55 Facts About Gary Moore

Robert William Gary Moore was a Northern Irish musician.

Gary Moore began his solo career in the 1970s and achieved major success with 1979's "Parisienne Walkways", which is considered his signature song.

Gary Moore continued to release new music throughout his later career, collaborating with other artists from time to time.

Gary Moore died on 6 February 2011 from a heart attack while on holiday in Spain.

Gary Moore was often described as a virtuoso and has been cited as an influence by many other guitar players.

Gary Moore was voted as one of the greatest guitarists of all time on respective lists by Total Guitar and Louder.

Irish singer-songwriter Bob Geldof said that "without question, [Gary Moore] was one of the great Irish bluesmen".

For most of his career, Gary Moore was heavily associated with Peter Green's famed 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar.

Later Gary Moore was honoured by Gibson and Fender with several signature model guitars.

Robert William Gary Moore was born in Belfast on 4 April 1952, the son of Winnie, a housewife, and Robert Moore, a promoter who ran the Queen's Hall ballroom in Holywood across the Belfast Lough from Belfast.

Gary Moore sang "Sugartime" after his father invited him onstage to sing with a showband at an event that his father had organised.

The older Robert bought his son his first guitar, a second-hand Framus acoustic, when Gary Moore was 10 years old.

Gary Moore later joined Platform Three and The Method, amongst others.

Gary Moore left Belfast for Dublin in 1968 just as The Troubles were beginning in Northern Ireland.

Gary Moore had become frustrated by Skid Row's "limitations" and opted to start a solo career.

Gary Moore recorded three songs with the band during this time, including "Still in Love with You", which he co-wrote.

In 1977, Gary Moore rejoined Thin Lizzy for a tour of the United States after guitarist Brian Robertson injured his hand in a bar fight.

Gary Moore took his place , this time for long enough to record the album Black Rose: A Rock Legend, which was released in 1979.

Gary Moore had become fed up with the band's increasing drug use and the effects it was having on their performance.

Gary Moore was temporarily replaced by Midge Ure from Ultravox, then Dave Flett from Manfred Mann's Earth Band before English guitarist and Pink Floyd backing musician Snowy White became the official replacement for Moore.

Gary Moore joined the stage with former Thin Lizzy members again in August 2005, when a bronze statue of Lynott was unveiled in Dublin.

Gary Moore recorded the album Dirty Fingers, which was shelved in favour of the more "radio-oriented" G-Force album.

In 1984, Gary Moore released the album Victims of the Future, which marked another musical change, this time towards hard rock and heavy metal.

In 1985, Gary Moore released his fifth solo album Run for Cover, which featured guest vocals by Phil Lynott and Glenn Hughes.

In 1990, Gary Moore released the album Still Got the Blues, a return to his blues roots and collaborating with Albert King, Albert Collins and George Harrison.

Gary Moore sported a smart blue suit for videos and live performances instead of being "all dolled up like some guy in Def Leppard".

In 1995, Gary Moore released Blues for Greeny, a tribute album to his friend and mentor Peter Green.

Additional unreleased recordings of Gary Moore's were released on the album How Blue Can You Get in 2021.

In 1975, Gary Moore joined progressive jazz fusion group Colosseum II, which was formed after the demise of bandleader Jon Hiseman's previous band Colosseum.

Gary Moore recorded three albums with the group, before leaving to join Thin Lizzy in 1978.

Gary Moore declined and G-Force helped Osbourne audition other musicians for Osbourne's band.

In 1982, Gary Moore was considered for the guitarist position in Whitesnake, but vocalist David Coverdale opted not to recruit Gary Moore as the band was in the process of severing ties with their management.

In 1987, Gary Moore collaborated on the UK charity record "Let It Be", which was released under the group name Ferry Aid.

The project was marred by personality clashes between members as well as "ear problems" which Gary Moore sustained during the tour.

Gary Moore performed on the One World Project charity single "Grief Never Grows Old", which was released in 2005.

Gary Moore was married to his first wife Kerry from 1985 to 1993.

Gary Moore later had a daughter, Lily, during a relationship with Jo Rendle.

Gary Moore's death was confirmed by Thin Lizzy's manager Adam Parsons.

Gary Moore was buried in a private ceremony at St Margaret's Churchyard in Rottingdean which is in Brighton on the southern coast of England with only family and close friends in attendance.

Gary Moore was known for having an eclectic career having performed blues, hard rock, heavy metal and jazz fusion.

At times he was accused of chasing trends which Gary Moore denied; he said that he had always just done what he liked at the time.

Gary Moore was absolutely fantastic, everything about him was so graceful.

Gary Moore has been described as a virtuoso by numerous publications.

Gary Moore was known for his melodic sensibilities as well as his aggressive vibrato.

Gary Moore was often described as "grumpy" and he had a reputation of being hard to work with.

Don Airey later said that Gary Moore's perfectionism was often to his own detriment.

In 2012, an exhibition celebrating the life and work of Gary Moore was held at the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast.

On 12 April 2019, a tribute concert for Gary Moore was held at The Belfast Empire Music Hall to help raise funds for a memorial statue.

Gary Moore has been cited as an influence by many notable guitarists including Doug Aldrich, Joe Bonamassa, Vivian Campbell, Paul Gilbert, Kirk Hammett, John Norum, John Petrucci, John Sykes, and Zakk Wylde.

In 2018, Gary Moore was voted number 15 on Louder's list of "The 50 Best Guitarists of All Time".

On Still Got the Blues, Gary Moore used another 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, nicknamed "Stripe", which he bought in 1989.

Gary Moore used it extensively throughout the remainder of his career and by the 2000s was his "main guitar".

On Corridors of Power and Victims of the Future, Gary Moore used a 1961 Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster, which had previously belonged to Tommy Steele.

Gary Moore utilised other brands from time to time as well including Dean Markley, Gallien-Krueger and Fender.

Gary Moore was an early adopter of the pedalboard, namely the Boss BCB-6 "Carrying Box", which he used in the early 1980s.