Abra Moore | |
---|---|
Birth name | Abra Moore |
Born |
San Diego, California, U.S. |
June 8, 1969
Origin | Puna, Hawaii, U.S. |
Genres | Rock, pop, country |
Occupation(s) | singer, songwriter |
Instruments | Guitar, banjo, piano, keyboards, vocals |
Years active | 1988–present |
Labels | Bohemia Beat, Arista Austin, J, Koch, Sarathan |
Associated acts | Poi Dog Pondering |
Website | http://www.abramoore.com |
Abra Moore (born June 8, 1969 in San Diego, California) is a folk-styled rock singer-songwriter. Her 1997 album Strangest Places included the hit "Four Leaf Clover", which received airplay in Midwest U.S. radio markets and VH1 and MTV2 rotation, and charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Moore's parents are Dale & Lisa Moore. Dale named her Abra, born in 1966(not 1969) after the heroine of John Steinbeck's East of Eden. She was raised in Puna, Hawaii, with three brothers; older brothers(share same Mom Lisa Moore), Matt & Pepe, then younger brother, Zack. One younger sister named Mia(with Step Mom, Juanita, Jeni), in a household that had very strong jazz influences, including jam sessions by guest musicians.
Abra was influenced by the sax music that her brother Matt Moore, a well accomplished Hawaii Jazz musician, played during her childhood. When she was 19, she joined Poi Dog Pondering with a group of friends, moving to Los Angeles in 1988 and to Austin in 1992. Moore left the band shortly afterward to pursue a solo career. Her first album was Sing (1995), followed by Strangest Places (1997), which had a companion CD Live from the Strangest Places, featuring acoustic versions of several tracks from the album. A single from this album, "Four Leaf Clover", peaked at No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100; this was Moore's only charting single. "Four Leaf Clover" was nominated for the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. During this time, another of her songs, "Trip On Love", was featured in the soundtrack for the 1999 film Cruel Intentions.
Abra continued to work on her next studio album No Fear, while contributing songs to several soundtracks. Amidst rumors of creative differences and contractual conflicts, she changed management and recording companies and the album was eventually shelved, although her record label, J Records, did release promo copies. Most of the songs later appeared in slightly altered versions on Everything Changed (Koch Records, 2004). Abra's latest offering, On The Way, was released on June 12, 2007, by Sarathan Records.