After playing guitar in Joe Ely's touring band and appearing on one studio album, he spent time in Austin with his own groups, first Ian Moore and Moment's Notice, then The Ian Moore Band. While attending The University of Texas at Austin, Moore played in Austin regularly, quickly developing into one of Austin's largest draws. This led to his debut album which was released by Capricorn Records in 1993. The success of this album spawned multiple radio hits, TV appearances, and tours with artists such as Bob Dylan, ZZ Top, Paul Weller, and the Rolling Stones. His second record, Modernday Folklore, was voted one of the greatest art moments in Art of America, and led to more high level touring through the US and Europe, as well as his top charting song, Muddy Jesus, which made it into the top 5 AOR rock radio charts. Ian's musical journey has been vast and ambitious. His first two records pushed the envelope of the BluesRock genre, including psychedelic, power pop, and heavy art influences, and predating bands such as My Morning Jacket and Gomez by many years. His mid period, coinciding with a move to the Pacific Northwest, found him exploring psychedelic folk on records such as his YepRoc records, Luminaria, which No Depression said belonged alongside Grant Lee Phillips and Wilco, channeling Scott Walker and the Beach Boys. Around 2006 Ian's records took a turn into the noise rock, power pop realm, as he released To Be Loved and El Sonido, now being compared to Matthew Sweet and Big Star. Pop Matters put it succinctly as they summed up his career to date, saying " Sure, he’s got his peers, but he’s ballsier than Josh Rouse, bluesier than Josh Ritter, grittier than Matthew Sweet, brainier than Ryan Adams, and more muscular than Grant-Lee Phillips. Moore’s transformation from trade bluesman to restless pop chameleon may be most closely echoed by Chris Whitley" which is short form of saying that Moore is not easily tagged by genre and comparison, and in his diversity and understanding of form, he is unique in his time.
Other career activities
Though mostly busy with his solo releases and touring, he has scored film and TV, as well as stints as a sidemen with artists as diverse as Jason Mraz and Roky Erickson. He has been on late night and morning television shows. He has collaborated with Ice Cube, Prince B, Spiral Stairs, and more. In 2016 Moore toured the US five times, releasing a new soul covers EP, The Noble Art, starting a charity, SMASH, which assists Seattle musicians with health care, and becoming a Grammy Governor. In 2017, his latest release, Strange Days, was issued followed by more touring.
