Aaron Neville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aaron Neville
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Neville in 1999
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Aaron Joseph Neville |
| Born | January 24, 1941 |
| Origin | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1960–present |
| Labels | |
Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is a famous American singer known for his unique and beautiful voice. He sings R&B and soul music. Aaron has released four albums that sold over a million copies each, and he has had four songs reach the top 10 in the United States. Three of these songs even reached number one on Billboard magazine's Adult Contemporary chart. His 1966 song, "Tell It Like It Is", was also a huge hit, staying at the top of the Soul chart for five weeks!
Aaron Neville also sang with his brothers Art, Charles, and Cyril in a famous group called the Neville Brothers. His son, Ivan Neville, is also a talented singer and keyboard player.
Contents
A Singing Career Begins
Aaron Neville's first song to be played on the radio outside of his hometown, New Orleans, was "Over You" in 1960. His first really big hit was "Tell It Like It Is". This song was released in 1966 on a small record label in New Orleans. It quickly became super popular, reaching number one on the R&B chart in 1967 and selling over a million copies!
Teaming Up for Hits
In 1989, Aaron Neville joined forces with another amazing singer, Linda Ronstadt. They recorded an album together called Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. This album featured four duets, and two of them became huge hits and won Grammy Awards. These songs were "Don't Know Much" and "All My Life". "Don't Know Much" reached number two on the main music chart, and the album sold more than three million copies!
After this success, Linda Ronstadt helped produce Aaron's 1991 album, Warm Your Heart. This album included another hit song, "Everybody Plays the Fool", which reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also featured another duet with Linda Ronstadt called "Close Your Eyes". Warm Your Heart also sold over a million copies.
Exploring Country Music
In the early 1990s, Aaron Neville decided to try singing country music. In 1993, he released an album called The Grand Tour, which also sold over a million copies. The main song from this album, "Don't Take Away My Heaven", was very popular. He also sang a cover of a classic country song called "The Grand Tour" by George Jones. This song was so well-liked that it earned Aaron a nomination for a Grammy Award! He then released a Christmas album, Aaron Neville's Soulful Christmas, which also sold over a million copies.
In 1994, Aaron Neville worked on an album called Rhythm, Country and Blues. On this album, R&B and Country artists sang classic songs together. Aaron recorded "I Fall to Pieces" with country star Trisha Yearwood. They won a Grammy Award for their duet, making Aaron one of the few African American artists to win a Grammy in the Country music category.
Special Appearances and Later Career
Aaron Neville has also made special appearances. In 1994, he sang "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" with Ernie on the children's TV show Sesame Street.
His 1995 album, The Tattooed Heart, featured covers of songs by famous artists like Bill Withers. In 2000, he released a gospel album called Devotion, which became number one on the US gospel album chart. In 2003, his album Nature Boy: The Standards Album topped the US jazz album chart.
In 2005, a big hurricane named Hurricane Katrina destroyed Aaron Neville's home in New Orleans. He had to move away for a while but later returned to the New Orleans area. He performed a song called "Louisiana 1927" to help raise money for hurricane relief.
In 2006, Aaron Neville released Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics. This album featured songs by other soul music legends like Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye. He also sang the US national anthem at big events like the Super Bowl XL in 2006, along with Aretha Franklin.
Aaron Neville has also contributed to movies and TV shows. He sang the national anthem in the movie The Fan and for wrestling events. He sang the theme song for the children's TV series Little People and a new version of "Cotton" for Cotton Incorporated.
In 2005, Aaron Neville and his brothers appeared in a documentary film called Make It Funky!, which was about the history of New Orleans music. In 2006, he appeared on the TV show The Young and the Restless and sang some of his songs.
In 2013, Aaron Neville released My True Story, an album of classic doo-wop songs from his youth. This album was produced by famous musicians Don Was and Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones.
In 2021, at 80 years old, Aaron Neville announced that he would stop touring. However, he said he might still record new music or perform for special events. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
A Look at His Life
Aaron Neville grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. He has a mixed heritage, including African-American, white, and Choctaw roots. His uncle, George "Big Chief Jolly" Landry, was a leader of a famous Mardi Gras Indian group.
Aaron Neville got a tattoo of a sword on his face when he was 16 years old. He once said that his dad tried to make him scrub it off, but it stayed! Years later, he had an album called The Tattooed Heart, and he decided to have the tattoo outlined to make it look fresh again.
Aaron Neville was married to Joel Roux Neville from 1959 until her passing in 2007. They had four children together: Ernestine, Ivan, Aaron "Fred" Jr., and Jason. In 2010, Aaron married photographer Sarah A. Friedman in New York City.
His oldest son, Ivan Neville, is also a successful musician. Ivan has played with famous bands like Spin Doctors and The Rolling Stones. Aaron's third son, Jason, is a singer and rap artist who has performed with his father and the Neville Brothers. Aaron Neville is also the uncle of journalist Arthel Neville.
Aaron Neville is a Catholic and has a special devotion to St. Jude. He believes St. Jude has helped him throughout his life and career. He even wears a St. Jude medal as an earring.
Awards and Honors
Aaron Neville has won several Grammy Awards for his amazing music:
- 1990: Won for "Don't Know Much" with Linda Ronstadt (Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal).
- 1991: Won for "All My Life" with Linda Ronstadt (Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal).
- 1994: Won for "I Fall to Pieces" with Trisha Yearwood (Best Country Collaboration with Vocals).
- 2023: Won for "Stompin' Ground" with Dirty Dozen Brass Band (Best American Roots Performance).
He has also been nominated for many other Grammy Awards for his solo work and other collaborations. In 2015, he received the Laetare Medal, a special award given to American Catholics.
Film and TV Appearances
Aaron Neville has appeared in several movies and TV shows:
- Everybody's All-American (1988)
- Zandalee (1991)
- The Fan (1996)
- Mulholland Falls (1996)
- Boycott (2001)
- Sandy Wexler (2017)
- Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (2019)
Images for kids
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Aaron Neville in 2007
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See Also
In Spanish: Aaron Neville para niños
