Abra Moore
Encyclopedia
Abra Moore 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.
's East of Eden. She was raised in Puna, Hawaii
, in a bohemian household that had very strong jazz
influences, including jam sessions by guest musicians. 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 #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
.
She appeared in the 1991 movie Slacker
and has done other occasional film work in addition to her music career.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
-styled rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
singer-songwriter. Her 1997 album Strangest Places
Strangest Places
Strangest Places is the second album by singer-songwriter Abra Moore, released on 20 May 1997, by Arista Records. Moore was nominated in January 1998 for a Grammy Award for the single, "Four Leaf Clover".-Track listing:...
included the hit "Four Leaf Clover", which received airplay in Midwest U.S. radio markets and VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
and MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
rotation, and charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Biography
Moore's parents named Abra after the heroine of John SteinbeckJohn Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
's East of Eden. She was raised in Puna, Hawaii
Puna, Hawaii
Puna is one of the nine districts in Hawaii County, Big Island, Hawaii. The District of Puna is located on the easternmost portion of the island and shares borders to the north with the District of South Hilo and a border to the west with the District of Kaū...
, in a bohemian household that had very strong jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
influences, including jam sessions by guest musicians. When she was 19 she joined Poi Dog Pondering
Poi Dog Pondering
Poi Dog Pondering is an American musical group, noted for its cross-pollination of diverse musical genres, including various forms of acoustic folk music, and electronic music. Founded in Hawaii in 1985, the band moved to Austin, Texas in 1987, where they recorded their first three albums...
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 #63 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
; this was Moore's only charting single. "Four Leaf Clover" was nominated for the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the rock music genre...
. During this time, another of her songs, "Trip On Love", was featured in the soundtrack for the 1999 film Cruel Intentions
Cruel Intentions
Cruel Intentions is a 1999 American drama film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film is an adaptation of the 18th-century French epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Laclos and is set among wealthy teenagers living in modern New York...
.
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
Sarathan Records
Sarathan Records is an indie rock record label based in Seattle, Washington.Formed in 2005, the label formed under Jonathan Kochmer, a member of indie band, Two Loons For Tea...
.
She appeared in the 1991 movie Slacker
Slacker (film)
Slacker is an American independent film written and directed by Richard Linklater, who also appears in the film. Slacker was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival in 1991.-Plot summary:...
and has done other occasional film work in addition to her music career.
Discography
- Sing (Bohemia Beat Records, 1995)
- Strangest PlacesStrangest PlacesStrangest Places is the second album by singer-songwriter Abra Moore, released on 20 May 1997, by Arista Records. Moore was nominated in January 1998 for a Grammy Award for the single, "Four Leaf Clover".-Track listing:...
(Arista AustinArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
/Bohemia Beat, 1997) #24 Billboard Heatseekers - No Fear (J RecordsJ RecordsJ Records was an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment, and was distributed through the RCA Music Group.-Company history:...
, 2002; never commercially released) - Everything ChangedEverything ChangedEverything Changed is the third released album by Austin, Texas based singer-songwriter, Abra Moore. It was released in 2004 by Koch Records and contains material from her previously unreleased album, No Fear.-Track listing:...
(Koch RecordsKoch RecordsE1 Music , the primary subsidiary of E1 Entertainment LP, is the largest independent record label in the United States. It is also distributed by the Universal Music Group in Europe under the name E1 Universal...
, 2004) - On The WayOn The Way (Abra Moore album)On the Way is the fourth album released by Austin, Texas based singer-songwriter Abra Moore, on 12 June 2007, by Sarathan Records.-Track listing:All songs written by Abra Moore, except as noted.#"Into the Sunset" – 4:35#"After All These Years" – 3:52...
(Sarathan RecordsSarathan RecordsSarathan Records is an indie rock record label based in Seattle, Washington.Formed in 2005, the label formed under Jonathan Kochmer, a member of indie band, Two Loons For Tea...
, 2007)