On Nov. 17, 2023, Florida International University opened the doors of the “Sam Moore: The Legendary Soul Man Theatre” in the newly-christened Lee Caplin School of Journalism.
Walking into the 500-foot space, Moore – who grew up in Overtown and is enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – watched transfixed as photos from his decades-long career flashed across the 16-foot wide screen. There was Eddie Murphy with Moore, then George H.W. Bush, Bruce Willis, Bill Clinton and more.
“He hadn’t seen what we had done and how we decorated the theatre,” said Joyce Moore, Sam’s wife. “Underwriting the theatre and then seeing the look of surprise and shock on his face when he walked in, was a big moment for us in our relationship with FIU.”
Moore, a renowned artist and former member of soul music duo Sam and Dave, passed away on Jan. 10 at age 89 in Coral Gables. After playing around the world with some of music’s biggest names, he dedicated his time to inspiring the city’s next generation and students at FIU with his gift and knowledge of music.
Moore was born on Oct. 12, 1935 to teacher Louise Robinson and John Richard Hicks. He found his voice singing gospel music in church. Moore’s talent led him to the stage of Liberty City nightclub King of Hearts in the early 1960s, where he met musical partner Dave Prater, the other half of the “Sam and Dave” duo.
Moore and Prater garnered international fame during the mid-60s to early-70s with hits like “Hold On, I’m Coming” and “Soul Man,” which were distinct from the more pop-oriented sound of Detroit’s Motown Records. The men were inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, making Moore the only native Miamian to be included on the roster.
“His performance dynamics, his vocal capacity, his vocal prowess, his ability to deliver a song, his feeling, his intent, it was a package,” Joyce Moore reminisced. “He knew that it was a God-given gift and he respected it and treated it as such.”
The Sam and Dave partnership continued on-and-off until 1981. With the help of his wife and manager Joyce, he revived his career, toured around the world, and sang at the inaugurations of several U.S. presidents before settling down in Coral Gables in 2015.
“I guess you would say he was a homeboy,” Joyce said. “He never thought he could come back home. But that turned out to be one of the greatest things that he ever did.”

In 2015, he performed at the Miami Beach Centennial Celebrations, where he and his wife became acquainted with a group affiliated with FIU. In 2020, he was invited to be the artist-in-residence at FIU’s Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts. There, he and Joyce provided master classes and educational sessions on their wealth of expertise in the music industry.
“Well, he’s the only Miami-born Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recipient,” said FIU CARTA Dean Brian Schriner. “So when Sam Moore says, ‘I want to get engaged with your students,’ you obviously jump at the opportunity.”
In 2021, Moore became the first recipient of the CARTA Medallion, given by FIU’s College of Communication, Architecture + the Arts and the Tonkinson Foundation.
According to FIU, the Medallion recognizes “outstanding professionals who have demonstrated excellence in their represented fields through international recognition of their work, and who have made an immediate and lasting impact to the local, national and international community in positive ways.”
“Sam crossed all kinds of music genres and was a legendary performer, so it was really a no brainer,” Schriner commented. “He’s a role model for students, having overcome tremendous adversity, the way he held himself in public, the way that he communicated with individuals and made you feel special. For me, he was a logical person to choose.”
A highlight in the family’s relationship with the university was the “Sam Moore: The Legendary Soul Man Theatre,” unveiled on Nov. 17, 2023. Located in the Lee Caplin Immersive Studio for Altered Reality on FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus, the theatre celebrates Moore’s legacy in the music industry and his influence on the educational institution.
“His impact on the music world is legendary, but his impact at FIU has been more around his humility,” said Schriner. “Sam always made you feel like you were the most important person in the room, not him. He was kind, gentle, humble, extremely intelligent, had a wonderful sense of humor, but he treated you like an equal.”
Joyce Moore plans to organize educational events related to music and the arts at FIU in Sam’s name. This will start with screenings of music-related documentaries and artist interviews in the theatre.
His funeral on Jan. 17 will be broadcast in the theatre at 12:30 p.m. Students are invited and refreshments will be served.
“It’s heartbreaking that he’s gone. It’s heartbreaking that we lost him,” Joyce said. “It’s now an unfinished ending because he didn’t get to complete doing what he wanted to do.”
She also reminisced about Sam’s impact on her life, emphasizing how nothing will ever be the same.
“We were married for 43 years. I knew Sam for 58 years,” Joyce continued. “I’ve really lost a best friend.”
Story by Duvasana Bisoondial, video by Samantha Gutierrez and Julien Lescano.