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Al Green

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For other people named Al Green, seeAl Green (disambiguation).

Al Green
Green in 1996
Green in 1996
Background information
Birth nameAlbert Leornes Greene
Also known asThe Reverend Al Green
Born(1946-04-13)April 13, 1946(age 78)
Forrest City, Arkansas,U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • pastor
  • record producer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
DiscographyAl Green discography
Years active1966–present
Labels
Websitewww.al-green.com

Albert Leornes Greene(born April 13, 1946), known professionally asAl Green,is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer best known for recording a series ofsoulhit singlesin the early 1970s, including "Take Me to the River","Tired of Being Alone","I'm Still in Love with You","Love and Happiness",and hissignature song,"Let's Stay Together".[3]After his girlfriend died bysuicide,Green became an ordainedpastorand turned to gospel music. He later returned tosecular music.[4][5]

Green wasinductedinto theRock and Roll Hall of Famein 1995. He was referred to on the museum's site as being "one of the most gifted purveyors of soul music".[3]He has also been referred to as "The Last of the Great Soul Singers".[6]Green is the winner of 11 Grammy Awards, including theGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award.He has also received the BMI Icon award and is aKennedy Center Honorsrecipient. He was included in theRolling Stonelist of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, ranking at No. 65,[7]as well as its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, at No. 10.[8]

Early life[edit]

Albert Leornes Greene[4]was born on April 13, 1946, inForrest City, Arkansas,[9]as the sixth of ten children born to Cora Lee andsharecropperRobert G. Greene, Jr. At around the age of ten, Al began performing with his sister in a group called the Greene Brothers. During the late 1950s, the Greene family relocated toGrand Rapids, Michigan.[10]

While still a teenager, Al was kicked out of the family home after his devoutly religious father caught him listening toJackie Wilson.[11]He then lived with aprostitute,began hustling,[clarification needed]and indulged inrecreational drugs.[12]

"[I listened to]Mahalia Jackson,all the great gospel singers. But the most important music to me was those hip-shakin' boys:Wilson PickettandElvis Presley.When I was 13, I just loved Elvis Presley. Whatever he got, I went out and bought. "[13]

In high school, Al formed a vocal group called Al Greene & the Creations.[14]Two of the group's members, Curtis Rodgers and Palmer James, formed an independent label called Hot Line Music Journal. In 1966, having changed their name to Al Greene & the Soul Mates, they recorded the song "Back Up Train", releasing it on Hot Line Music.[15]The song was a hit on theR&Bcharts and peaked at No. 46 in theCashboxTop 100.However, the group's subsequent follow-ups failed to chart, as did their debut albumBack Up Train.While performing with the Soul Mates, Green came into contact withMemphisrecord producerWillie Mitchell,who hired him in 1969 to be a vocalist for a Texas show with Mitchell's band. Following the performance, Mitchell asked Green to sign with hisHi Recordslabel.[15]

Career[edit]

Early success[edit]

Having noted that Green had been trying to sing like Jackie Wilson,Sam Cooke,Wilson Pickett,andJames Brown,Mitchell became his vocal mentor, coaching him into finding his own voice. Before releasing his first album withHi Records,Green removed the final "e" from his name. Subsequently, he releasedGreen Is Blues(1969), which was a moderate success. His follow-up album,Al Green Gets Next to You(1971), featured the hit R&B cover ofthe Temptations' "I Can't Get Next to You",recorded in a slowblues-oriented style.[15]The album also featured his first significant hit, "Tired of Being Alone",[15]which sold a million copies and was certified gold, becoming the first of eight gold singles Green would release between 1971 and 1974.[16]

Al Green in an appearance onThe Mike Douglas Showin 1973

Green's next album,Let's Stay Together(January 1972), solidified his place in soul music.[15]Thetitle trackwas his biggest hit to date, reaching number one on both theBillboardHot 100andR&Bcharts.[17]The album became his first to be certifiedgold.His follow-up,I'm Still in Love with You(October 1972), went platinum with the help of the singles "Look What You Done for Me"and thetitle track,both of which went to the top 10 on the Hot 100. His next album,Call Me(April 1973), produced three top-10 singles: "You Ought to Be with Me","Call Me (Come Back Home)",and"Here I Am (Come and Take Me)".[17]In addition to these hit singles, Green also had radio hits with songs such as "Love and Happiness",his cover of theBee Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart","Simply Beautiful","What a Wonderful Thing Love Is ", and"Take Me to the River"(later covered successfully bynew wavebandTalking Headsand blues artistSyl Johnson).

Green's albumLivin' for You(December 1973) was certified gold.[16]He continued to record successful R&B hits in the next several years, including "Livin' for You","Sha-La-La (Makes Me Happy) "from his albumAl Green Explores Your Mind,"Let's Get Married", "L-O-V-E (Love)"and"Full of Fire".

By the time Green releasedThe Belle Albumin 1977, however, his record sales had plummeted, partially due to Green's own personal issues during this time and his desire to become aminister.[18]His last Hi Records album,Truth n' Time,was released in 1978 and failed to chart top 40.

Gospel recordings[edit]

Continuing to record R&B, Green saw his sales start to slip and drew mixed reviews from critics. In 1979, he injured himself falling off the stage while performing in Cincinnati and took this as a message from God. He then concentrated his energies towards pastoring his church andgospel music.[19]

From 1981 to 1989, Green recorded a series of gospel albums.[19]While still under contract with Hi Records, Green released the 1980 albumThe Lord Will Make a Way,his first of six albums on theChristianlabelMyrrh Records.[20]The title song from the album would later win Green his first of eightGrammy Awardsin the Best Soul Gospel Performance category.[21]In 1982, Green co-starred withPatti LaBellein theBroadwayplay "Your Arms Too Short to Box with God".[22]In 1984, directorRobert Muggereleased a documentary film,Gospel According to Al Green,including interviews about his life and footage from his church. In 1985, he reunited with Willie Mitchell along withAngelo EarlforHe Is the Light,his first album for A&M Records. His 1987 follow-up,Soul Survivor,featured the minor hit, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright", which reached No. 22 on theBillboardR&B chart, his first top-40 R&B hit since "I Feel Good" in 1978.[17]

Return to secular music[edit]

Green returned to secular music in 1988 recording "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"withAnnie Lennox.[15]Featured on the soundtrack to the movieScrooged,the song became Green's first top-10 pop hit since 1974. Green had a hit in 1989 with "The Message is Love" with producerArthur Baker.Two years later, he recorded the theme song to the short-lived showGood Sports.[23]In 1993, he signed withRCAand with Baker again as producer, released the album,Don't Look Back.Green received his ninth Grammy award for his collaboration withLyle Lovettfor their duet of "Funny How Time Slips Away".Green's 1995 album,Your Heart's In Good Hands,was released around the time that Green was inducted to theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.[24]The one single released from the album, "Keep On Pushing Love",was described as" invoking the original, sparse sound of his [Green's] early classics ".[25]

Green performing at the Sonoma Jazz festival, May 23, 2008

In 2000, Green released his autobiography,Take Me to the River.Two years later, he earned theGrammy Lifetime Achievement Awardand recorded a hit R&B duet withAnn Nesbyon the song, "Put It On Paper". Green again reunited with Willie Mitchell in 2003 for the album,I Can't Stop.[12]A year later, Green re-recorded his previous song, "Simply Beautiful", withQueen Latifahon the latter's album,The Dana Owens Album.In 2005, Green and Mitchell collaborated onEverything's OK.

Green's 2008 album,Lay It Down,was produced byAhmir "Questlove" ThompsonandJames Poyser.[26]It became Green's first album to reach the top 10 since the early 1970s. The album features a minor R&B hit with the ballad, "Stay with Me (By the Sea)", featuringJohn Legend,and also includes duets withAnthony HamiltonandCorinne Bailey Rae.[27]During an interview for promotion of the album, Green admitted that he would have liked to duet withMarvin Gaye:"In those days, people didn't sing together like they do now."[28]

In 2009, Green recorded "People Get Ready"withHeather Headleyon the albumOh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration.[29]In 2010, Green performed "Let's Stay Together" onLater... with Jools Holland.On September 13, 2018, Al Green released his first new recording in almost over ten years, "Before the Next Teardrop Falls",most famously recorded by Freddy Fender in 1975. It was produced by Matt Ross-Spang and is part of Amazon Music's new" Produced By "series.[30]

Personal life[edit]

On October 18, 1974, Green's girlfriend, Mary Woodson, assaulted him and then died by suicide at his Memphis home.[31][5]Although unbeknownst to Green she was already married with three children, Woodson became upset when Green refused to marry her.[32]She doused him with a pot of boilinggritsas he was preparing for bed in the bathroom, causingsecond-degree burnson his back, stomach, and arms which requiredskin grafts.[31][12]Shortly after, Woodson fatally shot herself with his.38 handgun.[33]Police found an apparentsuicidenote inside Woodson's purse that declared her intentions and her reasons.[34]A few days prior, Green had sent Woodson to convalesce at the home of his friend after she had taken a handful of sleeping pills and slit her wrists.[12]Green cited this incident as a wake-up call to change his life.[5]

Days after Green was released fromBaptist Memorial Hospital Memphis,where he was treated for his burns, he was reportedly held hostage at gunpoint by his cousin, who claimed he owed her money.[35]Green refused to press charges.[36]

In 1976, Green established the Full Gospel Tabernacle church in Memphis.[12][37]Green resides in Millington, and preaches nearMemphis.[38]He is a member of thePrince Hall Masons,the African-American wing of Freemasonry, at the Thirty-Third Degree.[39]

In September 2013, Green's sister Maxine Green was reported missing from her assisted living home inGrand Rapids, Michigan.According to her daughter Lasha, Green has not reached out to the family about his sister.[40]As of March 2023, she is still missing.[41]

Marriages and children[edit]

On June 15, 1977, Green married his first wife Shirley Green (née Kyles) in Memphis. Originally from Chicago, she was one of hisbacking vocalistsand an employee at his church.[42]Together they have three daughters.[43]Shirley first filed for divorce in 1978 on the ground of cruelty and irreconcilable differences.[44]She filed again in 1981, charging that Green had subjected her todomestic violencethroughout their marriage.[4]Green accused her of cruel and inhuman treatment in a countercomplaint. In a sworndepositionin 1982 as part of her divorce filing, Shirley testified that in 1978 while she was five months pregnant, Green beat her with a boot for refusing to have sex.[4]She claimed that the assault resulted in head wounds, one of which required stitches. After the incident she filed for divorce, but they reconciled.[45]According to Shirley, they separated several times when the beatings became "too frequent and too severe".[4]Initially, Green denied beating his wife, but under oath in 1982 he admitted to striking her. Their divorce was finalized in February 1983.[4]Green agreed to pay her $432,800 inalimonyandchild support.[42]In 1995, the story ofNicole Brown Simpsoninspired Shirley to go public with the abuse she endured in order to help other victims.[4]

Green has seven children: three sons, Chris Burse Sr., Al Green Jr., and Trevor, plus four daughters, Alva Lei, Rubi Renee, Kora Kishe (with Shirley Green), and Kala.[43][20]

Green was reportedly remarried by the 1990s.[12]

Assault charges[edit]

Green's former secretary, Linda Wills, filed a $25,000 civil suit against him in 1974. Wills charged that Green beat her and shoved her through a glass door in his Memphis office after a dispute about how much back pay she was entitled to for her duties.[46]The civil suit was dropped because of "conflicting testimony", but in 1975, they settled a $100,000 lawsuit forassaultandbatterycharges.[36][47]

In 1977, Green and his former organ player Larry Robinson were arrested for assault onMemorial DayinIrving, Texas.According to Robinson, Green and his bodyguards jumped him when he confronted Green about owed money from previous gigs. They both posted bond on amisdemeanorcharge.[48]

In 1978, Green was charged with assault and battery for allegedly beating Lovie Smith unconscious with a tree limb. The charges were dismissed after Smith, who had moved, did not receive asubpoenaand therefore missed the court date.[49]

Discography[edit]

Main article:Al Green discography
Studio albums

Awards and honors[edit]

Green has been nominated for 21Grammy Awards,winning 11, including theGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award.[21]Two of his songs, "Let's Stay Together"and"Take Me To the River"have been inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame.[50]

Green was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Famein 1995. In 2004, he was inducted into theGospel Music Association'sGospel Music Hall of Fame.That same year, he was inducted intoThe Songwriters Hall of Fame.[51]Also in 2004,Rolling Stonemagazine ranked him No. 65 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[7]He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009BET Awardson June 24, 2009.[52]

On August 26, 2004, Green was honored as aBMIIcon at the annual BMI Urban Awards. He joined a list of previous Icon honorees that included R&B legendsJames Brown,Chuck Berry,Little RichardandBo Diddley.[53]Green was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2009.[54]He was recognized on December 7, 2014, as aKennedy Center Honorsrecipient.[55]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Erlewine, Stephen Thomas(n.d.)."Al Green".AllMusic.RetrievedJuly 6,2021.
  2. ^Himes, Geoffrey(December 23, 1992)."Recordings".The Washington Post.RetrievedJuly 6,2021.
  3. ^ab"Al Green".Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
  4. ^abcdefgFountain, John W. (March 1, 1995)."Silent No Longer".Chicago Tribune.Archived fromthe originalon June 1, 2013.RetrievedMay 25,2013.
  5. ^abcBrunner, Rob (October 20, 2000)."Al Green's conversion".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedOctober 26,2015.
  6. ^Bogdanov, Vladimir (2003).All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul.Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 285.ISBN9780879307448.RetrievedApril 18,2014.
  7. ^abJustin Timberlake."The Immortals – The Greatest Artists of All Time: 65) Al Green".Rolling Stone Issue 946.Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon February 20, 2008.RetrievedApril 28,2021.
  8. ^"The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time".Rolling Stone.January 1, 2023.RetrievedOctober 23,2023.
  9. ^Hill, Jack W."Al Green (1946–)".The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture.Central Arkansas Library Foundation.
  10. ^Darden, Robert (2005).People Get Ready!: A New History of Black Gospel Music.Continuum International Publishing Group. p.296.ISBN0-8264-1752-3.
  11. ^Booth, Stanley (2000).Rhythm Oil: A Journey Through the Music of the American South.Da Capo Press. p. 150.ISBN0-306-80979-6.
  12. ^abcdefKing, Aliya S. (December 2004)."Love and Unhappiness".Vibe:1986–191.
  13. ^Brown, Ethan (March 30, 2005)."Q&A with Al Green – Nymag".New York Magazine.RetrievedMay 9,2020.
  14. ^"Kicked Out of House".Biography.com.RetrievedMay 19,2016.
  15. ^abcdefColin Larkin,ed. (1993).The Guinness Who's Who of Soul Music(first ed.).Guinness Publishing.pp. 105–107.ISBN0-85112-733-9.
  16. ^ab"Al Green – Gold & Platinum".RIAA.
  17. ^abc"Al Green Chart History".Billboard.
  18. ^Strong, Martin C.; Peel, John (2004).The Great Rock Discography: Complete Discographies Listing Every Track Recorded by More Than 1,200 Artists.Canongate U.S. p. 628.ISBN1-84195-615-5.
  19. ^ab"Al Green (1946–)".encyclopediaofarkansas.net.RetrievedAugust 7,2008.
  20. ^abMcDonough, Jimmy (2017).Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green.Da Capo Press.ISBN9780306822674.
  21. ^ab"Al Green".Recording Academy Grammy Awards.November 23, 2020.
  22. ^"Your Arms Too Short to Box With God:A Soaring Celebration in Song and Dance ".IBDb.com.RetrievedAugust 7,2008.
  23. ^Tucker, Ken (January 25, 1991)."Good Sports".Entertainment Weekly.
  24. ^Van Til, Reinder; Olson, Gordon (2007).Thin Ice: Coming of Age in Grand Rapids.Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 225–226.ISBN978-0-8028-2478-3.
  25. ^"Al Green – Your Heart's In Good Hands CD Album".CDuniverse.com.November 7, 1995.RetrievedApril 18,2014.
  26. ^Cohen, Jonathan (December 14, 2006)."The Roots Plot Tour,?uestlove Reworks Pharrell".Billboard.com.
  27. ^Jurek, Thom."Lay It Down:Album Review ".Billboard.com.Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2008.RetrievedAugust 7,2008.
  28. ^Scaggs, Austin (June 12, 2008)."Al Green's Soul Revival".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon June 5, 2008.RetrievedNovember 6,2011.
  29. ^"Jon Bon Jovi, Queen Latifah go gospel for" Day "".Reuters. March 27, 2009.
  30. ^Powers, Ann (September 13, 2018)."Hear Al Green's First New Recording In Nearly A Decade".NPR.RetrievedOctober 14,2018.
  31. ^abBrown, George F. (November 7, 1974)."The Inside Story Of Fatal Shooting In Al Green's Home".Jet.Vol. 47, no. 7. pp. 12–16.
  32. ^Kim, Alice (May 17, 2002)."Al Green loves and cherishes the booty".The Stanford Daily.Archived fromthe originalon May 14, 2008.RetrievedAugust 7,2008.
  33. ^Sullivan, James (February 22, 2008)."Twisted Tales: Al Green Finds Salvation, Served Scalding Hot".Spinner.com.Archived fromthe originalon July 21, 2011.RetrievedAugust 7,2008.
  34. ^McDonough, Jimmy (2017).Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green.Da Capo Press. pp. 172–189.ISBN9780306822674.
  35. ^"Gun-Wielding Cousin Of Al Green Demands Money".Jet.Vol. 47, no. 11. December 5, 1974. p. 13.
  36. ^ab"Al Green Sued For $100,000 By His Former Secretary".Jet.December 26, 1974.
  37. ^"Full Gospel Tabernacle Church – Memphis, TN".TripAdvisor.com.
  38. ^Mastropolo, Frank (October 17, 2014)."Pure Agony: Al Green Scalded by Hot Grits 40 Years Ago".RetrievedNovember 9,2014.
  39. ^McDonough, Jimmy (2017).Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green.Da Capo Press. p. 225.ISBN9780306822674.
  40. ^"Soul singer Al Green's sister missing 18 months, family:" Let the public know your sister is missing "".fox17online.com.February 21, 2015.
  41. ^"Michigan Family Still Waiting for Answers 6 Years of Disappearance of Al Green's Sister".FOX 17 WXMI.November 27, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2021 – via YouTube.
  42. ^ab"Al Green Pays Ex-Wife $432,000 In Alimony".Jet.Vol. 64, no. 2. March 28, 1983. p. 15.
  43. ^ab"Al Green Now The Proud Father Of Three Girls".Jet.Vol. 60, no. 21. August 6, 1981. p. 31.
  44. ^"Al Green's Wife Seeks Divorce, Charging Cruelty".Jet.Vol. 54, no. 10. May 25, 1978. p. 61.
  45. ^"Al Green, Wife Together Again After Splitting Over 'Misunderstanding'".Jet.Vol. 56, no. 8. May 10, 1979. p. 16.
  46. ^"Singer Al Green Charged In $25,000 Civil Suit".Jet.August 15, 1974. p. 54.
  47. ^"Al Green, Ex-Secretary Settle $100,00 Suit".Jet.Vol. 48, no. 20. August 7, 1975. p. 44.
  48. ^"Al Green Arrested For Assault In Irving, Tex".Jet.Vol. 57, no. 14. June 23, 1977. p. 61.
  49. ^"Al Green Cleared of Memphis Battery Charges".Jet.Vol. 56, no. 25. September 6, 1979. p. 64.
  50. ^"Grammy Hall of Fame".Recording Academy Grammy Awards.October 18, 2010.
  51. ^"Al Green Exhibit Home".Songwriters Hall of Fame. Archived fromthe originalon February 8, 2014.RetrievedApril 18,2014.
  52. ^"Al Green to scoop lifetime gong".BBC News.BBC. May 16, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 1,2010.
  53. ^"BMI Celebrates Urban Music at 2004 Awards with Top Writers, Producers, Publishers".Bmi.com.August 26, 2004.Archivedfrom the original on September 20, 2010.RetrievedOctober 13,2010.
  54. ^"Michigan Rock and Roll Legends – Al Green".Michiganrockandrolllegends.com.
  55. ^Harris, Paul (September 4, 2014)."Tom Hanks, Lily Tomlin, Sting to Receive Kennedy Center Honors".Variety.com.RetrievedOctober 10,2015.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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