The Turning Point

Throughout the 1970s, Rudy Ray Moore made his name as one of the most uniquely explicit, antiestablishment underground comedians working. With his profane, controversial material, and frequently taboo stories surrounding his famed pimp character Dolemite, Moore commanded a cult-fanbase throughout the decade, remained a star of blaxploitation films of the era, and was a strong influence on rap stars such as Snoop Dogg, Big Daddy Kane, and 2 Live Crew. His party records were considered too vulgar to be displayed in record shops, but word of mouth made his albums the stuff of legends.

Though Rudy Ray Moore was widely known for his provocative stand-up, less is known about his musical side. Though he found success as a comedian he had always wanted to be a famous singer, and deeply loved to perform music. (His stand-up shows regularly featured a backing band, providing his monologues a backdrop of jazz and R&B music.) In 1972, as his comedy career was booming with cult-popularity, Moore released The Turning Point, and fans were treated to the raunchy raconteur’s pre­viously unheard croon. The album features smooth R&B renditions of songs by Curtis Mayfield, The Impressions, The Platters, and other favorites of the comedian, even featuring two originals written by Moore himself.

The music on The Turning Point could easily stand toe-to-toe with the smooth, silky 70s soul of greats like Isaac Hayes or Lou Rawls. Over 35 years later, Dolemite Records, with a dedication to bringing Rudy Ray Moore’s legacy to a modern audience, now brings you this compact disc reissue, complete with retrospective liner notes from Rudy’s former manager Donald Randell.