GRAMMY winner and Rock n’ Roll Hall of Famer Sam Moore named 2022 CARTA Medallion honoree

GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Sam Moore was recognized as the inaugural recipient of the CARTA Medallion, given by Florida International University’s College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA).

Presented by the Tonkinson Foundation, the CARTA Medallion recognizes outstanding professionals who have demonstrated excellence in their represented fields through international recognition of their work and who have made an immediate and lasting impact to the local, national, and international community in positive ways. The inaugural ceremony took place on May 19 at the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts.

Moore is widely known for his distinctive, unmistakable tenor voice as part of the historic soul duo Sam and Dave.  Moore’s cultural impact and success as an entertainer span nearly seven decades, beginning in Miami’s Overtown and Liberty City neighborhoods in the late 1950s.  Moore, who has earned global recognition as “The Legendary Soul Man,” is the only South Floridian inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee in 1999 and recognized by The Library of Congress’s National Registry for his hit “Soul Man,”  Moore has performed for luminaries and dignitaries around the world, including Queen Elizabeth II, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and six of the seven past U.S. presidents.

Among other career accolades, Sam was awarded a GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, a British MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award, a Musical Note on Memphis’s famed Beale Street and a Nashville’s Country Music Walk of Fame star. Moore is also a longtime supporter of the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim School of Music & Performing Arts at FIU. In recent years, Moore teamed up with his wife, Joyce Moore, to merge arts and business by providing master classes and educational sessions on the music industry at FIU.

“Sam Moore is an inspiration to FIU students, faculty, and the South Florida community. As a native Miamian, he is a living treasure, and we are indeed fortunate to benefit from his talents.  His musical contributions have been recognized nationally and internationally. It is our honor and privilege to have Sam Moore as the inaugural recipient of the FIU CARTA Medallion,” said Rick Tonkinson, who was joined by his wife Margarita in presenting the medallion.

The CARTA Medallion will be awarded annually and will recognize contributions by honorees in one or more CARTA disciplines, which include communication, journalism, architecture, music, theatre, and the visual arts.

“Sam’s music and impact have been a universal and driving force throughout his critically acclaimed career,” said CARTA Dean Brian Schriner. “His achievements, work ethic, and advocacy for our community make him an exemplary model for our college.”

Visit our website for more information on the CARTA Medallion.