Rock Hall of Famer Sam Moore of Sam & Dave Dies at 89

Sam Moore, one half of the iconic soul duo Sam & Dave, died Friday in Coral Gables, Florida, following surgery for an unspecified condition. He was 89.

Joyce Moore, his wife and manager, confirmed his passing in a Facebook post.

A Rock & Roll Hall of Famer since 1992, he and Dave Prater, who died in a car accident in 1988, were the men behind the classic song "Soul Man," a no. 2 crossover hit from 1967.

Moore, the tenor, and Prater, the baritone, performed together from 1961-1981 after meeting as gospel singers. They established themselves as a legendary live attraction — their energy earned them the nickname "the Sultans of Sweat" — and the premier soul act of the '60s, second only to Aretha Franklin.

Eventually recording for Stax via Atlantic Records, they began charting in 1965. Their first big hit, the following year, was "Hold On, I'm Comin'," which went to no. 21.

After the Grammy-winning "Soul Man," they hit the Top 10 a second time, with "I Thank You" (1968).

They went on to perform with or alongside everyone from Otis Redding to Sha Na Na.

Their recording career cooled off in the '70s, but they enjoyed renewed popularity thanks to Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi's parody group the Blues Brothers in 1979.

Their music was featured in the feature film "The Blues Brothers" in 1980.

By then, their relationship had soured. They performed together on New Year's Eve 1981, exited the stage, and never again spoke a word to each other.

Moore was born October 12, 1935, in Miami. He had a challenging childhood and youth, getting shot thanks to a love triangle in high school and going to prison for hiring sex workers.

Religion and music helped him hold it together, even though his work with Prater never led to a fraternal relationship. Becoming famous and revered quickly, he and Prater — both of them battling drug dependencies — famously split up and reformed over and over.

Following the end of the duo and Prater's death, Moore continued on as a solo act, including releasing his long-lost 1971 album "Plenty Good Lovin'" to acclaim in 2002 and making a cameo in the 1998 movie sequel "Blues Brothers 2000."

He performed the rest of his life, and in 2019 received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.

Moore is survived by his wife.