Singer and entertainer Melba Moore’s journey has taken her from Harlem to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She recently sat down with WTOP’s Ralph Fox to talk about her career spanning more than a half-century and her new memoir titled “This Is It: Marvelous & Getting Better.”
The 80-year-old artist has been nominated for three Grammy Awards and won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Lutiebelle Gussie Mae Jenkins in “Purlie” on Broadway. She has also starred in Broadway musicals “Hair,” “Timbuktu!” and “Les Miserables.” Her memorable music hits include “You Stepped Into My Life,” “Read My Lips,” “Fallin” and “This Is It.”
Now, Moore’s sharing her experiences. She said the inspiration began when her daughter told her “Ma, everybody’s got a book but you!”
Each chapter is named after one of her hit records, and the book contains references to several famous names from her experiences in the industry.
An excerpt from the memoir recalls the highs and lows of her career, touching on the quiet times when the phone wasn’t ringing with job offers, making her wonder what to do next.
She also spoke about her life as an artist living through the pandemic and how meditation and reflection helped her navigate the challenges.
Moore’s daughter has been very involved with her career, helping out with her most recent album “Imagine,” which released in 2023.
Her singing career remains in high gear, with a single titled “No Filter” that dropped in early June. Another Moore single, “So In Love”, reached No. 1 on the UK Soul Chart Top 30 in November 2021.
Her journey has been marked by personal and professional obstacles, including a highly publicized relationship with actor Clifton Davis in the 1970s and a marriage to Charles Huggins, which ended in divorce in the 1990s, leaving her in dire straits.
However, Moore said there was always someone there to help her move forward, and she is now “the executive producer and director” of her life.
The self-published memoir is out Nov. 18 and available for preorder at Amazon Books.
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