About
Billie "Tiny" Moore, was a western swing mandolin / fiddle player, vocalist, and arranger. Born May 12, 1920, in Hamilton County, Texas; died on stage December 15, 1987 in Jackpot, Nevada.
Moore played semi-professionally from childhood at barn dances with other family members and in high school band The Cloud Hoppers After a 1937 move to Port Arthur, Texas, he started playing with the Port Arthur Jubileers. In 1940 he was with Lloyd Ellis's Jazz Trio in Mobile, Alabama. In Rayne, Louisiana, he accompanied the Cajun band The Rainbow Ramblers. By 1943 he had moved to Houston where he played in the Crustene Ranch Gang band. Moore enlisted in the United States Army Air Force and served from 1943 to 1945. From 1946 to 1950, he was a member Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.
In 1949 or 1950 Moore married Dean McKinney of the McKinney Sisters, with whom he had three children. The couple settled in Sacramento, California, where Moore managed Bob Wills' Wills Point Ballroom in Sacramento, California. Along with Billy Jack Wills, he put together and led Billy Jack Wills And His Western Swing Band, active until 1955.
From 1956 to 1962 he also hosted and regularly performed on Ranger Roy and the Anna Banana Show, a locally televised children's program. In 1961 Moore opened the Tiny Moore Music Center, where he gave lessons on mandolin, fiddle, and guitar. He focused on teaching throughout much of the 1960s and wrote an instructional book called Mandolin Method.
Moore joined Merle Haggard for a 1970 tribute to Bob Wills, , and the joined Haggard's backing band The Strangers (5) from 1973 to 1976. Through the late 1970s / early 1980s he recorded and performed on his own and with other artists. He had a fatal heart attack onstage while playing with the Cadillac Band at a club in Jackpot, Nevada, on December 15, 1987.
Inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame along with his wife Dean McKinney Moore in 1995.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as "Early Influence") as a member of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1999
Listed as a Music Legend in the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame in Port Arthur.
The Tiny Moore Western Swing Memorial Scholarship was established in his honor at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas.
Moore played semi-professionally from childhood at barn dances with other family members and in high school band The Cloud Hoppers After a 1937 move to Port Arthur, Texas, he started playing with the Port Arthur Jubileers. In 1940 he was with Lloyd Ellis's Jazz Trio in Mobile, Alabama. In Rayne, Louisiana, he accompanied the Cajun band The Rainbow Ramblers. By 1943 he had moved to Houston where he played in the Crustene Ranch Gang band. Moore enlisted in the United States Army Air Force and served from 1943 to 1945. From 1946 to 1950, he was a member Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.
In 1949 or 1950 Moore married Dean McKinney of the McKinney Sisters, with whom he had three children. The couple settled in Sacramento, California, where Moore managed Bob Wills' Wills Point Ballroom in Sacramento, California. Along with Billy Jack Wills, he put together and led Billy Jack Wills And His Western Swing Band, active until 1955.
From 1956 to 1962 he also hosted and regularly performed on Ranger Roy and the Anna Banana Show, a locally televised children's program. In 1961 Moore opened the Tiny Moore Music Center, where he gave lessons on mandolin, fiddle, and guitar. He focused on teaching throughout much of the 1960s and wrote an instructional book called Mandolin Method.
Moore joined Merle Haggard for a 1970 tribute to Bob Wills, , and the joined Haggard's backing band The Strangers (5) from 1973 to 1976. Through the late 1970s / early 1980s he recorded and performed on his own and with other artists. He had a fatal heart attack onstage while playing with the Cadillac Band at a club in Jackpot, Nevada, on December 15, 1987.
Inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame along with his wife Dean McKinney Moore in 1995.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as "Early Influence") as a member of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1999
Listed as a Music Legend in the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame in Port Arthur.
The Tiny Moore Western Swing Memorial Scholarship was established in his honor at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas.
Discography
109 releasesSacramento 1952-1954
Billy Jack Wills And His Western Swing Band Featuring Tiny Moore · 1982
Music
Tiny Moore · 1980
Back To Back
Tiny Moore & Jethro Burns · 1979
Cadillac In Model 'A'
Billy Jack Wills · 2022
Way Out West - The Lost Transcriptions For Tiffany Music 1946-1947 Volume 2
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys · 2021
Load The Wagon
Junior Sisk · 2020
Hillbilly Deluxe
Various · 2020
Sonny Richter's Guitar Lounge Volume Two:1958-1992
Sonny Richter · 2020
Live From Austin TX (1978)
Merle Haggard · 2019
Sing Me A Song Of The Saddle
Various · 2015
Let's Play, Boys!
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys · 2015
Original Album Classics
Merle Haggard · 2012
Hell Among The Hedgehogs
Whit Smith & Matt Munisteri · 2011
It's a Good Day
Asleep At The Wheel and Leon Rausch · 2010
Dog House Blues
Tommy Duncan Featuring Bob Wills & Billy Jack Wills · 2008
A Tribute To The Best Damn Fiddle Player In The World / It's All In The Movies
Merle Haggard / Merle Haggard And The Strangers · 2006
Live From Austin TX
Asleep At The Wheel Featuring The Texas Playboys · 2006
Live From Austin TX
Merle Haggard · 2006
Runaway Fiddle
Buddy Spicher & Vassar Clements · 2004
Train Whistle Blues
Merle Haggard & The Strangers · 2001
Take Me Back To Tulsa
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys · 2001
Hall Of Fame
Bob Wills & Tommy Duncan · 2000
Bellemeade Sessions
Michael Hurley · 1998
Mystery Train
Various · 1997
That'll Flat ... Git It! Vol. 7: Rockabilly From The Vaults Of M-G-M Records
Various · 1996
Heroes Of Country Music Vol. One (Legends Of Western Swing)
Various · 1996
A Classic & Unreleased Collection
Willie Nelson · 1995
Still Swingin
Asleep At The Wheel · 1994
Swing Hi! Swing Lo! The Best Of The Tiffany Transcriptions
Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys* · 1993
Western Swing
Various · 1993
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