Patsy Alexis Moore, an African American, born August 10, 1964 on the West Indian island of Antigua, is an award-winning, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, as well as a poet, essayist, and educator. Raised in a devout Christian home, and an adult student of New Thought Metaphysics, she has spent most of her productive life in the United States.
Youth
The elder daughter of a North American career military father and Antiguan educator mother, Moore's creative endeavors have been culled from a multicultural upbringing, persistent curiosity, and inventive mind. Her family moved frequently when she was a child. As a result of that experience, her music has always employed diverse influences—including African and Caribbean rhythms, folk, soul, Latin, rock, pop and funk.
Education
Once valedictorian and twice salutatorian in her pre-post secondary years, Moore enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1982. She performed in a band throughout college—singing, writing songs and playing keyboards. While majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Film and Speech Communications, she decided a career in music was of greater interest to her and began working towards that end.
Early career
Moore moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1988. After singer-songwriter/music producer David Mullen asked her to sing backup on a demo, she started composing and performing with others. Her distinctive writing style quickly gained attention in the music community, and a tune she believed to be fun but dismissible became the title track of Reunion Records artist Kim Hill's second album. Moore was hired as a staff writer at McSpadden Group and a record deal with Warner Brothers soon followed. Under the Warner imprint, Moore completed two projects—Regarding the Human Condition and the flower child's guide to love and fashion.
Continuing career
Although numerous performers have covered Moore's tunes since 1989, among the most notable is jazz world favorite Dianne Reeves—who, in 1999, recorded "I Remember" and "Goodbye". That same year, Moore joined keyboardist Charles Mims in writing, arranging and producing Kwanzaa for Young People —a CD and educator resource guide garnering numerous commendations, including Teachers’ Choice, Parent Council, Parents’ Choice and Kids First awards. At the start of 2005, Los Angeles's Walt Disney Concert Hall débuted Misa Justa, a symphonic jazz mass by Argentine-born composer Eduardo Gutiérrez del Barrio, performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a large choir, and a small group of soloists. That ambitious work, widely described as "a celebration of womanhood", features five sung poems written by Moore.
Present day
Twelve years following her stint as a Warner Brothers recording artist, Patsy Moore resurfaced with the independent releases of a book—Essays and Letters: Volume I , a collection of writings touching on the topics of art, politics, religion and spirituality, war and peace, and the author's longtime battle with cancer; a music single—"The Curve", a precursor to "The Most Private Confessions of Saint Clair: Studio Renderings", a full-length CD slated for release in late summer 2007; and a developing humanitarian NPO designed to facilitate artists in aiding the world's most needy. In addition to her work as an artist, Patsy Moore is the founder/senior editor of The Bohemian Aesthetic,, co-owner of Papa Chuy, and creator of Patsy Moore's Song Masters Seminar Series.
