Al Green facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Al Green
Green in 1996
Background information
Birth name	Albert Leornes Greene
Also known as	The Reverend Al Green
Born	(1946-04-13) April 13, 1946 (age 79) Forrest City, Arkansas, U.S.
Genres	Soul R&B gospel Southern soul progressive soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter pastor record producer
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1966–present
Labels	Hi Myrrh The Right Stuff Fat Possum A&M Word Epic MCA Blue Note
Associated acts	Willie Mitchell Quiet Elegance Sam Cooke

Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), known as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, and pastor. He is famous for his soul music hits from the early 1970s. Some of his most popular songs include "Tired of Being Alone" (1971), "I'm Still in Love with You" (1972), and his signature song, "Let's Stay Together" (1972).

After a significant personal event, Green became an ordained pastor and began focusing on gospel music. Later in his career, he also returned to singing secular music.

Al Green was recognized for his amazing talent. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. The museum called him "one of the most gifted purveyors of soul music." He has won 11 Grammy Awards, including a special Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He also received the BMI Icon award and the Kennedy Center Honors. Rolling Stone magazine listed him among the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time."

Green is known as a key artist in Memphis soul music. He worked closely with many famous R&B musicians in Memphis. His long partnership with producer Willie Mitchell helped him achieve great success.

Early Life and First Steps in Music

Albert Leornes Greene was born on April 13, 1946, in Forrest City, Arkansas. He was the sixth of ten children. His father, Robert G. Greene, Jr., was a sharecropper. Around age ten, Al started performing with his sister in a group called the Greene Brothers. In the late 1950s, his family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

As a teenager, Al's father, who was very religious, did not approve of him listening to secular music. Al was asked to leave home after his father found him listening to Jackie Wilson.

Green once said about his musical influences:

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

In high school, Al formed a singing group called Al Greene & the Creations. Two members of the group started their own record label. In 1968, the group, now called Al Greene & the Soul Mates, released the song "Back Up Train." This song became a hit on the R&B charts.

While performing with the Soul Mates, Green met Memphis record producer Willie Mitchell. Mitchell hired him to sing with his band in 1969. After this show, Mitchell asked Green to join his Hi Records label.

Music Career Highlights

Finding His Unique Sound

Willie Mitchell noticed that Green was trying to sound like other famous singers. Mitchell became his mentor, helping Green find his own unique singing style. Before releasing his first album with Hi Records, Green dropped the "e" from his last name.

His first album, Green Is Blues (1969), was moderately successful. His next album, Al Green Gets Next to You (1971), included a hit cover of the Temptations' song "I Can't Get Next to You." This album also featured his first major hit, "Tired of Being Alone." This song sold a million copies and was certified gold. It was the first of eight gold singles Green released between 1971 and 1974.

Al Green on The Mike Douglas Show in 1973

Green's album Let's Stay Together (January 1972) made him a star in soul music. The title song was his biggest hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. This album was his first to be certified gold.

His next album, I'm Still in Love with You (October 1972), sold over a million copies. It featured popular singles like "Look What You Done for Me" and the title track. Both songs reached the top 10 on the Hot 100 chart. His album Call Me (April 1973) also produced three top-10 songs: "You Ought to Be with Me", "Call Me (Come Back Home)", and "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)".

Green also had other popular songs like "Love and Happiness" and "Simply Beautiful." His song "Take Me to the River" was later covered by the band Talking Heads.

His album Livin' for You (December 1973) was also certified gold. He continued to have successful R&B hits in the following years. These included "Livin' for You", "Sha-La-La (Makes Me Happy)", "Let's Get Married", and "Full of Fire".

By the time Green released The Belle Album in 1977, his record sales had slowed down. This was partly because Green wanted to become a minister. His last Hi Records album, Truth n' Time, released in 1978, was not a big success.

Singing Gospel Music

Green continued to record R&B music, but his sales began to drop. In 1979, he decided to focus his energy on leading his church and singing gospel music.

From 1981 to 1989, Green recorded many gospel albums. While still with Hi Records, he released The Lord Will Make a Way in 1980. This was his first album on the Christian label Myrrh Records. The title song from this album won Green his first Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance. He would go on to win eight Grammys in this category.

In 1982, Green performed with Patti LaBelle in the Broadway play "Your Arms Too Short to Box with God." A documentary film about his life and church, Gospel According to Al Green, was released in 1984. In 1985, he worked with Willie Mitchell again for He Is the Light. His 1987 album, Soul Survivor, featured "Everything's Gonna Be Alright." This song reached No. 22 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Returning to Secular Music

In 1988, Green returned to secular music. He recorded "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" with Annie Lennox. This song was featured in the movie Scrooged and became Green's first top-10 pop hit since 1974. Green also had a hit in 1989 with "The Message is Love."

In 1993, he signed with RCA and released the album Don't Look Back. Green won his ninth Grammy award for his duet with Lyle Lovett on "Funny How Time Slips Away." Green's 1995 album, Your Heart's In Good Hands, was released around the time he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The single from this album, "Keep On Pushing Love", reminded people of his early classic sound.

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

In 2000, Green published his autobiography, Take Me to the River. Two years later, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He also recorded a hit R&B duet with Ann Nesby called "Put It On Paper." Green worked with Willie Mitchell again in 2003 for the album I Can't Stop. In 2004, Green re-recorded his song "Simply Beautiful" with Queen Latifah. In 2005, Green and Mitchell collaborated on Everything's OK.

Green's 2008 album, Lay It Down, was produced by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. It was Green's first album to reach the top 10 since the early 1970s. The album included a song called "Stay with Me (By the Sea)" featuring John Legend. It also had duets with Anthony Hamilton and Corinne Bailey Rae.

In 2009, Green recorded "People Get Ready" with Heather Headley. In 2010, Green performed "Let's Stay Together" on a TV show called Later... with Jools Holland. On September 13, 2018, Al Green released his first new recording in almost ten years, "Before the Next Teardrop Falls."

Personal Life

In 1976, Al Green started the Full Gospel Tabernacle church in Memphis. He lives in Millington and preaches near Memphis. He is also a member of the Prince Hall Masons, a part of Freemasonry for African Americans.

Green has seven children: three sons (Chris Burse Sr., Al Green Jr., and Trevor) and four daughters (Alva Lei, Rubi Renee, Kora Kishe, and Kala).

Discography

Awards and Honors

Al Green has been nominated for 21 Grammy Awards and has won 11 of them. This includes the special Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Two of his famous songs, "Let's Stay Together" and "Take Me To the River", are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2004, he was also inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame. That same year, he joined The Songwriters Hall of Fame. Also in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him No. 65 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 BET Awards.

On August 26, 2004, Green was honored as a BMI Icon. This award recognizes artists who have greatly influenced music. He was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2009. On December 7, 2014, he was recognized as a Kennedy Center Honors recipient, a high honor for artists in the United States.

See Also

In Spanish: Al Green para niños

• Album era
• List of best-selling music artists