Rory may refer to:

• Rory (band), a US band
• Rory (given name), people with the given name Rory
• A fictional award in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy universe
• Rory Williams, a fictional character in Doctor Who
• Lorelai "Rory" Leigh Gilmore a fictional character in Gilmore Girls.

See also[link]

• Rori (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Rory Gallagher
Gallagher, at the Manchester Apollo in 1982
Background information
Birth name	William Rory Gallagher
Also known as	Liam Rory Gallagher
Born	(1948-03-02)2 March 1948 Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland
Died	14 June 1995(1995-06-14) (aged 47) London, England
Genres	Blues, blues-rock, hard rock, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, jazz, folk, skiffle
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, bandleader, producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, saxophone, sitar, harmonica, banjo, dulcimer, dobro
Years active	1963–1995
Labels	Polydor, Chrysalis, Buddah, Castle
Associated acts	Taste
Website	www.rorygallagher.com
Notable instruments
1961 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster

William Rory Gallagher,  /ˈrɔriː ˈɡæləhər/ GAL-ə-hər; 2 March 1948  – 14 June 1995,^[1][2] was an Irish blues-rock multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and bandleader. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland,^[3] and raised in Cork, Gallagher recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, after forming the band Taste during the late 1960s. A talented guitarist known for his charismatic performances and dedication to his craft, Gallagher's albums have sold in excess of 30 million copies worldwide.^[4][5] Gallagher received a liver transplant in 1995, but died of complications later that year in London, England at the age of 47.^[6]

Biography[link]

Gallagher was born in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal; his father, Daniel, was employed by the Irish Electricity Supply Board, who were constructing a hydro-electric power plant on the Erne River above the town. The family moved, first to Derry City, where his younger brother Dónal was born in 1949, and then to Cork, where the two brothers were raised, and where Rory attended the North Monastery School. Their father had played the accordion and sang with the Tir Chonaill Ceile Band whilst in Donegal; their mother Monica was a singer and acted with the Abbey Players in Ballyshannon. The Theatre in Ballyshannon where Monica once acted is now called the Rory Gallagher Theatre.

Both sons were musically inclined and encouraged by their parents: at age nine, Gallagher received his first guitar from them. He built on his burgeoning ability on ukelele in teaching himself to play the guitar and perform at minor functions. After winning a talent contest when he was twelve, Gallagher began performing in his adolescence with both his acoustic guitar, and an electric guitar he bought with his prize money. However, it was his purchase three years later of a 1961 Fender Stratocaster for £100 that became his primary instrument most associated with him for the span of his lifetime.^[7]

Gallagher was initially attracted to skiffle after hearing Lonnie Donegan on the radio. Donegan frequently covered blues and folk performers from the United States. He relied entirely on radio programs and television. Occasionally, the jazz programs from the BBC would play some blues numbers, and he slowly found some song books for guitar, where he found the names of the actual composers of blues pieces. While still in school, playing songs by Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran, he discovered his greatest influence in Muddy Waters. Subsequently, Gallagher began experimenting with folk, blues, and rock music. Unable to find or afford record albums, Gallagher stayed up late to hear Radio Luxembourg and AFN where the radio brought him his only exposure to the actual songwriters and musicians whose music moved him most.^[8] Influences he discovered, and cited as he progressed, included Woody Guthrie, Big Bill Broonzy, and Lead Belly. Initially, Gallagher struck out after just an acoustic sound.^[7] Singing and later using a brace for his harmonica, Gallagher taught himself to play slide guitar. Further, throughout the next few years of his musical development, Gallagher began learning to play alto saxophone, bass, mandolin, banjo, and the coral sitar with varying degrees of proficiency.^[9] By his mid-teens, he began experimenting heavily with different blues styles.^[10]

Gallagher began playing after school with Irish showbands, while still a young teenager. In 1963,^[11] he joined one named Fontana, a sextet playing the popular hit songs of the day.^[12] The band toured Ireland and the United Kingdom, earning the money for the payments that were due on his Stratocaster guitar. Gallagher began to influence the band's repertoire, beginning its transition from popular music, skirting along some of Chuck Berry's songs and by 1965, he had successfully molded Fontana into "The Impact", with a change in their lineup into an R&B group that played gigs in Ireland and Spain until disbanding in London.^[9] Gallagher left with the bassist and drummer to perform as a trio in Hamburg, Germany.^[11] In 1966, Gallagher returned to Ireland and, experimenting with other musicians back home in Cork, decided to form his own band.

Taste[link]

Gallagher on acoustic guitar, March 1976, Breda, Netherlands

Having completed a musical apprenticeship in the showbands, and influenced by the increasing popularity of beat groups during the early 1960s, Gallagher formed "The Taste", which was later renamed simply, "Taste", a blues rock and R&B power trio, in 1966.^[13] Initially, the band was composed of Gallagher and two Cork musicians, Norman Damery and Eric Kitteringham, however, by 1968, they were replaced with two musicians from Belfast, featuring Gallagher on guitar and vocals, drummer John Wilson, and bassist Richard McCracken.^[13] Performing extensively in the United Kingdom, the group played regularly at the Marquee Club, supporting both Cream at their Royal Albert Hall farewell concert, and the blues supergroup Blind Faith on a tour of North America. Managed by Eddie Kennedy, the trio released the albums Taste and On The Boards, and two live recordings, Live Taste and Live at the Isle of Wight.^[13] The latter appeared long after the band's break-up, which occurred shortly after their appearance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.^[14]

Solo career[link]

After the break-up of Taste, Gallagher toured under his own name, hiring former Deep Joy bass player Gerry McAvoy to play on Gallagher's self-titled debut album, Rory Gallagher.^[15] It was the beginning of a twenty-year musical relationship between Gallagher and McAvoy; the other band member was drummer Wilgar Campbell.^[13] The 1970s were Gallagher's most prolific period. He produced ten albums in that decade, including two live albums, Live in Europe and Irish Tour '74. November 1971 saw the release of his album, Deuce.^[15] In the same year he was voted Melody Maker's International Top Musician of the Year, ahead of Eric Clapton.^[16] However, despite a number of his albums from this period reaching the UK Albums Chart, Gallagher did not attain major star status.^[13]

Rory Gallagher, playing in Utrecht, Netherlands, 1987

Gallagher played and recorded what he said was "in me all the time, and not just something I turn on ...". Though he sold over thirty million albums worldwide, it was his marathon live performances that won him greatest acclaim.^[14] He is documented in the 1974 film Irish Tour '74, directed by Tony Palmer. During the heightened periods of political unrest in Ireland, as other artists were warned not to tour, Gallagher was resolute about touring Ireland at least once a year during his career, winning him the dedication of thousands of fans, and in the process, becoming a role model for other aspiring young Irish musicians. Gallagher himself admitted in several interviews that at first there were not any international Irish acts until Van Morrison, Gallagher, and later, Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy grew popular during the 1970s. The line-up which included Rod de'Ath on drums and Lou Martin on keyboards, performed together between 1973 and 1978. However, he eventually dropped down to just bass, guitar and drums, and his act became a power trio. Other releases from that period include Against the Grain, Calling Card, Photo-Finish and Top Priority.^[15] Gerry McAvoy has stated that the Gallagher band performed several TV and radio shows across Europe, including Beat-Club in Bremen, Germany and the Old Grey Whistle Test.^[17] He recorded two Peel Sessions, both in February 1973 and containing the same tracks, but only the first was broadcast.^[18] Along with Little Feat and Roger McGuinn, Gallagher performed the first Rockpalast live concert at the Grugahalle, Essen, Germany in 1977.^[19]

Gallagher collaborated with Jerry Lee Lewis^[20] and Muddy Waters^[21] on their respective London Sessions in the mid 1970s. He played on Lonnie Donegan's final album.^[15] He was David Coverdale's second choice (after Jeff Beck) to replace Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple. Gallagher chose to perform in his own band.

In the 1980s he continued recording, producing Jinx, Defender, and Fresh Evidence. After Fresh Evidence, he embarked on a tour of the United States. In addition he played with Box of Frogs which was a band formed in 1983 by former members of The Yardbirds, who released their first album in 1984. Former Yardbirds guitarists Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page also guested on their first and second albums, respectively. Becoming obsessive over details and plagued by self-doubt, Gallagher nevertheless retained a loyal fanbase. During this period he stated "I agonize too much".^[13]

An album of unreleased studio tracks and a San Francisco 1979 concert will be released in June 2011.^{[dated info][22]}

Band lineup[link]

Rory Gallagher (guitar, vocals)

1970–1972: Gerry McAvoy (bass guitar), Wilgar Campbell (drums)

1972–1976: Gerry McAvoy (bass), Lou Martin (piano, keyboards), Rod de'Ath (drums)

1976–1981: Gerry McAvoy (bass), Ted McKenna (drums)

1981–1991: Gerry McAvoy (bass), Brendan O'Neil (drums) + frequent guest: Mark Feltham (harmonica)

1992–1994: David Levy (bass), Jim Levaton (keyboards), John Cooke (keyboards), Richard Newman (drums) + frequent guest: Mark Feltham (harmonica)

Guitars and equipment[link]

Gallagher's Stratocaster[link]

A life-size bronze sculpture in the shape of Gallagher's Stratocaster at Rory Gallagher Corner in Dublin's Temple Bar.

Gallagher was always associated with his well-worn sunburst 1961 Stratocaster (Serial Number 64351), which his brother Donal has officially retired.

It was reputedly the first in Ireland, and was ordered from Fender by Jim Connolly, a showband member performing with The Irish Showband. Connolly ordered a cherry red Stratocaster through Crowley's music shop in Cork in 1963. When Fender shipped a sunburst Stratocaster instead, it went on sale as a second-hand instrument, which Gallagher bought for just shy of £100 at Crowley's Music Store on Cork's McCurtain Street. Note: the shop was at 10 Merchants Quay at the time of purchase.

The guitar was extensively modified by Gallagher. The tuning pegs are odd (5 Sperzel pegs and one Gotoh), and all of these have been found to be replacements. Second, it is thought^{[citation needed]} that the nut has been replaced and interchanged a number of times. Third, the scratchplate was changed during Gallagher's time with Taste.

The pickups —none of which are original— were also changed. The final modification was that of the wiring: Gallagher disconnected the bottom tone pot and rewired it so he had just a master tone control along with the master volume control. He also installed a 5-way selector switch in place of the vintage 3-way one.

The most notable effect that the years of touring have had on the guitar is the almost complete removal of its original sunburst finish.^[23] Although the Strat was left abandoned in a rainy ditch for days after being stolen, this is not believed to have caused any of the effect. All of the wear was caused by Rory's playing, not misuse.

It also had a period of time of having a replacement neck, with the original neck bowing due to the amount of moisture it absorbed during continuous touring. The neck was taken off and left to settle, and was eventually reunited with the Strat after returning to its correct shape. Other quirks include a 'hump' in the scratch plate which moves the neck pickup closer to the neck on the bass side, and a replacement of all of the pickups, though this replacement was due to damage rather than the perception of a tonal inadequacy.

One final point of interest is that one of the clay double-dot inlays at the 12th fret fell out and was replaced with a plastic one, which is why it's whiter than the other clay inlays.

On Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd of October 2011, Rory's brother Donal brought the guitar out of retirement in order to allow Joe Bonamassa to perform with it on his two nights at the London Hammersmith Apollo. Joe opened both night's performances with his rendition of Cradle Rock using Rory's Stratocaster. Photos and video of the performance can be seen on the official Rory Gallagher website.^[24]

Amplifiers and effects[link]

Gallagher playing a resonator guitar, during his 1978/79 Tour, in The National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland

Gallagher used various makes and models of amplifiers during his career. In general, however, he preferred smaller 'combo' amplifiers to the larger, more powerful 'stacks' popular with rock and hard rock guitarists. To make up for the relative lack of power on stage, he would often link several different combo amps together.

When Gallagher was with Taste, he used a single Vox AC30 with a Dallas Rangemaster treble booster plugged into the 'normal' input. Examples of this sound can be heard on the Taste albums, as well as the album Live in Europe. Brian May, of the band Queen, has admitted in interviews that as a young man, he was inspired to use a Vox AC30 and treble booster setup after meeting Gallagher and asking him how he got his sound. The British company, Flynn Amps, now makes a Rory Gallagher Signature Hawk Treble Booster pedal based on Gallagher's original unit. Gallagher also used Ibanez Tube Screamers, an MXR Dyna Comp, and various Boss effects, often using a Flanger and Octaver.

In the early to mid 1970s, Gallagher began to use Fender amplifiers in conjunction with a Hawk booster, most notably a Bassman and a Twin, both 1950s vintage. An example of this sound can be heard on the Irish Tour '74 album. He also had a Fender Concert amplifier.

In the mid to late 1970s, when Gallagher was moving towards a hard rock sound, he experimented with Ampeg VT40 and VT22 amps. He also began using Marshall combos. During this period and beyond, Gallagher used different combinations of amps on stage to achieve more power and to blend the tonal characteristics of different amps including Orange amplification.

Not that well known is his use of various German amplifiers. He Used Stramp 2100a amps, which can be seen in his appearances on the German Beat Club program. Another company that hand built amplifiers for Gallagher was PCL Vintage Amp. The company is located in St. Wendel in the Saarland and they still produce high quality audio and guitar equipment.^[25]

Death[link]

According to sources close to Rory, including his brother Donal, Rory had a great fear of flying. He also had a great deal of trust in doctors and medicine. Combinations of prescription medication and alcohol use resulted in severe liver damage.^[26] Despite this he continued touring. By the time of his final performance on 10 January 1995 in the Netherlands, he was visibly sick. His cause of death was complications from a liver transplant, that became necessary and was nearly successful; his health, however, quickly worsened due to a Staphylococcus (MRSA) infection, and he died in London on 14 June 1995.^[15] He was unmarried and had no children.

Gallagher was buried in St Oliver's Cemetery, on the Clash Road just outside Ballincollig near Cork City, Ireland. His headstone is a replica of an award he received in 1972 for International Guitarist of the Year.

Legacy[link]

In 2003, Wheels Within Wheels, a collection of acoustic tracks, was released posthumously by Gallagher's brother Donal Gallagher. Collaborators on this album included Bert Jansch, Martin Carthy, The Dubliners and Lonnie Donegan.

Many modern day musicians, including The Edge from U2, Slash^[27] of Guns N' Roses, Johnny Marr of the Smiths,^[28] Davy Knowles,^[29] Janick Gers of Iron Maiden,^[30] Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest,^[31] Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard,^[32] Gary Moore^[33] and Joe Bonamassa,^[34][35] cite Gallagher as an inspiration in their formative musical years.

Brian May, lead guitarist of Queen, relates: "so these couple of kids come up, who's me and my mate, and say 'How do you get your sound Mr. Gallagher?' and he sits and tells us. So I owe Rory Gallagher my sound."^[36] In 2010, Gallagher was ranked #42 on Gibson.com’s List of their Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.^[37] Gallagher was also listed on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, ranked at 57th place.^[38]

Tributes[link]

Headstone at St Oliver's Cemetery, Ballincollig, County Cork, Ireland

• On 25 October 1997 a tribute sculpture to Gallagher was unveiled in the newly renamed Rory Gallagher Place (formerly St. Paul's St. Square) in his hometown of Cork. The sculptor was a childhood friend of Gallagher, Geraldine Creedon.^[39] The two grew up together in the McCurtain Street area of the city. The band who played at the unveiling of the statue was the Dave McHugh band, who formed Ireland's first tribute to Gallagher, 'Aftertaste' in 1995.
• There is a Rory Gallagher Corner at Meeting House Square in Temple Bar, Dublin, where a life-size bronze statue in the shape of his Stratocaster has been installed. Some of those who attended the unveiling include The Edge of U2 and the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
• In 2004 the Rory Gallagher Music Library was opened in Cork.^[40]
• In 2006 a plaque was unveiled at the Ulster Hall in Belfast.^[41][42]
• A street in Ris-Orangis, a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, was renamed Rue Rory Gallagher.^[43]
• New York City-based Celtic rock band Black 47 paid tribute to Rory Gallagher on their 1996 major-label release, "Green Suede Shoes." The track titled "Rory" features vocalist/guitarist Larry Kirwan delivering a passionate and heart-felt tribute to Rory Gallagher's talent and unrealized stardom. The song lauds his musical prowess and potential greatness

"Hey Rory, you're off to London

Playing with a band called Taste ...

On your night you could even leave Hendrix in the dust",

the awe that a young Kirwan felt towards Gallagher

"Hero came back to Dublin

... long hair flyin'

Blue denims dripping with sweat

Bolts of lightenin' in your fingers

Pride of bein' the best"

and expressing dismay at the loss of such a talent.^[44][45]

• Flynn Amps manufacture a Rory Gallagher signature Hawk pedal, cloned from Gallagher's 1970s pedal.^[46]
• On 2 June 2010, a life-sized bronze statue of Gallagher was unveiled in the town centre of Ballyshannon.^[47] An award-winning^[48] annual Blues festival is held in his honour at the same location.

Discography[link]

• Rory Gallagher – 1971 (BPI: 100,000)
• Deuce – 1971 (BPI: 100,000)
• Blueprint – 1973 (BPI: 100,000)
• Tattoo – 1973 (BPI: 100,000)
• Irish Tour '74 – 1974
• Against the Grain – 1975 (BPI: 100,000) Rolling Stone review
• Calling Card – 1976 (BPI: 60,000) Rolling Stone review
• Photo-Finish – 1978 (BPI: 60,000)
• Top Priority – 1979 (BPI: 60,000)
• Jinx – 1982 (BPI: 60,000)
• Defender – 1987 (BPI: 60,000)
• Fresh Evidence – 1990 (BPI: 60,000)^[15]
• Wheels Within Wheels – 2003
• Notes from San Francisco – 2011 (an unreleased studio album from 1978, packaged with a live album from 1979)

See also[link]

• List of people on stamps of Ireland
• List of blues musicians

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Rory Gallagher

• Official Rory Gallagher website
• Rory Gallagher at the Open Directory Project

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rory Gallagher

Mandy Moore
Moore at 83rd Academy Awards, February 27, 2011
Background information
Birth name	Amanda Leigh Moore
Born	(1984-04-10) April 10, 1984 (age 28) Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S.
Origin	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Pop, dance,[1] folk pop, pop rock[2]
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actress, model, fashion designer
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Epic, Sire, The Firm Music, EMI, Storefront Recordings, RED Distribution
Website	www.mandymoore.com

Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of Wild Hope. Her most recent album, Amanda Leigh, was released on May 26, 2009.^[3] Moore has sold more than 10 million records worldwide.^[4] Moore subsequently branched out into film, starring in 2002's A Walk to Remember and later in other movies, such as Chasing Liberty, Saved! and License to Wed. Most recently Moore provided the voice of Rapunzel in Tangled. In April 2011, she ranked 5th in People's annual Most Beautiful issue.^[5]

Early life[link]

Moore was born in Nashua, New Hampshire. Her mother, Stacy (née Friedman), is a former news reporter who once worked for the Orlando Sentinel, and her father, Donald "Don" Moore, is a pilot for American Airlines.^[6][7][8] Moore's father is of Irish and Cherokee descent, and her mother is of half-English and half-Jewish ancestry.^[9][10] Moore, who has an older brother Scott and a younger brother Kyle, grew up in Longwood, Florida, outside of Orlando, where the family moved shortly after her birth because of her father's job as an airline pilot.^[11] She was raised Catholic (though she is no longer practicing),^[12] and attended Bishop Moore High School,^[13] in Orlando, as well as Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs.

Moore's interest in singing grew after seeing the musical Oklahoma!.^{[citation needed]} She was also encouraged to perform by her English-born maternal grandmother, who was her inspiration.^[10] Some of Moore's first public exposure occurred when she sang the national anthem at several Florida sporting events.^{[citation needed]} She subsequently came to the attention of the head of the artists and repertoire department at Epic Records after his friend, a FedEx employee, overheard her as she sang at a recording studio.^[14]

Music career[link]

1999–2002[link]

[edit] So Real

Moore toured with N'SYNC throughout the first half of 1999.^[11] Her debut album, So Real, was released in December 1999 and reached No.31 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album charts.^[15] Unfortunately for her image, at the time of the album's release, reviewers considered Moore the latest in a series of heavily-marketed female teen singers described as "pop princesses," akin to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.^[16] Entertainment Weekly Magazine's review of So Real, written by Elizabeth Vincentelli, accused Moore's songs of revolving around "not-yet-experienced love," of having been performed with "suffocating professionalism," and called the album's ballads "nauseating."^[17]

Moore reached mainstream radio later, and at a younger age, than Aguilera and Spears had, and she was initially not as successful as they were. However, So Real was still certified platinum in the U.S. in early 2000 and sold nearly one million copies.^[18] Moore's debut teen-oriented pop hit single "Candy," which Yahoo! Movies described as "strangely provocative,"^[7] peaked just outside the top 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[19] charts, and was certified gold.^[15] The single was more successful in Europe, especially in the UK, where it reached number 6.^{[citation needed]} Allmusic called the single "mediocre" and "typical," containing lyrics that described love "in terms of sugar treats."^[20]

[edit] I Wanna Be with You

Moore released I Wanna Be with You in May 2000.^[21] The album, which was mostly completed with synthesizers, bass, guitar, and drums^[22] comprised new songs alongside tracks and remixes from So Real. Several reviewers criticized it on the basis that it was a remix album and not a true follow-up,^[23][24] with Allmusic accusing its style of being "trashier, flashier, gaudier, and altogether more disposable" than that of So Real.^[25] It peaked at No.21 on the Billboard 200, was certified gold in the U.S., selling nearly 1,000,000 copies.^[18] The title track, "I Wanna Be with You," was the album's only single and reached No.24 on the Hot 100,^[19] Moore's highest peak to date.^{[citation needed]} It was also featured on the soundtrack of the film Center Stage in 2000.^[26]

[edit] Mandy Moore

In June 2001, Moore released her second full-length album, her third overall, the self-titled album Mandy Moore. She promoted the album with her first headlining concert, "Mandy Moore Live@ShoutBack."^{[citation needed]} The album contained uptempo tracks and influences from Eastern music,^[27] and Allmusic described it as a "lush, layered production."^[28] It received mixed reviews from other critics.^[29] The album debuted at No.35 on the Billboard 200, and was later certified gold in the U.S., selling 443,000 copies.^[18] The lead single was "In My Pocket," which Entertainment Weekly said contained "pumping, Indian influenced Euro disco."^[30] The album's follow-up single was titled "Crush." The early 2002 release of the final single, "Cry", tied in with the film A Walk to Remember, Moore's debut as a lead actress.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006, Moore commented on her early albums, noting that although she believed that her first album was appropriate for her age at the time when she released it,^[10][31] she felt it "sucked"^[32] and that her first albums were "just awful."^[16] Moore also said that she "would give a refund to everyone who bought my first two albums" if she could;^[33] during a radio interview in April 2006, the show's co-host—who had seen her comments—asked her for a refund on the first album, a request that Moore fulfilled.^[32]

2003–2006[link]

In October 2003, Moore released her fourth album Coverage,^[34] which Allmusic characterized as a "leap to musical maturity"^[35] and which Entertainment Weekly called an "effort to shed her bubblegum-blond image".^[36] The album peaked at No.14 on the Billboard 200;^[15] but "Have a Little Faith in Me" and "Senses Working Overtime", its only two singles, did not perform well on the charts.^[15] Moore's cover of "I Feel the Earth Move" appeared on Love Rocks, a compilation CD of songs from gay rights supporters.^[37]

Due to creative differences between Moore and her label, a split was announced.^{[citation needed]} The company released the hits compilation album The Best of Mandy Moore, which reached No.148 on the Billboard 200^[38] in November 2004 as a final obligation to Moore's contract.^[39] Another compilation, Candy, followed in 2005. During this time period, the only music Moore had recorded was a song demo, "Hey!", written by James Renald, and a cover version of Lori McKenna's "Beautiful Man".^{[citation needed]} Moore also voiced the character "Nita" in the 2006 film, Brother Bear 2.

2007–2009[link]

In early 2006, Moore stated that she missed her music career and that singing is what she was the "most passionate about."^[16] Moore had signed to Sire Records after her contract with Epic Records ended, but she left the company in May 2006.^{[citation needed]} She signed with a new EMI Music-owned record company, The Firm, in July that year, describing her new contract as "especially exciting,"^[40] and adding that she left Sire Records because she did not want to "follow the mainstream," but rather have "complete control and freedom" over her work.^[41] Moore's new album, Wild Hope, was released on June 19, 2007,^[42] and includes collaborations with artists Chantal Kreviazuk, Rachael Yamagata, Lori McKenna and The Weepies.^[43] Moore stayed alone in a house in Woodstock in Upstate New York while recording the album in late 2006.^[44] She performed new material from Wild Hope at the Sundance Film Festival;^{[citation needed]} her first single, "Extraordinary," premiered on her MySpace profile on January 29, 2007.^{[citation needed]} Moore performed the song at the Brick Awards on April 12, 2007^[45] and launched a tour in the summer of 2007.^[46]

The album was released in the USA in June 2007 to positive reviews.^{[citation needed]} It fared moderately well on the charts, debuting at number thirty on the Billboard 200 (Moore's third highest charting album in the U.S.), and at number 84 in Canada.^{[citation needed]} In August 2007, Moore toured with Paula Cole, and Rachael Yamagata, playing at mid-size venues in the United States and Canada.^{[citation needed]} Wild Hope was placed at number 10 on Entertainment Weekly's "The Must List" and also named Reader's Choice for that August 10 issue, two months after its release.^{[citation needed]} Moore surprised many with a free concert in Boston on July 18, 2007.^[47]

On February 23, 2008, Moore released Wild Hope in Australia, and subsequently toured with Ben Lee and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in Western Australia, supporting Kelly Clarkson on her tour.^{[citation needed]} In October 2008, Moore posted on her website blog live videos of three new songs she's been working on, along with singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist Mike Viola. It was at first expected to a be a duo album between the two, but then in January 2009, it was revealed it would be a solo album with a collaboration with him, slated for release in April 2009.^[48]

On June 2009, Moore performed 5 tracks of her new Amanda Leigh album, including “Nothing Everything” and “Love To Love Me Back,” at the Walmart Soundcheck show.^[49]

In May 2009, she released her latest album, Amanda Leigh, to generally positive reviews. Rolling Stone said about the album: "the title is taken from the singer's real first and middle names, the acoustic instrumentation emits a cozy campfire glow, and the album was recorded in a modest basement home studio. Message: This is real music, not computerized starlet pop."^{[citation needed]} Time Magazine said that the album was "impeccably recorded."^{[citation needed]} An article on the album by Paper Magazine said, "Mandy (in the album)... shows real thoughtful and emotional depth." Paper concluded that "Moore is a far better musician than she's often given credit for."^[50][51][52]

Moore has a total of singles sales in Australia of more than 241,000 copies, and was ranked at # 281 on the 1000 artists chart of ARIA Music Decade Charts (1980–2010).^[53]

2010–present[link]

In 2010, Moore voiced Rapunzel in Disney animation film Tangled and recorded several songs for the soundtrack,^[54] including I See the Light,^[55] which she performed live during the Oscar presentation in February 2011.

Acting career[link]

2000–2002[link]

During the summer of 2000, Moore hosted a half-hour MTV talk show, The Mandy Moore Show, which was renamed Mandy a year later.^[56] Moore was also a Neutrogena spokesperson, appearing in commercials and print ads for the product.^[7] She has modelled for Penshoppe in the Philippines,^{[citation needed]} Coach handbags in Japan,^[57] and was a spokesperson for the School and Youth Programs of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.^[58] Her first acting role was in the straight-to-video children's film Magic Al and the Mind Factory in which she plays the character of Brittany Foster.^{[citation needed]}

In 2001, Moore appeared in a small part as the mean and popular cheerleader Lana Thomas opposite actresses Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews in the film The Princess Diaries. During the film, Moore's character performs "Stupid Cupid," a song from the film's soundtrack. She also had a voiceover role in Dr. Dolittle 2 as the Girl Bear Cub. In 2002, Moore had her first starring role in a major feature film in A Walk to Remember, which co-starred Shane West. Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, the film revolved around the developing romance between a Protestant minister's daughter Jamie Sullivan (Moore) and an unruly teenager Landon Carter (West). The film was moderately successful, bringing in $41 million in the United States,^[59] and establishing Moore's status as a lead actress. Although the film received mainly negative reviews,^[60] Moore received several positive notices for her performance, with critic Roger Ebert calling her "quietly convincing".^[61] At that summer's MTV Movie Awards, Moore won an award for "Breakthrough Female Performance" for the role.^[62] The same year, she voiced the Final Fantasy VII character Aerith Gainsborough in the Square-Disney crossover video game Kingdom Hearts, was featured in the music video for Elton John's "Original Sin", and was ranked number sixty-seven in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World".^[63]

2003–2005[link]

In 2003, Moore starred in the romantic comedy film How to Deal, which failed to draw in teenage crowds in the U.S. and grossed a total of $14 million domestically.^[59] Her next film was 2004's Chasing Liberty, a romantic comedy that grossed approximately $12 million.^[59] Both films received negative reviews;^[64] however, Ebert once again singled Moore's performances out, noting in his review of How to Deal that Moore has "an unaffected natural charm" and "almost makes the movie worth seeing,"^[65] and adding in his Chasing Liberty review that she has "undeniable screen presence and inspires instant affection."^[66] Other critics described her as an "actress of limited range,"^[67] though one review of Chasing Liberty noted that she was the "most painless of former pop princesses."^[68] Later in 2004, Moore appeared in a lead role in the religion satire Saved! in which she played Hilary Faye, a proper and popular girl at a Christian school. The film was positively reviewed,^[69] though it did not receive a wide release. Moore received praise for her performance,^[70] with one critic calling her a "demented delight"^[71] and another naming it her best performance to date.^[72] She sang a cover version of The Beach Boys 1966 hit "God Only Knows", with Michael Stipe, that bookended the movie.

In 2005, Moore lent her voice to the film Racing Stripes as Sandy the white horse and appeared on the television series Entourage; she was also originally scheduled to star in the films Cursed, Havoc, and The Upside of Anger, all of which were eventually released in 2005 without Moore's involvement.^[13]

2006–2007[link]

In 2006, Moore guest-starred in two episodes of Scrubs: "My Half-Acre" and "Her Story II". The same year, she lent her voice to The Simpsons, playing Tabitha Vixx in the episode "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play".^[73]

Moore also appeared in the film American Dreamz, which was released in April 2006. In the film, she played a deranged contestant on a television series modeled after American Idol. Director Paul Weitz stated that he had Moore in mind for the role before she was cast, explaining that "there's something inherently sweet about Mandy; it makes it all the more interesting to see her in a villainess role".^[74] Moore has said that she enjoys playing mean-spirited characters but fears being typecast as a villain.^[75] American Dreamz opened at number nine at the U.S. box office,^[76] eventually totaling barely $7 million,^[77] and received mixed reviews;^[78] critic Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly, however, wrote that Moore and co-star Hugh Grant have a "wicked barbed chemistry" in their roles,^[79] while Variety's Robert Koehler said Moore's role was a "pitch-perfect study of a woman for whom a reality show is reality".^[80]

Later that year, in what ComingSoon.net's review described as a "surprisingly good performance", Moore voiced Nita, the heroine of the Disney animated sequel Brother Bear 2, which was released directly-to-DVD on August 29.^[81] She was also originally cast to appear in that year's ensemble film Bobby, but was replaced by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.^[82]

Moore, citing her conservative upbringing, has expressed dissatisfaction with her appearance on a May 2006 cover of Cosmopolitan; the magazine's headline is "orgasms unlimited", which refers to an article unrelated to her.^[83] In her movie following this, Because I Said So, co-starring Gabriel Macht, Lauren Graham and Diane Keaton, Moore's character describes in detail the feeling of an orgasm to her mother. It was released on February 2, 2007 and received mixed reviews.^[84] In License to Wed, Moore portrays a young bride-to-be who has to complete a three-week prenup course before her wedding. Co-starring John Krasinski as her fiance and Robin Williams as a priest, the film was released on July 3, 2007 to mostly negative reviews. Nevertheless, Variety described Moore's performance as "appealing."^[85][86][87] In 2007, Moore returned to the small screen in an episode of How I Met Your Mother entitled "Wait for It".

2009–present[link]

After a break of almost two years from big screen roles, Moore filmed the romantic comedy Swinging with the Finkels in the United Kingdom in 2009 for a 2011 release.^[88] Moore also starred with actor Kellan Lutz in the 2010 film, Love, Wedding, Marriage.^[89][90] She was a guest star on the sixth season finale of Grey's Anatomy on May 20, 2010, her first television role since 2007.^[91] She returned in a guest role for an episode of the show's seventh season.^{[citation needed]} Also that year, Moore voiced Princess Rapunzel in the CGI animated film Tangled. Moore, alongside Zachary Levi, performed the film's theme song, "I See the Light" at the 83rd Academy Awards where it was nominated for Best Original Song.^[92]

In October 2011, it was announced that she is set to star in an ABC comedy titled Us and Them.^[93] The series was eventually not picked up by ABC.^[94]

Along with her voice role in the upcoming 2012 Tron: Uprising animated series, she is also set to be the title character voice in the Disney Junior series Oki’s Oasis.^[95]

Fashion career[link]

Moore branched into the fashion world in 2005 with her own fashion line named Mblem., a brand of contemporary knitwear and cashmere. One of her aims was to provide clothing for taller women (Moore herself is 5'10).^[96] In February 2009, Moore announced that the line would be shutting down, but that she hoped to reenter the fashion world again under different circumstances in the future.^[3]

Philanthropy[link]

According to a press release from her own official website, Moore was involved in teaming up with nonprofit organization Population Services International (PSI), and its subsidiary, Five & Alive, which addresses health crises facing children under the age of five and their families.^[97][98]

According to USA Today, Moore was also involved in serving as the Honorary Chairperson of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's division on awareness for youth. She served as a spokesperson by helping young people be aware of the seriousness of leukemia and lymphoma.^[99] She also serves as the spokesperson for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, held every January.^[100] In addition, to increase cervical cancer awareness, Moore teamed up with Dr. Yvonne Collins, The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF), and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).^[101]

Personal life[link]

Her relationships with Adam Goldstein aka DJ AM, singer Billy Crawford, tennis player Andy Roddick,^[102] and actors Wilmer Valderrama^[103] and Zach Braff,^[104] as well as her marriage to singer Ryan Adams, have become the subject of media coverage. Moore and Adams were married on March 10, 2009, in Savannah.^[105][106]

Moore has become a fan of mixed martial arts, often attending UFC events.^[107]

As to her religious beliefs, Moore considers herself spiritual, and has said that she does not think of herself as Christian.^[12]

Reporters have mentioned that Moore has a slight lisp in her performances,^[108] but Moore denied having one when asked by a fan on her official blog.^[109]

Social networking[link]

Moore is the ambassador for the UN Foundations’s “Nothing But Net’s” campaign. The campaign launched a mass distribution of mosquito nets, ensuring that young children, women and newborn babies are not infected with malaria.^[110] Through her use of social networking she has brought awareness to the cause. In August 2011, the campaign used the Town hall function on Facebook for the first time ever. Almost $5,000 was raised immediately. With nearly two million twitter followers, Moore continues to tweet about fundraising for the foundation.^[110] For further awareness of the cause she created a page on the commonly used site, crowdrise.com.

Discography[link]

Filmography[link]

References[link]