Al Green Biography, Photos and Posters

Al Green

Biography

Born: April 13, 1946
City and Country of Origin: Forrest City, Arkansas
Music Training:
Awards: 1995 inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; 2004 inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame; Grammy 1994 Best Pop Vocal Collaboration, "Funny How Time Slips Away;" 1989 Best Soul Gospel Vocal Performance, Male Or Female, "As Long As We're Together; 1987 Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright;" 1986 Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male, "Going Away;" 1983 Best Soul Gospel Performance, Male, "I'll Rise Again;" 1982 Best Soul Gospel Performance, Contemporary, "Higher Plane;" Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional, "Precious Lord;" 1981 Best Soul Gospel Performance, Traditional, "The Lord Will Make A Way"
Top Recordings: "Tired of Being Alone," "Let's Stay Together," "I'm Still In Love With You," "Look What You Done for Me," "You Ought to be with Me," "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"
Al Green Biography: Albert Greene is the son of an Arkansas sharecropper. He started his singing career at the age of 9 in a quartet known as the Greene Brothers. The group toured extensively throughout the South during the mid 50s until the Greenes moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was kicked out of the group by his father for listening to Jackie Wilson. While in high school he formed a group called Al Greene & the Creations. Two members of the group formed their own label Hot Line Music Journal and recorded "Back Up Train" releasing it on their own label; the song was an R&B hit. Their subsequent releases did not do so well. In 1969 Green, who dropped the e from his name, came into contact with Willie Mitchell of Memphis' Hi Records who hired him a vocalist for his band and then asked him to sign a record deal with his label.

Mitchell coached the young singer to develop his own style and not to copy other popular singers. His first recording for the label was Green is Blue an album which achieved modest success. The follow up LP in 1970 Al Green Gets Next To You was a huge success that included 4 gold singles "Let's Stay Together" in 1972 was an even bigger success as was "I'm Still In Love With You."

After Green rejected his girlfriend Mary Woodson's marriage proposal on October 18, 1974 she poured boiling grits on him as he showered. She then killed herself in the adjoining bedroom. The event caused second degree burns on his back, stomach and arms and left Green emotionally scarred. He then converted to Christianity and became an ordained ministerf the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis in 1976. After this Al saw his sales begin to slip and his critics reviews grew even harsher. When he was injured while performing he took it as a sign from God and devoted more of his time to his pastoring and gospel singing. During this time he also appeared along with Patti LaBelle int he musical Your Arms Too Short to Box With God. From 1981-89 he made a series of gospel recordings which garnered him 8 gospel Grammys.

During the 90s he once again returned to his R&B roots first with a duet with Annie Lennox "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" for Scrooged, a Bill Murray film. His 1994 duet with Lyle Lovett earned him his ninth Grammy. His 1995 album Your Heart's In Good Hands received good reviews, but sold poorly. In 2002 Green published Take Me to the River a book about his career and he was also presented a lifetime achievements award by the Grammys. In 2003 he re;eased a non-religious album I Can't Stop his first collaboration with Willie Mitchell since He is the Light. In 2005 he followed up with "Everything's Ok." Today Al Green continues to tour and to preach at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis, Tennessee.

Source Wikipedia

Search Site by Artist:

Create search engine for website.