split finally in 1981, after which Moore spent much of the next two decades touring and battling with substance abuse.

Though he recorded a solo album in 1970, it wouldn’t be released until 2002. His most recent album, 2006’s sardonicly titled Overnight Sensation, featured contributions from a host of famous admirers, including Sting, Mariah Carey, Jon Bon Jovi and indeed Springsteen.