10 Things You May Not Know About Kip Moore
How many things did you know about Kip?
Kip Moore has been a solid presence in country music ever since his second single, “Somethin’ ‘Bout A Truck,” shot up the charts in 2011. Since then, the artist has released four albums, toured all over the world, and garnered an incredibly dedicated fanbase. Moore has a knack for telling honest stories in his music, but he’s not the most open artist when it comes to his personal life, so there may some things you still don’t know about the Platinum-selling singer.
Here are 10 things you may not know about Kip Moore.
- He comes from a big family.
Kip Moore was born and raised in Tifton, Georgia, a small city of just over 16,000 people. Moore says “You had to make your own fun” in Tifton, and luckily, he had five siblings to keep him company. Moore grew up with two older bothers and three younger sisters, and the singer says the family would often drive to the beach to go fishing or spend time at the church where his mother played organ.
2. His dad was a pro golfer.
Sports were ingrained in Moore’s life from an early age, as his dad was a golf pro at the Spring Hill Country Club in Tifton for 30 years. His grandfather also made his mark in sports, playing minor league baseball for the Cardinals’ team. Moore himself grew up playing basketball and golf, and enjoyed going to Braves’ baseball games with his family as a kid.
3. He was a college athlete.
Moore continued his love for sports into his college years, attending Wallace State on a basketball scholarship and playing point guard for the team. A couple of years later, he transferred to Valdosta State University to play golf on a scholarship. Although he loved golf, he says that his passion for music overpowered his love for sports. “I think just knowing that I wasn’t in love with the game—I was in love with music and that’s what I wanted to do with my life—was why I walked away,” he told Sports Illustrated.
4. He started playing music later in life.
Moore certainly grew up around music with his mother being a piano and organ player, but he didn’t start making his own music until later in life. He says he started playing guitar when he was 17, and once he went to college, he started pursuing music wholeheartedly. He told Sports Illustrated that music was “all I could think about,” and he soon started playing at bars on the weekends in college.
“It became all about trying to write songs and trying to become a better guitar player,” he says. “I liked the challenge of sports, like when I picked up a golf club for the first time, but it never had the same impact on my life that music does.”
5. He had a beach bum phase.
After college, Moore didn’t move straight to Nashville to pursue his music career. Instead, he took a bit of a detour, moving to Hawaii with a friend and living in a hut that cost $50 a month. It was there that Moore found his love for surfing. He and his friend spent as much time as they could at the beach catching waves. After six months of the island life and after some encouragement from his friend, Moore finally decided to move to Nashville to give music a chance.
6. He’s not a fan of selfies or phones at concerts.
Moore is not the type of guy you’ll see glued to his phone. In fact, he once told Life & Style that it is his life goal to never take a selfie. “I’ll go to my grave and I’ll never [take a selfie],” he says. “People sometimes think that I have because they’ll see me in a picture where somebody else has taken it, but I will never—it never crosses my mind to go ‘let me take a picture of myself.’” Kip is also famous for calling out fans during his shows to tell them to stop taking videos of the concert and simply enjoy the show itself.
7. He respects others’ opinions.
Some artists are open to talk about their political ideologies and others prefer to keep their opinions to themselves. While Moore hasn’t been known to share specific opinions on political issues, he has often shared messages encouraging people to respect those who have differing opinions from their own. In July, during a summer full of political clashes, Moore tweeted, “If someone disagrees with your stance, view, feeling…try & educate them in a RESPECTFUL manner on the why u believe or feel the way u do. Be open to listen. Respect & empathy is earned that way. Don’t just cancel..canceling does nothing.”
8. He’s has a lodge in Kentucky.
In 2018, Moore announced that he and a friend had collaborated to open a lodge called BedRock in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge area. The lodge caters to those who come to the area to hike and rock climb, offering unique lodging for outdoor enthusiasts. When he’s not on tour, Moore can often be seen posting pictures and videos from the lodge and even going on some rock climbing expeditions at the gorge. In the official announcement, Moore said, “This space is something I’ve been really looking forward to being ready. Every part of the lodge has been intricately thought through, and hopefully encourages guests to connect on a community level. I love to rock climb in my spare time and I think we’ve created something pretty special.”
9. He’s a fan of classic rock.
While listening to Moore’s music, some people may recognize elements inspired by rock music of the past. From the energetic guitar to Moore’s gravelly tone, many of his songs give off a vintage rock feel, and this sound was most likely inspired by the music he listened to in his youth. Moore says that he and his dad would often listen to the likes of Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson, Bob Seger, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen when he was young. He’s often been compared to Springsteen, and he once told Billboard that the first album he bought was Seger’s Night Moves.
10. He can demolish a box of donuts.
If you’re wondering what Kip Moore’s favorite sweet treat is, look no further than your local Krispy Kreme shop. Kip says he definitely has a weak spot for this treat, and has even eaten an entire dozen box on his own. “I might have thrown up after, but I did it,” he says.
