Have you ever wondered what it would be like to know someone who lived a double life? One of intrigue and espionage. And one that was… Well, also quite amazing? The late Jimmy Moore, who was a friend and business associate of mine for almost 50 years, was one of those people.
Jimmy Moore’s public persona was as a celebrity photographer. He shot publicity and album cover photos for gospel and country music stars and Hollywood celebrities. He was also a wordsmith, a poet, and a comedian. In that latter role, he appeared regularly on Hee Haw.
But there was also a side of him I didn’t know, at least not well. He would hint about it later in life. He would tell me about a book he was writing. It was published after his death, and The Invisible Threads is now available to the public. This week’s interview is with his daughter, Pam Davis. And she has stories to tell.
Your father was somewhat of a real-life James Bond. What was it like growing up with someone who frequently disappeared on “secret” missions?
Our parents both traveled frequently, so it was customary that they were gone a lot. In addition, Jimmy had a studio close to Nashville and was often gone for weeks. He used the studio to collaborate with artists in the Nashville area. So, we did not see anything unusual about Jimmy’s absence. We assumed he was on a photo shoot for another album. He would also accept assignments from his studio, so my mom was often the only one privy to his missions. The only thing that did not “add up” for us was the tapped phone lines. Our phones were monitored by agencies, as well as by Jimmy. Monitoring our phone calls was very disconcerting as we grew into our teens.
When did you first suspect he was living two different lives?
It was the telephone calls. We could answer the phone, but it would be silent on the other end. It went on like this for years. Any calls like this were considered threats against our family. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I understood why we would be awakened at night and told we were going to sleep at a friend’s home. We always stayed at the home of Smitty Gatlin, initially with the Oak Ridge Quartet and later The Smitty Gatlin trio. He and his wife invited us to sleep in a safe place with them whenever we needed a place to go.
As a child, were you ever in fear for your life or the lives of your family members because of his work?
Once, in my early teens, Jimmy took me to Nashville to spend the day with him, and we visited a recording studio. I don’t remember which one it was, but I recall wandering outside to look around. Suddenly, my dad appeared, snatched my arm, and told me never to go outside without him. He was scared that day and greatly intimidated me since I was only thirteen.
Later, as an adult, I questioned him about it, and that’s when he told me he had enemies years ago, and now he had some from South America who wanted to see us dead. He had been operating as a government contractor for years, providing them with surveillance footage of the drug cartel in South America. I had no idea. Mom told me the death threats were the reason for overnight stays with the Gatlin’s. So, there was always a threat of danger, and finally, we got a phone call from the government that the persons Jimmy helped incarcerate had broken out of prison. When they were captured, they had a list of persons they planned to kill. Our family was on the list.
Please tell us about his ‘ordinary’ life as a celebrity photographer, which was his more public persona. Who are some of the stars he photographed? Many became lifelong clients and friends, is that correct?
After Jimmy left the bicycle plant, where his job was putting chains on tires, his journey took him far from ordinary life. He ended up working on the Saturn V project through Union Carbide. His dad got him the interview. He did extraordinary work for them — and the book details how he lied to get the job, studied to pass the test, and was made Director of Photography over the Research Department within one month. He remained at this job for many years until they asked him to relocate to Ohio.
Jimmy was known in the country music industry as “Chet’s photographer.” He was first introduced to Chet Atkins through John Loudermilk. Jimmy became good friends with Chet and shot several of his album covers for him. Chet would recommend him to someone else, and from there, it continued until he shot over 200 album covers. We have the album covers available to view on his website. Occasionally, he was asked to shoot a video for someone. His least favorite job was shooting weddings. Of course, I asked him to shoot mine, so he did.
Jimmy had a knack for talking to just anyone, even if he did not know them. He told me about a time he was approached on the street in downtown Nashville by a man who asked if he could do a music video for him. Jimmy declined because he did not know him. Jimmy learned later on it was Phil Collins.
He met Ringo Starr. Ringo happened to stop by a recording studio that day to meet Tammy Wynette. Ringo was very interested in Jimmy’s cameras and asked to see them. Ringo asked Jimmy for a photo with Tammy; he was a fan of hers.
Who did he photograph? Well, it might be simpler to name the ones he did not photograph! He’s got photos he did of a very young Connie Smith, which she used for an early album cover. Jimmy met RCA record producer, Felton Jarvis, who introduced him to Elvis Presley — he has a signed album cover from him (that says) “to my favorite poet.” He and Willie Nelson were good friends. He knew Willie when they had to go in together to pay for lunch. Waylon Jennings and Jessi Coulter. He met them through Chet’s recording studio.
Jimmy worked for Johnny Cash as his photographer on The Johnny Cash Show. George Hamilton, IV, was also a very close friend. We had the pleasure of meeting Bo Svenson, who played Buford Pusser in the movie Walking Tall Part 2. He came to our house, and mom cooked hamburger pie for him. Oh, I had a crush on him as a teen! Perhaps one of the closer relationships was with The Oak Ridge Boys, for whom he shot many album covers and a commercial for Boy Scouts of America.
Another close friend was Jerry Reed. He and Jimmy were two peas in a pod — they loved practical jokes and making people laugh. Jimmy always described him as “electric” because it was anyone’s guess what he would do next. Jerry came to Lawrenceburg one day, and Jimmy took him to a local diner called the “Blue Ribbon Café.” A waitress said she recognized Jerry and said, “You’re Chet Atkins.” Jerry affirmed he was Chet and signed an autograph with Chet’s name. Jimmy got a laugh out of it. Jerry joked that Chet needed all the help he could get. Later that day, Jimmy drove Jerry around, where they ended up in Lynchburg. Jimmy was lost, and so they pulled into a drive leading up to an old house where a man sat on the porch. His name was Doc Milsap, and he gave them directions back to the highway, but before they left, Jimmy introduced Doc to Jerry Reed. Doc had never heard of him. He asked him what he did for a living, and Jerry replied that he played guitar. Doc asked him to play something, and Jerry sat down on the porch and played a few songs. Doc told him he should go to Nashville and record his music. Jimmy took a picture of them on the porch together, and Jerry used it for his next album cover, Jerry Reed Explores Guitar Country. You can see this album cover on Jimmy’s website.
Currently, I am working with another friend of Jimmy’s, Larry Gatlin, on an unfinished collaborative project they began years ago. I am very excited about it.
The Invisible Threads (Independently published, February 2024) is the memoir of an extraordinary life. I believe it’s fair to say that Jimmy experienced one detour after another, each leading to a new, exciting, and, possibly, more dangerous adventure. Please tell us about the book and how it came to be published.
Initially, Jimmy presented the book idea to an agent with Simon & Schuster. They loved it and offered him a book deal. Jimmy wanted it to be about the music business, with its original title being “A Backstage Pass.” The agent convinced him to make it an autobiography about his journey “from bicycles to space shuttles.” When he completed it, he changed the title to “The Invisible Threads.” The “threads” are the connections he made that took him where he wanted to go, though he did not know it then.
He often explained it as a door opening and was unafraid to walk through any door. So many times, he would get a phone call and be told by whoever was on the other end, “Pack your bag; you are going to a classified location.” The most memorable was the call from The National Air Guard, where he was assigned to Ground Zero to shoot video of this tragedy, and Mom told me there was no hesitation. He was fearless this way. At age 64, he was flown over by helicopter and suspended by a body harness over the site of the Twin Towers. He was the Mission Leader for his group. He documented the tragedy and never spoke about it to us. However, his willingness to walk through this door led him to numerous opportunities to provide video documentation for the military. He was always busy going and doing.
Mom always said, “If your father is not busy, he gets into trouble.” He did have a lot to do, so Jimmy’s book was shelved many times. In total, it took him over forty years to complete it. In the past few years, he decided that he waited too long to publish it, and the market was not open for a “coffee table book.” The book is quite large. Before he passed away, I told him I would try to get it published. Well, no one was interested in publishing a book of a deceased author. We decided the best route to take was with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, and I am so glad we did. His friends have waited for decades to read his story, and we’ve received a lot of positive feedback.
A few personal questions…
The Invisible Threads isn’t a faith-based book, but faith is an important part of your family dynamics. Did that influence come from your father, your mother, or both?
I think it is advantageous if you come from a family that shares a common belief in God. I know many people who experienced division within their families over differences in their take on faith. My mom and dad were both raised in the same faith but differed in their approach to organized religion. We attended worship with our mom when we were children since Jimmy was often away on business.
What Bible passage or story best describes your personal journey of faith?
I have read the entire Bible several times, and the part that resonates with me is the brief time that Jesus walked on earth. I think that, even if you do not want to believe in God, there is something you can take away from the daily life of Jesus. He was so self-actualized, and he practiced unconditional love. He would dine with a sinner or saint. He understood the power and purpose of forgiveness and the beauty of serving others. He was not a reactionary, and don’t we see too much of this today — so much hate is returned for hate. Jesus returned love for hate. He practiced self-control.
The infamous quote, “Forgive them for they know not what they do,” is indicative of someone who had a greater understanding of those persons than they did of themselves. For me, this quote means that when you “spear” someone as they did to Jesus, the damage goes far deeper than the spear. One of my mentors uses the story of Jesus to teach how we can transcend boundaries by following Jesus’ life. I came from a faith that required you to formally place an exclusive membership with one church. Jesus taught us that we are spiritual beings who are already connected to God. No membership is required. The story of Jesus is timeless. Today, with all the rhetoric circulating in the media influencing people to hate because of their differences in religion or politics, we need to remind ourselves of Jesus’ life and that we can all be better.
Before I close, I want to ask about your mother, Avagene. She stayed home, raised you and your siblings, and waited for days—perhaps weeks—at a time for your father to return. Do you think she was fully aware of the work he was doing and the danger he was in?
I think she knew. She did not clue me in on details until I was grown. When she did, some of the things I never understood were clarified. I am thankful that I did not have to suffer the fear that she endured. I am sure I do not appreciate how vulnerable she must have felt at times when she was alone in the house with us. I will never forget one December night in our home on Hayes Road. It was after midnight, and she received a phone call from a neighbor. When she answered, they whispered, “Avagene, there is a man standing in your backyard looking up at your windows.” The police came and investigated but never found out who was there. But someone had been standing at her bedroom window. Their footprints were all over the property, and because it was snowing, it was impossible to trace them by morning. As I mentioned earlier, she took a lot of the phone calls, which we believed were tests to see if we were home. It was chilling.
Avagene was also a devoted public servant. Please tell us a bit about her work and her life.
Avagene was a deeply spiritual person who loved to be involved with her church and community. On a professional level, she began working for the city and turned a job into a career. She was known among her colleagues as the icon for emergency management. Her expertise took her all over the country and overseas. She traveled all over Europe doing public speaking on emergency planning to government agencies. In fact, when she passed away, we received a phone call from the Italian government expressing their condolences.
Mom was inducted into the International Women in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Hall of Fame in 2011. Many of her friends and colleagues regard her as a mentor, and inspiration with some going on to get their Toastmaster’s certification in public speaking. She was a leader in her field of expertise for over 35 years and regularly participated in the future of IAEM (International Association of Emergency Managers) with donations to their scholarship program for emergency managers.
Although I have seen my mom work 12-15 hours a day on her computer, she could be counted on to be there for family, friends, and her community. She never failed to make apple cakes for the local postal service, cook food for those who were bereaved, and visit hospitals and nursing homes weekly, as well as mailing cards. She mailed thousands of birthday cards in her lifetime. I’ve got an overstuffed box of postcards she sent me from all over the world, just letting me know how she was and that she loved me, and I was just one of three children that she kept in touch with. If you knew Avagene, you were fortunate. She is a perfect example of doing what it takes to create the life you want. She was a gift to us and to so many whose lives she touched.
Thank you, Pam! It’s great to have you as a guest at Divine Detour.
Thank you, Kathy. It’s been my pleasure.
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To learn more about Jimmy Moore, his life, and his book, visit his website.
To order The Invisible Threads, go to —
