Editing Gary Moore (section)

== Early life ==
Robert William Gary Moore was born in [[Belfast]] on 4 April 1952,<ref name="BelfastTelegraph">{{Cite news | url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/moores-almanac-,13444722.html | title=Moore's almanac | newspaper=Belfast Telegraph | date=2 May 2007| access-date=7 July 2020 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814034807/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/moores-almanac-13444722.html | archive-date=14 August 2011| df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="Guardian">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/feb/07/gary-moore-obituary |title=Gary Moore obituary |date=7 February 2011 |first=Adam |last=Sweeting |work=The Guardian |access-date=25 August 2020| df = dmy-all }}</ref> the son of Winnie, a [[housewife]], and Robert Moore, a promoter who ran the Queen's Hall ballroom in [[Holywood, County Down|Holywood]] across the [[Belfast Lough]] from Belfast.<ref name="BelfastTelegraph"/><ref name="Guardian"/><ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-12881549 |title= Thin Lizzy's Gary Moore in candid BBC One documentary |date=2 March 2011|first=Pierre |last=Perrone |publisher=BBC |access-date=7 July 2020| df = dmy-all }}</ref> The younger Robert grew up near [[Stormont Estate]] in Ballymiscaw with his four siblings.<ref name="Guardian"/> He sang "[[Sugartime]]" after his father invited him onstage to sing with a [[Irish showband|showband]] at an event that his father had organised. It first sparked the younger Robert's interest in music, he credits his father with starting him in music by giving him the opportunity to perform. The older Robert bought his son his first guitar, a second-hand [[Framus]] acoustic, when Moore was 10 years old.<ref name="Guardian"/><ref name="Independent">{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/gary-moore-virtuoso-guitarist-who-had-his-biggest-hits-with-phil-lynott-and-thin-lizzy-2207348.html |title= Gary Moore: Virtuoso guitarist who had his biggest hits with Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy |date=8 February 2011 |first=Pierre |last=Perrone |publisher=Independent |access-date=7 July 2020| df = dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vintageguitar.com/2940/gary-moore/ |title= Gary Moore – Back to the Rock |first= Willie G. |last=Moseley |date= 7 January 2005 |publisher=Independent |access-date=1 September 2020}}</ref>

Though left-handed, the younger Robert learned to play the instrument right-handed.<ref name="Independent"/> Not long after, he formed his first band, The Beat Boys, who mainly performed [[The Beatles|Beatles]] songs.<ref name="Guardian"/><ref name="Independent"/> He later joined Platform Three and The Method, amongst others.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/is-this-you-pictured-with-13-year-old-gary-moore-28588314.html |title= Is this you pictured with 13-year-old Gary Moore? |first=Ivan |last=Little |newspaper= Belfast Telegraph |date=14 February 2011 |access-date=18 September 2020| df = dmy-all }}</ref> Around this time, he befriended guitarist [[Rory Gallagher]], who often performed at the same venues as him.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/gary-moore-remembers-rory-gallagher-14356584 |title= Gary Moore remembers Rory Gallagher |publisher=Hot Press |date=11 June 2015 |access-date=1 September 2020| df = dmy-all }}</ref> He left Belfast for [[Dublin]] in 1968 just as [[The Troubles]] were beginning in [[Northern Ireland]]. A year later, his parents separated.<ref name="BelfastTelegraph"/><ref name="BBC"/>