- MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us.
What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?- Garry Moore: Well, the very first person to motivate me was my father because he has always been a lover of all kinds of music. So i was exposed to music at an early age as a toddler. My father had albums from almost all genre’s of music which got my attention as a young child. So my taste for various kinds of music became very broad! I use to observe how he analyzed everything from the beginning of the song to the end. The vocals, the drums, the guitars, the bass, the horns, the strings, the keyboards, the percussion’s, and even the solo’s in the song ect… As a kid i begin to develop that same analytical musical mindset! It was the Beatles who made me want to pick up the guitar and sing when I first saw them on T.V in the late 60’s around 1968. However, I did not start playing until around 1970 (age 10) It was James Brown who also inspired me to want to sing and dance. This was around 1968. Another great influence to sing was The Mighty Clouds Of Joy, a gospel quintet group because my mother would play their records all of the time. She loved gospel and my father loved everything else (Blues, Jazz, Rock, Soul, Pop, R&b, Easy Listening and more…) At age nine my grandmother decided to form a group of some of her grandson’s. Myself, my cousin Allen, my cousin Tommy, my cousin Melvin, and a close friend Joseph. She named us The Bells Of Joy, and I was the main lead singer of the group even though two other boys would lead a song occasionally. That’s where it all started!
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MuzicNotez: Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?
- Garry Moore: As i grew older into my teenage years my musical taste began to mature and expand. I tried to glean from all artist and all genre’s. I literally became a student of music! I would sit in my room for hours on end listening to records over and over and over again analyzing every single nuance vocally and musically. I studied song structure and how to build a song from the into, to the middle, to the end. Also studying the hook of the song and the commercial aspects of the song. I listened to all of the guitar greats like Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, B.B. King, Jeff Beck, Al McKay, George Benson, Hadley Hockensmith, and Wes Montgomery to refine my guitar skills. In the early 70’s Gospel music legend Andrae Crouch was my greatest influence in gospel music, he along with The Mighty Clouds Of Joy, Edwin Hawkins and Rance Allen. However, my musical style and approach to music was more influenced by Earth Wind & Fire! I studied and analyzed their music more than any other artist I learned how to sing falsetto listening to Earth Wind & Fire. No one else in the surrounding area I lived in could sing falsetto, but I could, and do it flawlessly! That came from years of listening and singing along with Philip Bailey and Maurice White of Earth Wind & Fire. Even though was not intentionally trying to sound like them, I did. Because i listened to them for thousands of hours from 1973 to the time i recorded my first recorded in 1980. Other artist that i listen to but not as much as E.W.F. were The Commodores, The Jacksons, Sly & The Family Stone, The Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, and The Average White Band. My musical style took shape in the 70’s. From 1970 to 1979. That is why i label my style as “Soul Pop Funk Gospel” because it has an old school sound. I always say that music was at it’s best during the 60’s and 70’s and most of the 80’s.
- MuzicNotez: What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?
- Garry Moore: My ultimate goal is to reach as many people as I can with the message of the Gospel through the gift of music that God has given me! (that’s top for me) but I would also love to win a Grammy Award before I’m done. Since age 16 I’ve told myself I’m going to win a Grammy one day. I’ve won numerous music awards but never a Grammy which is the ultimate musical achievement that an artist can receive. However, if it never happens, I’m just elated to write and record music to inspire, uplift, encourage, give hope, guide and strengthen one’s faith in God! Nothing makes me more happy than to impact someone with my message in the music. It’s all about the message and nothing else! I have an obligation to give God’s message through my music. Because where a person may not give an ear to a sermon, they will give an ear to a song!
- MuzicNotez: What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?
- Garry Moore: In 1985 my group Fire Power opened up for the multi Grammy award winning group “The Mighty Clouds Of Joy” (my childhood music idols) my career highlight!
As far as best or favorite performance for me was my 2010 concert at E.O.C.C. (I’m pastor) some great Live concert footage is on YouTube which has thousands of views. The song “Well Done” is closing in on 30,000 views.
- Garry Moore: In 1985 my group Fire Power opened up for the multi Grammy award winning group “The Mighty Clouds Of Joy” (my childhood music idols) my career highlight!
- MuzicNotez: You’re latest release is the album ‘Triumphant (Vol 2)’, what makes this album unique from Volume 1?
- Garry Moore: In “Triumphant Volume 1″ I was coming to an end of a musical place. In Triumphant Volume 2” I’ve entered into a new musical place!
Volume 2 was specifically designed to bring a message of hope to a nation who has lost it’s way (America) this is where the song “Born Again” comes in and also the award winning song “God Is Bigger” Tracks like “I’ll Be Fine” (my favorite track on the album)… “He Will Be There” and “He Understands It” were written specifically to minister to the brokenhearted, hurting people of the world. There is a lot of pain in the world that we live in today and people need uplifting and a clear message of hope in Jesus Christ! He is the ONLY answer! The album is only 6 months old, released in August 2017 and doing really well on Spotify streaming and also iTunes.
- Garry Moore: In “Triumphant Volume 1″ I was coming to an end of a musical place. In Triumphant Volume 2” I’ve entered into a new musical place!
- MuzicNotez: You’ve written over 700 songs, and released 8 full albums already! Where does the motivation come from for all of this music?
- Garry Moore: Actually I’ve written over 600 songs but I’m closing in on 700, it won’t be long, Lol. Yes, I’ve released 8 solo albums and 2 with my former group Fire Power.
A total of 10 all together. I’m almost finished with my 9th solo studio album titled “Eternal” set to drop in September 2018 with a total of 15 new songs. I’m very excited about this new upcoming album in September. To answer your question about motivation… Believe it or not, I am always motivated! It doesn’t take much for me to get motivated because I’m constantly in that mode to write and record every single day. I eat, sleep, breathe, and live music! I always tell people, “I could write a song everyday if i wanted to” I really think I could. Because to be truthful, I have to intentionally keep myself from writing songs. I have to turn the Songwriter off in me in order to function as a normal human being! But to answer your question, My motivation comes from God!!!
Almost every single day of my life there is a new tune playing in my head. I am totally consumed by music even in my sleep. I have written many songs in my sleep and they wake me up in the night to record them or write them down. That is why I have so many. This has been my life for over 35 years. God gave me this gift of music, so he get’s ALL of the glory!
- Garry Moore: Actually I’ve written over 600 songs but I’m closing in on 700, it won’t be long, Lol. Yes, I’ve released 8 solo albums and 2 with my former group Fire Power.
- MuzicNotez: You’re always in your newly upgraded home studio creating new music, what’s your writing and recording process like?
- Garry Moore: The writing process for me almost always starts with the music first. I’ve written songs while on the job. I’ve written songs while driving on the highway. (Thank You)
I’ve written songs while in the shower (How Excellent) I’ve written songs while sleep (You’ve Been So Good) just to name a few. So I can write a song anywhere at any time. Writing songs comes so easy for me, but that’s not by any genius of my own. That comes only from God above and I know it does. It’s a gift!I usually start with a drum beat, then the bass line, then keyboard parts, then guitar parts and overdubs. Once i get a good solid rhythm track i begin to lay down the background vocal harmonies one by one, then the lead vocals and last of all the adlib parts musically and vocally. Afterwards I spend days tweaking everything to make sure i get a good quality recording. Since I’ve started working in my own studio my recording are much more refined in production now. If you listen to all of my albums before “Triumphant Volume 2” you can tell the overall difference in the production! That’s because I’m not at the mercy of the studio of someone else or the limited time they can give me to get a good production. A good production takes a lot of time (many many hours upon hours of mixing and editing to get it right)
- Garry Moore: The writing process for me almost always starts with the music first. I’ve written songs while on the job. I’ve written songs while driving on the highway. (Thank You)
- MuzicNotez: What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?
- Garry Moore: I’ve been made an offer to go on tour this Summer. (haven’t decided yet to accept the offer) The 2018 album is almost finished. The first single was released in January entitled “Beautiful” the second single will be released on March 12th in time for Easter titled “The Cross” and the third single from the 2018 album will drop in June or July titled “Runnin Got To Make 100” followed by the album in September. So there is a lot going on this year. Oh, I forgot the Indie Music Awards and The Akedemia Music in April. I have songs up for nomination.
- MuzicNotez: Anything else you wish to say about yourself or your music? Any message for your fans?
- Garry Moore: Yes, I want to personally thank everyone who has supported my music over the years. It means more to me than you will ever know! I get emails and messages from people around the world saying how much the music inspires and uplifts them and gets them trough the toughest of times. Nothing could make me more happy than to hear from people who have been impacted by the message in the music God has given me to give to the world. That is my mission in life, to spread God’s word whether that be through preaching and teaching or through the medium of music. Thank you so very much you wonderful music friends and fans! I love you!