Lee Moses
Encyclopedia
Lee Moses was an American
R&B and soul
singer and guitar
ist, whose recordings in the late 1960s, and his 1971 LP
Time and Place, are highly regarded by fans of the deep soul genre.
Moses was born in Atlanta, Georgia
, and attended Booker T. Washington High School. In the late 1950s he formed his first band, the Showstoppers. They became a popular live act in the Atlanta area, and were at one time the house band at the Royal Peacock club.
Moses moved to New York
in the mid 1960s, where he worked as a session musician
as well as recording with Johnny Brantley, who co-wrote and produced his first single, "My Adorable One", in 1965. In 1967 he recorded three singles - all commercially unsuccessful - for the Musicor
label, including "Bad Girl" and an instrumental version of The Four Tops' "Reach Out, I'll Be There". He also recorded a version of "Dark End of the Street", issued by Gates Records probably in 1969. Moses' guitar style has been described as "funky" and likened to that of Jimi Hendrix
, a contemporary of his on the club scene of the mid-1960s. He has also been praised for his "rough and powerful deep soul singing style".
In 1970, he released a single, "Time and Place", on the Maple label, a subsidiary of All Platinum Records
. This was followed by a nine-track LP
of the same name, again produced by Brantley, which contained his versions of several classic songs of the period including "Hey Joe
". The album featured several members of The Ohio Players, as well as Moses' own band, the Deciples (sic). Although the album has since been described as "a revered and highly sought-after lost treasure for deep soul fans and collectors", it was a commercial failure at the time.
Moses also worked with fellow Atlanta native The Mighty Hannibal
on his 1973 album, Truth. He returned to Atlanta in the early 1970s, and continued to perform locally, but did not record again. He died there in 1997.
In 2007, Castle Music issued a CD anthology of all Moses' recordings, under the title Time and Place.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist, whose recordings in the late 1960s, and his 1971 LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
Time and Place, are highly regarded by fans of the deep soul genre.
Moses was born in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, and attended Booker T. Washington High School. In the late 1950s he formed his first band, the Showstoppers. They became a popular live act in the Atlanta area, and were at one time the house band at the Royal Peacock club.
Moses moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the mid 1960s, where he worked as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
as well as recording with Johnny Brantley, who co-wrote and produced his first single, "My Adorable One", in 1965. In 1967 he recorded three singles - all commercially unsuccessful - for the Musicor
Musicor Records
Musicor Records was a New York City based record label, active during the 1960s and 1970s. The label was founded by songwriter Aaron Schroeder and distributed by United Artists Records...
label, including "Bad Girl" and an instrumental version of The Four Tops' "Reach Out, I'll Be There". He also recorded a version of "Dark End of the Street", issued by Gates Records probably in 1969. Moses' guitar style has been described as "funky" and likened to that of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, a contemporary of his on the club scene of the mid-1960s. He has also been praised for his "rough and powerful deep soul singing style".
In 1970, he released a single, "Time and Place", on the Maple label, a subsidiary of All Platinum Records
All Platinum Records
All Platinum Records was one of the labels which was started by Sylvia Robinson before she started Sugar Hill Records.All Platinum purchased Chess Records in the early 1970s after the latter fell into bankruptcy; however, All Platinum was a much smaller label and was unable to keep releasing steady...
. This was followed by a nine-track LP
LP record
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
of the same name, again produced by Brantley, which contained his versions of several classic songs of the period including "Hey Joe
Hey Joe
"Hey Joe" is an American popular song from the 1960s that has become a rock standard and as such, has been performed in a multitude of musical styles by hundreds of different artists since it was first written. "Hey Joe" tells the story of a man who is on the run and planning to head to Mexico...
". The album featured several members of The Ohio Players, as well as Moses' own band, the Deciples (sic). Although the album has since been described as "a revered and highly sought-after lost treasure for deep soul fans and collectors", it was a commercial failure at the time.
Moses also worked with fellow Atlanta native The Mighty Hannibal
The Mighty Hannibal
The Mighty Hannibal is an American R&B, soul and funk singer, songwriter and record producer. Known for his showmanship, and outlandish costumes often incorporating a pink turban, several of his songs carried social or political themes...
on his 1973 album, Truth. He returned to Atlanta in the early 1970s, and continued to perform locally, but did not record again. He died there in 1997.
In 2007, Castle Music issued a CD anthology of all Moses' recordings, under the title Time and Place.