Warren "Pete" Moore, an original member and bass vocalist of Motown group the Miracles, died Sunday at age 78.
Moore’s death was confirmed by Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, in a statement to Rolling Stone, but he did not give a cause of death.
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Warren ‘Pete’ Moore,” Gordy said. “Pete was an original member of my very first group, the Miracles. He was a quiet spirit with a wonderful bass voice behind Smokey Robinson’s soft, distinctive lead vocals and was co-writer on several of the Miracles’ hits.”
Moore was a childhood friend of Smokey Robinson in Detroit and helped form the Miracles in 1959, Rolling Stone reported. He co-wrote “Tracks of my Tears,” “Ooo Baby Baby,” and “Love Machine” for the Miracles and also wrote hits for Marvin Gaye (“Ain’t That Peculiar,” “I’ll Be Doggone”) and the Temptations (“Since I Lost My Baby”).
Moore stayed with the Miracles even after Robinson left in 1971, until the band dissolved in 1978. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the group in 2012.
Twitter tributes — including from Robinson — noted Moore's contributions to the era and thanked him.