366Art | Gary Moore

Today is the birthday of Gary Moore, a guitar legend without boundaries. The editing of the portrait above and his portrait on the musical reference work / birthday calendar below are made by me, Frieke.

Today is the birthday of Gary Moore, a guitar legend without boundaries. The artwork of the portrait above and his portrait on the musical reference work / birthday calendar below are made by me, Frieke.

Gary Moore was born on April 4, 1952, in Belfast. At the age of ten, he got his first guitar and proved to be a born musical talent with an insatiable passion. Moore had taught himself chords using a book and by watching other guitarists such as blues legends like BB King and Albert King to rock icons like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

Moore's breakthrough began in the late 1960s when he joined the Irish rock band Skid Row. He befriended Phil Lynott later of Thin Lizzy. They collaborated on several Skid Row albums, including 34 Hours (1971). After their time with Skid Row, Moore and Lynott both went their separate ways, but they remained friends and continued to encounter each other regularly in the music scene. One of the most notable collaborations was the album Black Rose: A Rock Legend by Thin Lizzy (1979), on which Moore is heard with his blazing solos and memorable riffs. This album is considered one of Thin Lizzy's finest works.

Gary Moore began his solo career in the 1980s with the iconic song Parisienne Walkways from the album Back on the Streets. The song features Moore's signature guitar work and soulful singing, accompanied by Phil Lynott on bass and backing vocals. Other successful albums include: Corridors of Power (1982), Victims of the Future (1983), Wild Frontier (1987)  After the War (1989).  Still Got the Blues (1990) and After Hours. He decided to take a different path with more experimental albums like Dark Days In Paradise and A Different Beat before returning in 2001 with the compilation album Back To The Blues.

In September 2008, Bad for You Baby was released, which would turn out to be Gary's final studio album. Gary Moore passed away at the age of 58 on February 6, 2011, from a heart attack. He was found dead in his hotel room in Estepona, Spain, where he was staying during a vacation. His sudden death came as a shock to his fans and the music world, and he is still remembered as one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. His unparalleled talent, boundless creativity, and unwavering dedication to his artistic craft have left an indelible impression.