Curley Moore
June "Curley" Moore (1943 – December 14, 1985) was an American R&B singer. He began his music career in New Orleans in 1960, as vocalist with Huey "Piano" Smith's band The Clowns. He sang on most of the band's recordings over the next decade.[1] During the 1960s Curley had minor regional solo hits under his own name. Those songs included "Don't Pity Me" on SanSu Records, "Soul Train" on Hotline Records and "Get Low Down" also on SanSu. SanSu was headed by Marshall Sehorn and Allen Toussaint who were prolific producers and writers of many New Orleans R&B 45's issued in the 1960s.
June "Curley" Moore | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Also known as | Curly |
Born | 1943 |
Died | December 14, 1985 41–42) New Orleans, Louisiana | (aged
Genres | Rhythm and blues |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
Years active | c.1960 – 1985 |
Labels | Teem, Ace, Nola, Hot Line, Sansu, Instant, Scram, House of the Fox, Roxbury |
The 1970s was a period of struggle for Curley as New Orleans R&B and soul music in general moved toward a harder funk sound and Curley struggled with drugs and gun related issues. An instrumental stab at this harder sound yielded the 45 "Funky, Yeah" on the House of the Fox label which became a cult classic for its hard driving heavy psychedelic sound. In 1979, Curley Moore joined a reformed version of the Clowns with Huey "Piano" Smith at the 1979 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
After serving prison time in the early 1980s, Moore's murdered body was found in Algiers, Louisiana, in December 1985. He was 42 years old.[2][3]
Discography
- They Gonna Do What They Wanna Do (A) Teem 1002 (1963)
- Tried So Hard (B) Teem 1002 (1963)
- At The Mardi Gras (A) (As Huey & Curley) Ace 671 (1964)
- The Second Line (B) (as Huey & Curley) Ace 671 (1964)
- Soul Train (A) Nola- 707 (1964)
- Please Do Something For Me (B) Nola- 707 (1964)
- Soul Train (A) Hot Line 901 (1965)
- This Way I Do (B) Hot Line 901 (1965)
- Get Low Down (Pt. 1) (A) Sansu 457 (1966)
- Get Low Down (Pt. 2) (B) Sansu 457 (1966)
- Goodbye (A) Sansu 468 (1967)
- We Remember (B) Sansu 468 (1967)
- Don’t Pity Me (A) Sansu 473 (1967)
- You Don’t Mean (B) Sansu 473 (1967)
- Get Low Down (Pts. 1) (A) Sansu 457 (1966)
- Get Low Down (Pts. 2) (B) Sansu 457 (1966)
- Sophisticated Sissy (Pt. 1) (A) Instant 11 -2635 (1968)
- Sophisticated Sissy (Pt. 2) (B) Instant 11 -2635 (1968)
- Back In Mother’s Arms (A) (As Curly Moore) Scram 120 (1970)
- Not Just You (B) (As Curly Moore) Scram 120 (1970)
- Shelley’s Rubber Band (A) House Of The Fox MH- 1934 (1971)
- Funky, Yeah (B) House Of The Fox MH- 1934 (1971)
- Lil Sally Walker (Pt. 1) (A) Roxbury RB 2014 (1975)
- Lil Sally Walker (Pt. 2) (B) Roxbury RB 2014 (1975)[4]
- I Love You Sansu (Unissued until released on Sundazed ASIN: B00005A0B8) (2001)
- She’s Coming Home Ace (Jackson, MS) (1998) from Huey "Piano" Smith – That'll Get It (Even More Of The Best)
- I Tried (Curley Moore With Gerri Hall and Benny Spellman) Ace (Jackson, MS) (1998) from Huey "Piano" Smith – That'll Get It (Even More Of The Best)
References
- "Curley Moore, Ex-Clown, Dies In New Orleans", Wavelength, February 1986, p.5
- White, Cliff, "Seehorn's Soul Farm LP", Charley Records, London, England, Liner Notes, 1981
- Wirt, John, "Huey Piano Smith and the Rocking Pneumonia Blues," LSU Press, p.169
- McGrath, Bob (2019). Soul Discography. Eyeball Productions. ISBN 0986641707.