Chips Moman, Legendary Memphis Producer Who Worked With Elvis Presley, The Box Tops, Dies At 79

Chips Moman, Dead at 79

LINCOLN WAYNE “CHIPS” MOMAN -- the record producer, guitarist, and songwriter who recorded ELVIS PRESLEY, BOBBY WOMACK, CARLA THOMAS, MERILEE RUSH, and guided the careers of the BOX TOPS in MEMPHIS -- passed away YESTERDAY (6/13) after a brief illness at the age of 79 at his home in La GRANGE, GA.  

Getting his nickname from a lifelong love of gambling, CHIPS was one of the acknowledged architects of the MEMPHIS SOUND, an edgy style of Soul music whose roots were in Blues and R&B he established while one of the architects of the city’s STAX RECORDS and world-famous AMERICAN SOUND STUDIO. He was also the writer of some of the most enduring songs in the history of Soul and Country music, responsible for standards associated with ARETHA FRANKLIN (“Do Right Woman, Do Right Man”), JAMES CARR (“The Dark End Of The Street”), WAYLON JENNINGS (“Luckenbach Texas [Back To The Basics Of Love]”), and B.J. THOMAS (“[Hey Won’ t You Play] Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”), often serving as a session guitarist as well. 

MOMAN is survived by wife TONI WINE, a songwriter (“A Groovy Kind Of Love,” “Candida”) and vocalist (THE ARCHIES’ “Sugar Sugar,” GENE PITNEY’s “It Hurts To Be In Love,” WILLIE NELSON’s “Always On My Mind”). 

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