R&B great and local treasure Sam Mosley leaves behind legacy of music, love and community at age 78

Sam Mosley, 78

1946 – 2024

Mr. Sam Mosley, one of New Albany’s favorite sons, has sadly departed this life aged 78. Mosley was known the world over as part of the Rhythm & Blues duo, Mosley & Johnson. Here, he was known to many as a friend, a warm and magnetic presence, and a pillar of the community.

Mosley was born in the Beaver Dam community of Union County, MS, and lived most of his life in the New Albany area. His family included several musicians and Sam began playing music as a child. In 1959, at about age 13, he and his brothers Jamie and Ralph formed a band, Jamie and the Dynamics. He started writing songs in high school. Sam understood the importance of education and planned to become a teacher. However, after graduation he went to Peoria, Illinois, for work, then was drafted into the Army and served in Vietnam.

In 1967, after serving honorably in Vietnam, Mosley connected with another local man, keyboardist Bob Johnson, whom Mosley had known since high school. In 1971, under the name Sam and Bob & the Soulmen, the duo released their first album together, “Mississippi Mud”. Their flawless musicianship, mellifluous voices and prodigious songwriting talents would not only bring the pair commercial success, but also secure them an influential niche in the R&B world.

Upon returning to Mississippi, Mosley also returned to the business of furthering his formal education. After earning an Associate Degree from Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) in Booneville, he went on to earn a business degree from the University of Mississippi in 1973. In addition to his musical endeavors, he worked for 34 years in materials management at Super Sagless in Tupelo.

Sam was also a devoted family man. He shared a loving union of 50 years with Margaret Ezell Mosley who pre-deceased him in October 2023 at the age of 72. Together the couple created a large and loving family who will continue to cherish their memories. Our hearts go out to the family in their time of loss.

Twenty years into their dynamic musical partnership, Mosley & Johnson joined with the Malaco record label to release the albums “Mosley & Johnson” (1987) and “Premium” (1989). In 1989 they raised their profile further by touring in Europe with other Malaco artists. They played in prestigious venues in London, Paris, and at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, establishing a long lasting, world-wide reputation for what was sometimes called their “urban blues”.

Mosley and Johnson lent their songwriting and producing talents to other names in R&B including Johnnie Taylor, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Little Milton, Dorothy Moore and others. They wrote “bespoke” songs for the famous artists, and became an integral part of Malaco’s success in Rhythm & Blues. In this capacity, they won two gold records and were nominated for a Grammy in 2000 for their work on a Bobby Bland album. Bland lost that year to BB King.

In August 1998, Mosley & Johnson were performing on stage in Verona, MS, when Bob Johnson suddenly collapsed and died, bringing over 30 years of fruitful collaboration to an end. Nevertheless, Mosley continued writing and playing under the Mosley & Johnson name, performing with Bob’s brothers Willie and Miles. Mosley also continued to pay tribute to his lifelong friend by ensuring that half the royalties earned by Mosley & Johnson continued to go to Bob Johnson’s widow. This included royalties on songs that Mosley wrote alone in the 20-plus years after Johnson passed.

“Bob and I never had a written contract,” Mosley once said. “Paying the royalties to his family is just the right thing to do”.

While his musical legacy is secure, Sam Mosley may have left his greatest mark on this world through his generosity and sheer kindness. Sam never forgot where he came from or who his friends were. His greatness shone all the more brightly in the service he gave to the community he loved.

He never hesitated to lend his time and his many gifts –musical, intellectual, personal – to benefit innumerable campaigns and events aimed at educating, assisting and improving the lives of others. Without fail, he spoke on behalf of unity and progress, lending his formidable abilities to those causes with grace, humility and humor.

Sam Mosley will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him, either in person or through his music. He will live on in the hearts of all those whose lives he touched, both here in our community and among his fans all over the world.

More about Sam Mosley/Mosley & Johnson: https://nemiss.news/is-sam-mosley-new-albanys-favorite-son/ and http://digital.livingblues.com/publication/?i=718906&article_id=4100604&view=articleBrowser