Son of a preacher man
My roots
On March 16, 1956, my mother gave birth to a blue-eyed baby boy. I remained nameless until my Aunt Deloris, mom’s sister, came up with the name Donald Edward. From that day forward, I was called Eddie.
Willa Jean (mom) was a young girl of 17, already raising my brother, Daniel Eugene, who wasn’t yet 1 year old. She had her hands full.
We lived on the outskirts of a small town, Winchester, Indiana, which was close to my mamaw and papaw’s house, near Union City, Indiana.
My dad, Randy Moore, was small in size but big in personality. He was an Evangelist that held revivals all over the country. We were in church 6 nights a week, singing, shouting and praising the Lord.
adventures of an evangelist
The Revivals.
We would be asked to visit a church for a week or two. Sometimes, if the crowd was really feeling the power, we would stay longer.
My favorite churches were the ones with the soulful choirs. I learned how to play gospel blues on my sax in those churches, which helped shape my love for the blues today.
Put me with a Hammond B3 organ, a blues guitar and a choir that has soul and we’ll get the congregation up on their feet shouting the Hallelujahs and Amens!
Being on the stage was a real fit for me. I learned to perform with my sax, to play with my heart and to leave the crowd wanting more.
There are many stories to tell but you’ll have to wait for my book to learn about them!
music education
The fun
stuff.
While I learned how to play by ear in church, I learned to play by note in band.
I remember, in 5th grade, I had my first solo with The 1st Noel. It came easy as I played it by the sheet music first, then by ear as it was so familiar.
I had other solos in Junior High, but it wasn’t until High School Jazz Band that I was really able to showcase what I could do.
the High School.
High School Band changed my life. Max Jones was my Band Director and he was instrumental in teaching me how to create a show from beginning to end to WIN!
More than that, he taught me how to take my natural abilities to perform and refine them to be professional. I have used that education throughout my entire life.
The University.
I studied under Dr. Cecil Leeson at Ball State University. He was a world renowned concert saxophonist and I was determined to learn everything I could from him.
He detested my tone.
I spent endless hours practicing, working on my tone. What seemed to be ridiculous exercises paid off. To this day, I pride myself the tone he helped me master.
the studio.
While I had played in a few bands and loved the live crowds, there was nothing more satisfying than doing professional studio work. Sound Influence was the studio at Jim Davis’s art studio, where part of the sound track for Garfield was taped. This was one of the most exciting experiences in music I had ever had. Working with other professional studio musicians furthered my technical skills and abilities. I loved it so much, it was hard for me to go back to the ‘band’ scene. In fact, I have a studio in my home now and am beginning to record again. You’ll have an opportunity to listen as I’ll be posting to my music section.
Family.
My Heartbeat.
June 1, 1983, I met the woman I was destined to spend my life with. Sporting long, flowing red hair, a smile that lights up a room, and an attitude that took nothing from nobody, this woman changed my life.
She gave me two of the most wonderful sons a man could ever want. They are strong, gentle, fierce and kind. More than that, they are ‘brothers’ in the truest sense of the word.
Our family is growing, we have welcomed Autumn, Dexter’s wife, into the clan. They have given me a beautiful Granddaughter, River Lily, who is destined to be very, very spoiled.
Stay tuned, there is more to come!
Just Business
Work
stuff.
I worked through College, teaching private sax lessons, retreading tires, pizza delivery…whatever would pay the bills.
At one point, I started selling Kirby sweepers door-to-door. I was really bad at it at first, didn’t sell anything for the first 90 days. I was ready to pull the plug, but my cousin hounded me until I agreed to sell with him on New Year’s Eve. I finally figured out how to close a deal.
There’s a lot of stories from that gig, but that’ll have to be it’s own chapter in my book!
Radio.
The redhead convinced me to move to Florida. After working in the music studio, I needed to stay in the music field, so I got a job in radio.
I was the General Sales Manager of Gator Country. It was there that I embrace the internet.
In 1994, I convinced the owner to allow me to build a website. I contacted a company called OnRadio and, long story short, was the first radio station to generate income from the internet.
So, the President of OnRadio hired me.
The Internet.
I jumped into the internet business in 1995. Yes, you heard that right…1995.
I travelled the United States teaching radio stations how to promote their website and how to generate revenue.
I visited small markets and major markets. I hosted an internet sales day for a Minneapolis radio group and, in two days, generated over $250,000 of internet only revenue for them. Life was good. I got promoted.
In 1999, I created all the marketing materials for the RAB convention held at Universal Studios. We rented out all of City Walk and Adventure Island. What a show!
The cherry on top? I orchestrated the very first trans-Atlantic live broadcast with radio stations. We had a live broadcast with a station in LA, Atlanta and Fort Myers. We connected with a Jazz artist in Paris, France. It was history in the making!
Red sneakers.
The internet bubble happened, companies started getting swallowed up, including OnRadio. My wife and I made the decision to stay in Fort Myers and start our own company which I run to this day.
Red Sneakers Mobile Marketing…foot traffic delivered!
It has been a fruitful career, filled with mistakes, education, fixes, changes… everything the internet has had to offer since 1999.
We’ve done projects with clients such as FGCU, lending our expertise and knowledge about SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Offering seminars multiple times a year, we’ve been able to help guide businesses to the best solution for their budget.
Most clients would tell you, I have become a loyal, reliable partner. Some will call me friend as I continue serving them yet to this day.
tantalizing the tastebuds
Chef Wannabe.
Let’s be clear…I am a chef wannabe.
I love experimenting with flavors, textures, and colors. I love the creation of it all and the ‘destruction’ of it. LOL!
The enjoyment on people’s faces when they taste a particular pizza or dish for the first time is priceless to me. I totally enjoy pleasing people, so making them drool simply by the plating of a dish makes me try even harder.
Cooking is art to me. If I can make you drool simply by looking at a dish, adding the aroma, flavor and textures to a dish makes it complete.
I intend to incorporate cooking with my scholarship fund raising. I’ll be inviting guests over for a fun, flavor-filled dinner and donations will be made to the scholarship fund of their choice.
Want to have a party? Let’s chat.
more to come
the story.
The story hasn”t ended, by any means. Since my wife’s passing, it has given me an opportunity to take a new look at my life.
What story do I want to tell?
What will this chapter of my life read like?
What book will be written?
What adventures with my family will there be?
What recipes will be tasted?
What new songs will be played?
Music.
I am the reed on Mother Nature’s mouthpiece,
The sax in her song.
Music is a major part of this story.
I have gone back to college to finish what I started: my Bachelor degree. It is a regret I’ve had and will have no longer.
I am writing, playing and recording. I’m stepping up my game, getting my chops back in shape to deliver to audiences again.
You will be hearing parts of my story through my music. If you’ve watch the ‘I Am From‘ video, you will have heard the beginning.
Expect to here some gospel soul, blues, oldies, and even some contemporary works that may surprise you!
paying it forward.
My dad always preached, “It is better to give than to receive”.
Papaw always said “Eddie, we’ve got to help our neighbors. You help them, they’ll help you in return”.
Zig Ziglar taught “You can get everything out of life you want, IF you help enough other people get what they want”.
I’ve served on many non-profits over the years, giving back to the community. My focus has realigned recently and I have setup scholarship funds for students. This will help the students, the Lee County School System and FGCU, making it a win-win all the way around.
If you would care to learn more, click here for the scholarship information. Donations as low as $5 a month are appreciated and will be used 100% for the scholarship foundation of your choice.
The next chapter.
This next chapter may be more like a new book in a series. I am embracing change, creating change.
It is going to be different, fun and exciting, taking us on adventure we’ve yet to think of, places we’ve yet to go.
Stay tuned for the continuing saga of The Son of a Preacher Man!
