Peter Green (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Green
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Green in 1970
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter Allen Greenbaum |
| Born | 29 October 1946 Bethnal Green, London, England |
| Died | 25 July 2020 (aged 73) Canvey Island, Essex, England |
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| Years active | 1961–2020 |
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Peter Allen Greenbaum (born 29 October 1946 – died 25 July 2020), known as Peter Green, was a famous English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was a master of blues rock music. Peter Green was the person who started the band Fleetwood Mac in 1967. Because of his amazing talent, he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
Green's guitar playing was very special. Many famous musicians, like Eric Clapton and B.B. King, praised his skills. B.B. King even said Green had "the sweetest tone I ever heard." His unique sound included bending guitar strings and using a special vibrating effect called vibrato. Magazines like Mojo and Rolling Stone have listed him as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
Biography
Early Life and Music (1946–1965)
Peter Allen Greenbaum was born in Bethnal Green, London, on 29 October 1946. He was the youngest of four children in his family. His older brother, Michael, taught him his first guitar chords. By the age of 11, Peter was teaching himself to play.
He started playing music professionally when he was 15. At first, he played bass guitar in a band called Bobby Dennis and the Dominoes. They played popular songs and rock 'n' roll. Peter later joined other bands, playing rhythm and blues. By 1965, he was playing lead guitar in a band called Peter B's Looners, where he met drummer Mick Fleetwood. This was where he made his first recordings.
Joining John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1966–1967)
In 1965, Peter Green got a chance to play with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers for a few shows. When the band's guitarist, Eric Clapton, left in 1966, Green became a full-time member.
A record producer named Mike Vernon was very impressed with Green. He remembered John Mayall saying, "He might not be better now, but you wait, in a couple of years he's going to be the best." Green recorded his first album with the Bluesbreakers, called A Hard Road, in 1967. He even wrote two songs on it. His guitar skills were so good that his friends called him "The Green God." In 1967, Green decided to start his own blues band.
Starting Fleetwood Mac (1967–1970)
Peter Green's new band included his friend Mick Fleetwood on drums and Jeremy Spencer on guitar. They first called themselves "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac featuring Jeremy Spencer." They soon signed with a record label. Their music was mostly blues songs, some written by Green and some by Jeremy Spencer.
Their first album, Fleetwood Mac, was a big success in Britain. Soon, John McVie joined the band as the bass player. Peter Green quickly became a great songwriter. The band's songs started to move beyond just blues music. They had hit songs like "Black Magic Woman" (which Santana later made famous) and the guitar song "Albatross" in 1969, which became a number one hit in the UK. Other hits written by Green included "Oh Well" and "Man of the World".
In 1969, the band recorded an album called Blues Jam in Chicago with some of their American blues heroes like Willie Dixon. Later, a third guitarist, Danny Kirwan, joined the band. Peter Green left Fleetwood Mac on 20 May 1970, after a tour in Europe.
After Fleetwood Mac (1970–1973)
After leaving Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green released his first solo album called The End of the Game in 1970. He also played guitar on other musicians' albums. In 1971, he briefly rejoined Fleetwood Mac to help them finish a tour when another guitarist left. He also played with other artists and made some guest appearances on albums.
Health Challenges and Return to Music (1974–2009)
During the mid-1970s, Peter Green faced some serious health challenges and spent time in hospitals.
In 1979, Green started to make music again. With help from his brother Michael, he signed with a new record label. He released several solo albums, starting with In the Skies in 1979. He also played on Fleetwood Mac's album Tusk that same year.
In the 1980s, Green continued to record and play with different musicians. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Fleetwood Mac in 1998. In the early 2000s, there were talks about the original Fleetwood Mac members getting back together. In 2009, a documentary about him called Peter Green: Man of the World was shown on BBC Four.
Peter Green Splinter Group (1997–2009)
In the late 1990s, Green formed a new band called the Peter Green Splinter Group. They released nine blues albums between 1997 and 2004. In 2004, Green left the band and moved to Sweden. He later started playing and touring again in 2009 with a new group called Peter Green and Friends.
Musical Style
Peter Green was known for playing guitar with a lot of emotion. He focused on expressing feelings in his songs, rather than just playing fast. His guitar sound was often described as soulful and dark. A great example of his unique sound is on the song "The Supernatural," which he wrote for John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. He could make his guitar notes hold for a long time, creating a special effect.
Equipment
When he first started, Peter Green played a simple Harmony Meteor guitar. He later became famous for playing a Gibson Les Paul guitar, which many called his "magic guitar." This guitar, a 1959 Les Paul, had a very special sound. He later sold it to another famous guitarist, Gary Moore. In 2016, Kirk Hammett from the band Metallica bought this famous guitar.
In the 1990s, Green used other guitars like a Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion model. He used Fender Blues DeVille and Vox AC30 amplifiers to get his sound.
Influence
Many rock guitarists say Peter Green was a big influence on their music. These include Gary Moore, Joe Perry from Aerosmith, Mark Knopfler, and Noel Gallagher. Even Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin admired his talent.
Peter Green's songs have been recorded by many famous artists. Bands like Santana, Aerosmith, Status Quo, and Judas Priest have all covered his music. Gary Moore even made an entire album of Green's songs called Blues for Greeny.
Personal Life
After facing health challenges in the 1970s and 1980s, Peter Green lived with his brother and sister-in-law, and his mother, in Gorleston. This helped him on his path to recovery. He also lived for a time on Canvey Island, Essex.
Peter Green married Jane Samuels in 1978, and they had a daughter named Rosebud. They later divorced in 1979. Peter Green passed away on 25 July 2020, at the age of 73.
Solo Albums
- The End of the Game (1970)
- In the Skies (1979)
- Little Dreamer (1980)
- Whatcha Gonna Do? (1981)
- White Sky (1982)
- Kolors (1983)
- A Case for the Blues (with Katmandu) (1984)
See also
In Spanish: Peter Green para niños
