Al Green (musician)Al Green on the cover of Let's Stay TogetherAl Green (b. April 13, 1946) is an American gospel and soul music singer, born in Forrest City, Arkansas. The son of a sharecropper, he started out at age nine in a Forrest City quartet called the Greene Brothers; he dropped the final "e" from his last name years later as a solo artist. They toured extensively in the mid-1950s in the South until the Greenes moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, when they began to tour around Michigan. He was kicked out of the group by his father because he was caught listening to Jackie Wilson. Green formed a group called Al Greene & the Creations in high school. Curtis Rogers and Palmer James, two members of the Creations, formed an independent label called Hot Line Music Journal. The band, now known as the Soul Mates, recorded "Back Up Train" and released it on Hot Line Music; the song was an R&B chart hit. The Soul Mates' subsequent singles did not sell as well. Al Green met bandleader Willie Mitchell of Memphis' Hi Records in 1969, when Mitchell had hired him as a vocalist for a Texas show with Mitchell's band and then asked him to sign with the label. Mitchell predicted stardom for Green, coaching him to find his own, unique voice at a time when Green had previously been trying to sing like his heroes Jackie Wilson, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Sam Cooke. Green's debut album with Hi Records was Green is Blue, a slow, horn-driven album that allowed Green to show off his powerful and expressive voice, with Mitchell arranging, engineering, and producing. The album was a moderate success. The next LP, though, Al Green Gets Next To You (1970), was a massive success that included four gold singles as Green developed his vocal and songwriting talents. Let's Stay Together (1972) was an even bigger success, as was I'm Still In Love With You (1972). Call Me was a critical sensation, and was also just as popular at the time; it is one of his most fondly remembered albums today. On October 18, 1974, Green's girlfriend, Mary Woodson, poured boiling grits on him as he was showering, causing second-degree burns on his back, stomach and arm. She then killed herself in an adjacent bedroom. Green converted to Christianity after recovering from the assault and in 1976 became an ordained pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis. Continuing to record R&B, Green saw his sales start to slip and the critics grew steadily harsher. 1977's The Belle Album was critically acclaimed but did not regain his former mass audience. In 1979, Green was injured while performing and interpreted this accident as a message from God. He then concentrated his energies towards pastoring his church and gospel singing, also appearing in 1982 with Patti Labelle in the musical Your Arms Too Short to Box With God. His first gospel album was The Lord Will Make a Way. From 1981 to 1989 Green recorded a series of gospel recordings, garnering eight "soul gospel performance" Grammys in that period. In 1984 director Robert Mugge released a documentary film, The Gospel According to Al Green, including interviews about his life and footage from his church. After spending several years exclusively performing gospel, Green began to return to R&B. First, he released a duet with Annie Lennox, "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" for Scrooged, a Bill Murray film. His 1994 duet with country music singer Lyle Lovett blended country with R&B, garnering him ninth Grammy, this time in a pop music category. Green's first secular album in some time was Your Heart's In Good Hands (1995), released to positive reviews but disappointing sales, the same year Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2000, Green published Take Me to the River, a book discussing his career. The Grammys presented Green with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. Green released in 2003 a non-religious (secular) album entitled I Can't Stop, his first collaboration with Willie Mitchell since 1985's He is the Light. The next year, Green was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Discography and chart ranking
Hit singles
References
For the Democratic candidate for District 25 in Texas and the former head of the Houston NAACP, please see Al Green (politician). This page about Al Green includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about Al Green News stories about Al Green External links for Al Green Videos for Al Green Wikis about Al Green Discussion Groups about Al Green Blogs about Al Green Images of Al Green |
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For the Democratic candidate for District 25 in Texas and the former head of the Houston NAACP, please see Al Green (politician). She married her long-time boyfriend Daniel Johns, lead singer
of Silverchair, on December
31, 2003. The Grammys presented Green with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. Her first single, "Torn" (1997), reached number 2 in the British charts, and her album Left of the Middle became a million seller. In 2000, Green published Take Me to the River, a book discussing his career. Like Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue, she also played a role in the soap Neighbours before venturing into a singing career. Green's first secular album in some time was Your Heart's In Good Hands (1995), released to positive reviews but disappointing sales, the same year Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The second of the four daughters of an Italian father and an Australian mother, Natalie grew up on the Central Coast, north of Sydney. His 1994 duet with country music singer Lyle Lovett blended country with R&B, garnering him ninth Grammy, this time in a pop music category. Natalie Jane Imbruglia (born February 4, 1975) is an Australian singer and actress. First, he released a duet with Annie Lennox, "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" for Scrooged, a Bill Murray film. "Cold Air" on Y Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too) O.S.T. (2001). After spending several years exclusively performing gospel, Green began to return to R&B. "Identify" on Stigmata O.S.T (1999). In 1984 director Robert Mugge released a documentary film, The Gospel According to Al Green, including interviews about his life and footage from his church. "Never Tear Us Apart" with Tom Jones on Reload (1999). From 1981 to 1989 Green recorded a series of gospel recordings, garnering eight "soul gospel performance" Grammys in that period. "Troubled by the Way We Came Together" on Go O.S.T. (1999). His first gospel album was The Lord Will Make a Way. "Shiver" (21/03/2005). He then concentrated his energies towards pastoring his church and gospel singing, also appearing in 1982 with Patti Labelle in the musical Your Arms Too Short to Box With God. "Beauty On The Fire" (22/07/2002). In 1979, Green was injured while performing and interpreted this accident as a message from God. "Wrong Impression" (11/03/2002). 1977's The Belle Album was critically acclaimed but did not regain his former mass audience. "That Day" (29/10/2001). Continuing to record R&B, Green saw his sales start to slip and the critics grew steadily harsher. "Smoke" (16/11/1998). Green converted to Christianity after recovering from the assault and in 1976 became an ordained pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis. "Big Mistake" (17/04/98). She then killed herself in an adjacent bedroom. "Wishing I Was There" (23/02/98). On October 18, 1974, Green's girlfriend, Mary Woodson, poured boiling grits on him as he was showering, causing second-degree burns on his back, stomach and arm. "Torn" (27/10/97). Call Me was a critical sensation, and was also just as popular at the time; it is one of his most fondly remembered albums today. Counting Down The Days (2005). Let's Stay Together (1972) was an even bigger success, as was I'm Still In Love With You (1972). White Lilies Island (2001). The next LP, though, Al Green Gets Next To You (1970), was a massive success that included four gold singles as Green developed his vocal and songwriting talents. Left of the Middle (1997). The album was a moderate success. Green's debut album with Hi Records was Green is Blue, a slow, horn-driven album that allowed Green to show off his powerful and expressive voice, with Mitchell arranging, engineering, and producing. Mitchell predicted stardom for Green, coaching him to find his own, unique voice at a time when Green had previously been trying to sing like his heroes Jackie Wilson, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Sam Cooke. Al Green met bandleader Willie Mitchell of Memphis' Hi Records in 1969, when Mitchell had hired him as a vocalist for a Texas show with Mitchell's band and then asked him to sign with the label. The Soul Mates' subsequent singles did not sell as well. The band, now known as the Soul Mates, recorded "Back Up Train" and released it on Hot Line Music; the song was an R&B chart hit. Curtis Rogers and Palmer James, two members of the Creations, formed an independent label called Hot Line Music Journal. Green formed a group called Al Greene & the Creations in high school. He was kicked out of the group by his father because he was caught listening to Jackie Wilson. They toured extensively in the mid-1950s in the South until the Greenes moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, when they began to tour around Michigan. The son of a sharecropper, he started out at age nine in a Forrest City quartet called the Greene Brothers; he dropped the final "e" from his last name years later as a solo artist. April 13, 1946) is an American gospel and soul music singer, born in Forrest City, Arkansas. Al Green (b. Grammy Awards website (http://www.grammy.com). NPR interview (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1082212). Allmusic.com artist discussion (http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MIDMR0411300853&sql=11:y698s34ba3mg~T1). Biography at official artist website (http://www.algreenmusic.com/BIOGRAPHY.htm). Al Green) #38 UK. 1989 "The Message is Love" (Arthur Baker and The Backbeat Disciples feat. 1988 "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" (with Annie Lennox) #9 US, #28 UK. 1977 "Keep Me Cryin'" #37 US. 1975 "Full of Fire" #28 US. 1975 "L-O-V-E (Love)" #13 US, #24 UK. 1974 "Livin' for You" #19 US. 1974 "Let's Get Married" #32 US. 1974 "Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)" #7 US, #20 UK. 1973 "Here I am (Come and Take Me)" #10 US. 1973 "Call Me (Come Back Home)" #10 US. 1972 "You Ought to be with Me" #3 US. 1972 "Look What You Done for Me" #4 US. 1972 "I'm Still in Love with You" #3 US, #35 UK. 1972 "Let's Stay Together" #1 US, #7 UK. 1971 "Tired of Being Alone" #11 US, #4 UK. 2005 "Everything's OK". 2003 "The Love Songs Collection" (compilation) #91 US. 2003 "I Can't Stop" #53 US. 2002 "Love - The Essential Al Green" #18 UK. 2001 "Feels Like Christmas". 2000 "Take Me to the River" (compilation) #186 US. 1995 "Your Heart's in Good Hands". 1993 "Gospel Soul". 1992 "Love is Reality". 1989 "I Get Joy". 1988 "Hi Life - The Best of Al Green" #34 UK. 1987 "Soul Survivor" #131 US. 1986 "White Christmas". 1985 "He is the Light". 1984 "Trust in God". 1983 "The Christmas Album". 1983 "I'll Rise Again". 1982 "Precious Lord". 1981 "Tokyo Live". 1981 "Higher Plane". 1980 "The Lord Will Make a Way". 1978 "Truth N' Time". 2" #134 US. 1977 "Al Green's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1977 "The Belle Album" #103 US. 1976 "Have a Good Time" #93 US. 1976 "Full of Fire" #59 US. 1975 "Al Green's Greatest Hits" #17 US, #18 UK. 1975 "Al Green is Love" #28 US. 1974 "Al Green Explores Your Mind" #15 US. 1973 "Livin' for You" #24 US. 1973 "Call Me" #10 US. 1972 "Al Green" (compilation) #162 US. 1972 "I'm Still in Love with You" #4 US. 1972 "Let's Stay Together" #8 US. 1971 "Al Green Gets Next to You" #58 US. 1970 "Green is Blues" #19 US. 1967 "Back Up Train". |