Sam & Dave
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Sam & Dave, veterans of the gospel groups The Melionaires and The Sensational Hummingbirds, were an American soul duo, known as one of the best and earliest soul groups. Samuel David Moore(b. 12th October 1935, Miami, Florida, U.S.A.) and David Prater(b. 9th May 1937, Ocilla, Georgia, U.S.A) met in The King of Hearts Club in Miami in 1961, signing to Roulette Records before being signed by Jerry Wexler to Atlantic Records in 1965, then being 'loaned' like many other soul acts of the time to Stax Records.
The duo's 1966 debut, "You Don't' Know Like I Know," started a series of Top Ten soul hits that included "Hold On! I'm Comin'" (1966), "You Got Me Hummin' (1966), "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby" (1967), "Soul Man" (1967), and "I Thank You" (1968). Most of their hits were penned by Isaac Hayes and Dave Porter. In most recordings they were backed by Hayes on piano with Booker T and the MGs and the Memphis Horns. The ending of their association with the Stax recording studios and their frequently volatile relationship contributed to their first break-up in 1970.
Sam & Dave reunited several times during the 1970s, at the last occasion due to The Blues Brothers's 1978 recording of 'Soul Man'. In 1986 Moore re-recorded "Soul Man" with Lou Reed for the film of the same name. As was later revealed, drug problems contributed to the pair's instability; Prater was arrested for selling crack to an undercover policeman. On April 9,1988, Prater died in a car crash in Sycamore Georgia.
Sam Moore appeared with Junior Walker in the 1988 film Tapeheads. He had a renewed solo career in 1994 when his duet with Conway Twitty "Rainy Night In Georgia" appeared on the Top 10 crossover album Rhythm, Country, and Blues.
The pair were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.