Arnold Dwight “Gatemouth” Moore, Oral History
Title
Arnold Dwight “Gatemouth” Moore, Oral History
Description
Arnold Dwight “Gatemouth” Moore - (b. Nov 8, 1913, d. May 19, 2004) one of the most daring of the radio announcers of the 1950’s, Moore was a blues singer in the 1930’s and 40’s and a gospel singer, minister and radio announcer in the 50’s, in Birmingham. His accomplishments can best be appreciated by listening to both interviews in the BBRM archive. In this interview, he is joined later on by another giant of Birmingham broadcasting, Roy Wood.
Creator
Arnold Dwight "Gatemouth" Moore
Gary Richardson
Roy Wood
Publisher
Birmingham Black Radio Museum
Date
April 1, 1992
Contributor
Joe Wright
Emily Bibb
Format
JPG
MP3
PDF
Language
English
Identifier
GatemouthMooreOH
Interviewer
Gary Richardson
Interviewee
Arnold Dwight “Gatemouth” Moore
Roy Wood
Transcription
Transcript from audio snippet:
Gatemouth Moore: ...and there’s a part of Stardust where you’re singing that was long ago and now my inspiration, there’s a break where you search out and holler, or say something, and then the girls scream but I didn’t get to scream that day I got ready to got to that break to get ready to sing “stars” and stretched out and laid back to kill ‘em and the girl beat me saying “Oh sing it you Gatemouth sob” (laughing)
Gary Richardson: What?
Gatemouth: The drum fell off, the drum it broke up the show and I didn’t whether to cry quit or what ,and I was going to quit the show I was embarrassed, It was the most em... so the gentleman that owned the theater I’ll never forget his name, he said to me, Mr Moore Mr. Moore think about that now in the ‘30s, what do you make a week I said I make $9 dollars a week. I quit... and I got room and board what do you make nine... he said I’ll tell you what I’ll do How’d you like to have to $25. $25 dollars for what He said let me use that name that lady, not the back part of what she said, the first part and I’ll give you $25 just to let me advertise Gatemouth is in town. The next day I’m in my hotel down on Auburn street and here comes a cowbell and a mule with a hat on and a great big sign with a mouth so you know, an old wagon, Gatemouth at the 81. Gatemouth...And folks was laughing but the story about it, that night at midnight you couldn’t through the streets to see Gatemouth and I’d been there all week as Arnold Dwight Moore so from now on, Mr moore if you want to make some money be Gatemouth
Gatemouth Moore: ...and there’s a part of Stardust where you’re singing that was long ago and now my inspiration, there’s a break where you search out and holler, or say something, and then the girls scream but I didn’t get to scream that day I got ready to got to that break to get ready to sing “stars” and stretched out and laid back to kill ‘em and the girl beat me saying “Oh sing it you Gatemouth sob” (laughing)
Gary Richardson: What?
Gatemouth: The drum fell off, the drum it broke up the show and I didn’t whether to cry quit or what ,and I was going to quit the show I was embarrassed, It was the most em... so the gentleman that owned the theater I’ll never forget his name, he said to me, Mr Moore Mr. Moore think about that now in the ‘30s, what do you make a week I said I make $9 dollars a week. I quit... and I got room and board what do you make nine... he said I’ll tell you what I’ll do How’d you like to have to $25. $25 dollars for what He said let me use that name that lady, not the back part of what she said, the first part and I’ll give you $25 just to let me advertise Gatemouth is in town. The next day I’m in my hotel down on Auburn street and here comes a cowbell and a mule with a hat on and a great big sign with a mouth so you know, an old wagon, Gatemouth at the 81. Gatemouth...And folks was laughing but the story about it, that night at midnight you couldn’t through the streets to see Gatemouth and I’d been there all week as Arnold Dwight Moore so from now on, Mr moore if you want to make some money be Gatemouth
Duration
Full interview: 51 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes
Files
Collection
Citation
Arnold Dwight "Gatemouth" Moore, Gary Richardson, and Roy Wood, “Arnold Dwight “Gatemouth” Moore, Oral History,” The Birmingham Black Radio Museum, accessed October 22, 2024, https://www.thebbrm.org/item/79.
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