Lathan Moore tried to follow the logical path.

The Harrisburg native tried higher education. After graduating high school in 2000, he attended Southeastern Illinois College for a year, and then received a musical scholarship to Wayland Baptist University in Texas.

“School just wasn’t for me,” Moore says.

He came back to Saline County and worked at Liberty Coal for a year. Mining is in his genes. His father has been a coal miner at American Coal for 35 years. Moore didn’t plan on digging coal for the rest of his life; he was saving a nest egg to finance a move to Nashville.

Not your typical country singer, the 29-year old Moore grew up listening to gospel music. There was no steady diet of Merle Haggard and George Jones.

“My listening habits were centered around the piano and strictly gospel music. I’m a big fan of Kenny Hinson. I still love the Southern gospel sound of The Hinsons. I’ve done a few shows with the New Hinsons, and it was an amazing experience,” Moore says.

After high school, Moore showcased his rich baritone voice throughout the Heartland as a member of two quartets, Eastern Sky and Reliance, before heading off to college in Texas.

In the Lone Star State, Moore was exposed to an exciting brand of country music. Sure, there was the typical drinking and cheating songs, but there were also powerful tunes with strong vocals, solid instrumentation and uplifting messages.

Low on funds, he formed a plan. He would move back home and work in the mines just long enough to finance a move to Nashville. A little apprehensive at pulling the trigger on the move, he knew the time was right when two friends graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and were taking jobs in Nashville. They invited him to make the move with them and he jumped at the opportunity.

Moore made the move to Music City in 2005, and he has been learning valuable career lessons on almost a daily basis.

“I’ve always wanted to sing. My dream was to go to Nashville and give it my best shot. The most important thing is to make as many contacts as possible, stay active and let people know you’re still in the game,” Moore says. “The system down here is very political and definitely doesn’t move too fast. If you’re going make it, plan on staying done here for a long time.”

Moore signed with Blue Steel Records in 2008. His debut single on the independent label, “Beautiful Girl,” was released earlier this year and follow-up “Love In Your Life” came out earlier this month. The album showcases Moore’s deep soulful voice and the tunes drenched with faith, community, family and patriotism.

Local fans will have an opportunity to see the native son in concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, when he appears at Black Diamond Harley Davidson in Marion for a “Christmas Clothes For Kids” benefit concert for the Fowler-Bonan Foundation. All proceeds will be used to purchase school clothes for needy children.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door and can be purchased at Black Diamond, Integrated Health of Southern Illinois in Harrisburg and People’s Bank locations in Marion, Harrisburg and Benton.

Also performing will be Cache River. Popular Nashville songwriter Kendell Marvel, a native of Thompsonville, was originally scheduled to appear but pulled out of the event due to a scheduling conflict. Organizers are currently searching for a replacement.

At Blue Steel, Moore’s debut album was produced by living legend Norro Wilson.

“Getting to work with Norro Wilson was a thrilling experience,” Moore says. “He was able to go to the big publishing companies and get the best songs from the best writers. I’m slowly climbing towards the top, but the ladder is awful high. You gotta be willing to stick it out and wait for the big break. It’s all about being at the right place at the right time. “

Moore says he seems to be gaining local momentum with a recent concert opening for Josh Thompson and huge fundraisers for Farrell Hospital in Harrisburg and Black Diamond in Marion.

— Vince Hoffard can be reached at 618-658-9095 or vincehoffard@yahoo.com.

Lathan Moore Unveils Reflective Sophomore Single
Datum: Thursday 28 October @ 09:29:52 GMT+1
Onderwerp: Releases

As Thanksgiving nears, Moore’s “Love In Your Life” (the title cut from his debut CD released in March 2010) encourages the listener to humbly reflect upon the small acts of love in his/her own life and recognize that the wee but powerful action could make even the toughest man cry.

Moore’s deep, soulful voice reminds the listener of what “living” truly means. A heart-to-heart story (written by Matt McClure, John Paul Williams and Stan Swinarski), the mid-tempo tune features stellar percussion that takes a back seat only to Lathan’s strong vocals.
Much like its message, the lap steel, acoustic guitars and keys appear in minimal form, simplistic yet significant.

“Everyone that I visited with at radio when I released “Beautiful Girl” mentioned they, too, were big fans of “Love In Your Life””, Moore explains.
“This song fits me like a well-worn pair of boots; it really is what I’m about; love, family and my faith. It’s especially a reflection of me and my music”.

An uplifting journey through life, Moore’s sophomore single (produced by Norro Wilson and Rick Holt) is easy to identify with; its easy-does-it melody will play over and over in your head long after the song has ended.
The lyrics are much like messages so often taught in Sunday school, reiterating the importance of God, our family, community and country. Country music staples such as honky-tonks, whiskey and women are noticeably absent, making “Love In Your Life” a song for everyone.

Raised in Harrisburg, Illinois, a mining community, Moore values family, music and hard work, the same qualities he sings about. His journey has taken him from Illinois to Texas to Tennessee, where he’s now settled in to make music his life.

The quintessential country artist found his home at Blue Steel Records where he signed with the indie label in 2008. His first single, entitled “Beautiful Girl”, from his debut CD, was released to radio in March and earned Moore the “DISCovery Award” from Music Row’s Robert K. Oermann.

I have always said of contemporary Country: “It is either too ‘boo hoo’ or too ‘yee haw.’” It seems the blue-collar ethos of the genre (Williams Sr., Nelson, Haggard) has either been lost completely or it is cooked and contrived into radio-friendly Country Pop, rife with kitschy lyrics sung by pretty men in boots and big hats.

So naturally, it is a breath of fresh air when you actually meet the real thing—a salt of the Earth, country boy who doesn’t doll up to look the part, but one who is the very product of it. And it is that element that makes emerging artist, Lathan Moore the total package. Not only does he have the necessary aesthetics of the contemporary Country artist, he is a native son of the aforementioned blue-collar ethic that places emphasis on hard work and perseverance.

Born in Harrisburg, IL Moore is the son of a coal miner (enter Loretta Lynn jokes here; I did) who cut his childhood teeth on farm work and church choirs. “I just pretty much grew up around the piano of a small country church,” Moore said. “It’s a small town outside of town and we had horses, mules, the whole farm. My brothers and I all worked in the mines and my father is still there.”

Moore joined two quartets prior to college, which not only honed his voice but also lent him an ear for country Southern gospel. A music scholarship had him attending Southeast Illinois Junior College and eventually to Wayland Baptist University where he continued to study. “I got hooked up with some musicians that played around Amarillo and Lubbock and they got me into the whole Country scene,” he said. “I decided then that it would be a bit more fun to go towards Country, so I started thinking about moving to Nashville and giving that a try.”

Now with clear career goals in place, Moore faced a life-changing decision: either remain in Texas at school or pursue his career path. Moore said the decision wasn’t that hard to make: “Man, I believe that school is for some people and not for others. I found it hard to devote the time to something that I didn’t like, so I got to talking to my folks and my dad said: ‘Well, come on back and I’ll get you on in the mines.’”

For close to two years, Moore worked the mines with his father. He moved back to his childhood farm to save money to make his move to the heart of Country Music and in 2004 he made the leap. “At first, I was lost. I didn’t know where to start and I was homesick and thinking about going home,” he said. “I had no idea what I was getting into.”

But a chance meeting between friends and local songwriter, Roger West, gave Moore his first break in Nashville. The two struck up a friendship and West set about introducing his new protégé to movers and shakers on the Nashville circuit. Eventually, West introduced Moore to Steve Pope of Blue Steel Records. After a listen to Moore’s CD, Pope invited the fledgling artist to Pensacola. “I went down to meet them and we hit it off. They said:’ We love you, we want you on board so let’s start an artist development campaign.’ And so here we are.’”

Moore’s first offering from the label is Love in Your Life, a 10-track LP of ubiquitous Country, roots tunes and a little folk thrown in for good measure. Presently residing at number 41 on the Country Charts, the album single “Beautiful Girl” is receiving regular spins on radio rotations. Twang guitar and backing strings open the track with Moore’s vocals spinning a yarn of “average Joe” who has very little in life save his “beautiful girl.” Ballad-esque “Cornfield Cadillac” is a nostalgic track replete with weepy, bent-note guitar, acoustic strums and “feel good memories” lyrical subject matter. Opening to feedback-laden guitar “I’d Rather Be Lucky Than Good” is a radio-ready honky stomp with more bent-note guitar and lyrics that serve the title well. Telling the tale of a guy who always winds up on the shiny end of things, it is arguably the album standout.

With Love in Your Life, Moore has a respectable first outing and a solid foundation to make his impact on the Nashville and Country scenes. Combining his natural vocal talent, his penchant for hard work and surrounding himself with the right people in the industry, you could just be looking at the next big thing to emerge from Nashville.

www.lathanmoore.com & www.myspace.com/lathanmooremusic

By: Chris West – cwest@skopemagazine.com