He Can Work it Out
~By Gail O’Neill,Journalist/Writer/Super Model

Rob Moore says his mission as a singer-songwriter is to get people to hear what love feels like. His 2010 inaugural writing effort, “I Think of You,” was recorded by Atsushi Exile, released to 16 countries in the Asian Market and needed no translation as it soared to the Top Ten on Japan’s Billboard Chart within weeks. And his 2019 cover of the 1960s single “We Can Work It Out” is arguably a 21-century cri de coeur for hope in the face of hopelessness.

On a micro level, the Beatles’ classic song is about a lover’s quarrel. On a macro level, however, it’s about humankind working out that which threatens to destroy us. “There’s a lot dividing our country now,” says Moore. “But music can be a bridge. I know it can also be a life-saver because it has saved my life a few times.”

Heavily influenced by Whitney Houston, Moore recalls hearing her debut hit “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” for the first time as a four-year-old riding shotgun in his daddy’s pickup truck on a country road in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Back then, the vulnerability in Houston’s voice struck a chord with Moore— who was being raised in an abusive household. Four years later, Houston’s voice came to the rescue again when it triggered Moore’s imagination and illuminated a path that transported him from darkness to light.

Moore’s eclectic sound has been informed by a series of artists and their signature styles —including Houston’s clear enunciation; Luther Vandross’s soulfulness; Aretha Franklin’s raw, honest vocals; Dolly Parton’s optimism, sweetness and light; Mariah Carey’s compositions and harmonies; and Prince’s lack of inhibition. And his recent collaboration with Fred Schneider of the B-52s and Public Enemy’s Brian Hardgroove confirm that Moore is committed to style and substance as an artist.

A veteran of the United States Army, Moore assisted in the capture of Chemical Ali during Operation: Iraqi Freedom during his deployment with the Military Police. Despite the heroics, his personal freedom was under attack at home.

Moore, who is gay, served in the military when "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on military service by gays, bisexuals, and lesbians. Once he was honorably discharged from the Army, he was forced to reconcile his willingness to sacrifice his life for a country that made it illegal for him to marry the man he loved. And, until very recently, his ability to adopt a baby with his husband was illegal in his adopted home state of Georgia. Instead of making him cynical, the experiences have amplified his positive outlook. “My life experiences are what give me a reason to say Yes,” says Moore. “ I know I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to regardless of extenuating circumstances because I have seen the impossible become possible.”