The Man Who’s Written 4,000 Songs…And Counting
R. Stevie Moore has been writing and recording music for over fifty years and there’s a good chance that you’ve never heard of him. Even after producing more than 4,000 songs and 400 albums, Moore still toils in relative obscurity. But that’s changed in the past decade.
A self-described hermit, R. Stevie Moore has emerged from the confines of his Nashville home to play concerts and festivals all over the world. What’s surprising is that he hadn’t done it sooner, given his pedigree. His father was Bob Moore, a renowned bassist and session musician who played with Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison. But R. Stevie Moore has clearly always been his own man.
Rather than pursue a music career that might have involved a record deal with a major label, R. Stevie Moore chose to maintain creative independence by producing his songs entirely on his own. In doing so, he became a pioneer of lo-fi music and home recording innovator. Moore’s stripped-down DIY sound eventually gained a following that included the likes of the B-52s and Talking Heads. Even his website is appealingly unslick.
What I appreciate most about R. Stevie Moore is his complete lack of artifice. What you see, and what you hear, is what you get. In a world full of contrivances, from fake boobs to fake news, Moore’s authenticity is extremely refreshing.
