Van Morrison facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Van Morrison OBE
Morrison in 2015
Background information
Birth name	George Ivan Morrison
Also known as	Van the Man The Belfast Cowboy
Born	(1945-08-31) 31 August 1945 (age 79) Belfast, Northern Ireland
Genres	Blue-eyed soul Celtic rock R&B folk blues jazz country gospel Christian
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter musician
Instruments	Vocals guitar harmonica saxophone
Years active	1958–present
Labels	Decca Parrot Bang Warner Bros. London Mercury Exile Polydor Verve Pointblank Virgin Universal Blue Note Lost Highway Listen to the Lion EMI Manhattan RCA BMG Sony Legacy

Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a famous singer, songwriter, and musician from Northern Ireland. His music career began in the 1960s. Many of his albums have been very popular in the UK and Ireland. More than 40 of his albums have reached the top 40 in the UK. His music is also well-known in other countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

Van Morrison has had albums in the top ten in the UK for four decades in a row. This continued with his 2021 album, Latest Record Project, Volume 1. In the United States, eighteen of his albums have made it into the top 40. Since he turned 70 in 2015, he has released more than one album each year. He has won many awards, including two Grammy Awards. He also received the 1994 Brit Award for his amazing contribution to music. In 2017, he earned the Americana Music Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting. He is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2016, he was made a knight for his services to music and tourism in Northern Ireland.

Morrison started performing when he was a teenager in the late 1950s. He played many instruments, including guitar, harmonica, keyboards, and saxophone. He played with different Irish showbands, covering popular songs of the time. Fans call him "Van the Man." He became famous in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the Belfast R&B band Them. With Them, he wrote and recorded "Gloria," which became a classic song for many bands. His solo career began in 1967 with the hit single "Brown Eyed Girl."

After his first producer, Bert Berns, passed away, Warner Bros. Records signed Morrison. They gave him freedom to record Astral Weeks (1968). This album did not sell well at first, but it is now seen as a classic. Moondance (1970) made Morrison a major artist. He continued to build his reputation throughout the 1970s with many popular albums and live shows.

Much of Morrison's music is based on soul music and early rhythm and blues. Another part of his music includes long, spiritual songs. These show influences from Celtic traditions, jazz, and a "stream of consciousness" style, like in Astral Weeks. These two styles together are sometimes called "Celtic soul." His music has been described as reaching a "violent transcendence."

Life and Music Journey

Early Years and Musical Beginnings: 1945–1964

George Ivan Morrison was born on 31 August 1945. He grew up at 125 Hyndford Street, Bloomfield, Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was the only child of George Morrison, a shipyard electrician, and Violet Morrison, who had been a singer and tap dancer. His family was working class and Protestant. From 1950 to 1956, Morrison, known as "Van," went to Elmgrove Primary School. His father had one of the largest record collections in Northern Ireland. Young Morrison listened to artists like Jelly Roll Morton, Ray Charles, Lead Belly, and Solomon Burke. He later said these artists were his inspiration.

His father's record collection introduced him to many types of music. These included the blues of Muddy Waters, the gospel of Mahalia Jackson, and the jazz of Charlie Parker. He also heard folk music from Woody Guthrie and country music from Hank Williams. The first record he bought was by blues musician Sonny Terry. When Lonnie Donegan had a hit with "Rock Island Line," Morrison felt he already knew and liked skiffle music because he had heard Lead Belly before.

Morrison's father bought him his first acoustic guitar when he was 11. He learned basic chords from a songbook called The Carter Family Style. In 1957, at age twelve, Morrison started his first band, a skiffle group called "The Sputniks." They were named after the satellite, Sputnik 1, launched that October. In 1958, the band played at local cinemas. Morrison was the lead singer and helped arrange the music. Other short-lived groups followed. At 14, he formed Midnight Special, another skiffle band, and played at a school concert. When he heard Jimmy Giuffre play saxophone, he convinced his father to buy him a tenor saxophone. He took lessons from jazz musician George Cassidy, who was a "big inspiration." Morrison then joined various local bands, including Deanie Sands and the Javelins. He played guitar and shared singing duties. Later, four main musicians from the Javelins, plus a pianist, became the Monarchs.

Morrison attended Orangefield Boys Secondary School. He left in July 1960 without any qualifications. He was expected to get a regular job. After a few short jobs, he became a window cleaner. He later mentioned this in his songs "Cleaning Windows" and "Saint Dominic's Preview." He continued to develop his music and played part-time with the Monarchs. He also played with the Harry Mack Showband and the Great Eight.

At 17, Morrison toured Europe for the first time with the Monarchs, now called the International Monarchs. This Irish showband played saxophone, guitar, and harmonica. Morrison also sometimes played bass and drums. They toured clubs and US Army bases in Scotland, England, and Germany, often playing five shows a night. In Germany, the band recorded a single, "Boozoo Hully Gully"/"Twingy Baby," as Georgie and the Monarchs. This was Morrison's first recording in November 1963. It reached the lower parts of the German music charts.

When they returned to Belfast in November 1963, the group broke up. Morrison then played with the Manhattan Showband. When guitarist Herbie Armstrong auditioned for Brian Rossi and the Golden Eagles, Morrison went along. He was hired as a blues singer for the group, which later became the Wheels.

Them: 1964–1966

The band Them, which made Morrison famous internationally, started in April 1964. Morrison answered an ad for musicians to play at a new R&B club. The club needed a band for its opening night. Morrison left his old group and formed a new band from the Gamblers. Morrison took the place of his friend, Bill Dunn. Eric Wrixon was the piano player. Morrison played saxophone and harmonica and shared vocals with Billy Harrison. They took Eric Wrixon's idea for a new name, and the Gamblers became Them. The name came from the 1954 horror movie Them!

The band's R&B shows at the Maritime Hotel gained a lot of attention. Them performed without a strict plan, and Morrison often made up songs as he went along. They played cover songs, but also some of Morrison's early songs. The song "Gloria" was first performed here. Sometimes, depending on his mood, the song could last up to twenty minutes. Morrison felt that Them's records never captured the energy of their live shows. The band's members changed often, but Morrison and Henderson were always there.

Dick Rowe of Decca Records noticed the band and signed Them to a two-year contract. They released two albums and ten singles. They had three chart hits: "Baby, Please Don't Go" (1964), "Here Comes the Night" (1965), and "Mystic Eyes" (1965). But it was "Gloria," the B-side of "Baby, Please Don't Go," that became a rock classic. Many artists like Patti Smith and the Doors later covered it.

Them toured America in May and June 1966, building on their success. They played at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. The Doors were the opening act during the last week. Morrison's influence on the Doors' singer Jim Morrison was clear. Brian Hinton wrote that Jim Morrison learned from Van Morrison's stage presence. On the final night, the two Morrisons and their bands played "Gloria" together.

Towards the end of the tour, the band had a disagreement with their manager about money. Their work visas also expired, so the band returned from America feeling disappointed. After two more concerts in Ireland, Them broke up. Morrison focused on writing songs for Astral Weeks.

Solo Career Begins with "Brown Eyed Girl": 1967

Bert Berns, Them's producer, convinced Morrison to record solo for his new label, Bang Records. Morrison flew to New York and signed a contract he had not fully read. In a two-day recording session in March 1967, he recorded eight songs. These were meant to be four singles. Instead, they were released as the album Blowin' Your Mind! without Morrison's knowledge. He was unhappy with the album.

"Brown Eyed Girl" was one of the songs from Blowin' Your Mind!. It was released as a single in June 1967 and reached number ten in the US charts. "Brown Eyed Girl" became Morrison's most played song. It stayed on the chart for sixteen weeks. In 2015, it was named the most popular song of the entire 1960s. In 2007, "Brown Eyed Girl" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

After Berns passed away in 1967, Morrison had contract problems. These problems stopped him from performing or recording in New York. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and faced some personal and money difficulties. He found it hard to get concert bookings. He slowly got back on track by taking the few gigs he could find. He then started recording with Warner Bros. Records.

Warner Bros. bought out Morrison's contract with Bang Records. A part of the deal required Morrison to give 36 new songs to Berns' music company within a year. He recorded them in one session with an out-of-tune guitar. The songs had silly lyrics about things like ringworm and sandwiches. These songs were not used by Berns' company. They became known as the "revenge" songs and were not officially released until 2017.

Astral Weeks: 1968

Morrison's first album for Warner Bros Records was Astral Weeks. He had already performed these songs in clubs around Boston. This album is a mystical song cycle. Many people consider it his best work and one of the best albums ever. Morrison said he was "literally starving" when Astral Weeks came out. Released in 1968, the album did not get much attention at first. However, it later received great praise from critics.

The album is described as hypnotic and meditative. It has a unique musical power. It has been compared to French Impressionism and mystical Celtic poetry. A 2004 Rolling Stone review called it "music of such enigmatic beauty." Astral Weeks has been on many lists of the best albums of all time. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine listed it as number nineteen on their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." In 2009, it was voted the top Irish album ever by a poll of Irish musicians.

Moondance to Into the Music: 1970–1979

Morrison's third solo album, Moondance, came out in 1970. It was his first album to sell a million copies. It reached number twenty-nine on the Billboard charts. The style of Moondance was different from Astral Weeks. While Astral Weeks was sad and sensitive, Moondance brought a more hopeful and happy feeling to his music. It moved away from the abstract folk songs and used more structured songs with a lively rhythm and blues style.

The song "Moondance" was not released as a single in the US until 1977. However, it was played a lot on FM radio. "Into the Mystic" also became very popular over the years. Moondance was well-received by critics. Rolling Stone magazine praised Morrison's "striking imagination." Morrison produced the album himself because he felt no one else understood what he wanted. Moondance was listed at number sixty-five on Rolling Stone magazine's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Over the next few years, he released many albums. His second album in 1970, His Band and the Street Choir, had a more relaxed sound. It included the hit single "Domino," which reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1971, he released Tupelo Honey, another well-liked album. This album had the hit single "Wild Night," which was later covered by other artists. The title song had a country-soul feel. Morrison said he originally wanted to make an all-country album. The recordings were done as live as possible. After practicing, the musicians would play a whole set in one take.

Saint Dominic's Preview, released in 1972, showed Morrison moving away from the more accessible style of his previous albums. He returned to the more daring and thoughtful parts of Astral Weeks. This mix of styles showed a new versatility in his music. Two songs, "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)" and "Redwood Tree," reached the Hot 100 singles chart. Songs like "Listen to the Lion" and "Almost Independence Day" were over ten minutes long. This album was his highest-charting in the US until 2008.

He released Hard Nose the Highway in 1973. This album received mixed, mostly negative, reviews. It contained the popular song "Warm Love" but was generally not well-liked by critics.

During a three-week trip to Ireland in October 1973, Morrison wrote seven songs for his next album, Veedon Fleece. At first, it did not get much attention. However, its importance grew over the years. Veedon Fleece is now often seen as one of Morrison's most impressive and poetic works.

Morrison took three years to release another album. He said he needed a break from music and stopped listening to it for several months. He also had trouble writing songs and thought about leaving the music business. His next album was A Period of Transition in 1977. It was a collaboration with Dr. John. The album received a mild critical reception and started a very productive period for Morrison.

The next year, Morrison released Wavelength. It became his fastest-selling album at the time and quickly went gold. The title track was a small hit. It used 1970s synthesizers to sound like the shortwave radio stations he listened to as a child. The opening song, "Kingdom Hall," referred to his childhood experiences with religion. This hinted at the religious themes that would be more clear on his next album, Into the Music.

Into the Music was released in 1979. Songs on this album talked about the healing power of music for the first time. This became a lasting interest for Morrison. "Bright Side of the Road" was a joyful song.

Common One to Avalon Sunset: 1980–1989

In February 1980, Morrison and musicians traveled to the French Alps to record Common One. This album is considered the most debated in his discography. Morrison later said his original idea was even more unusual than the final album. Common One had six songs. The longest, "Summertime in England," lasted fifteen and a half minutes. Critics at first did not like the album. However, later critics looked at it more positively.

Morrison's next album, Beautiful Vision, released in 1982, returned to his Northern Irish roots. It was well-received by critics and the public. It produced a small UK hit single, "Cleaning Windows," which mentioned one of Morrison's first jobs. Several other songs on the album showed the influence of a new person in his life: a Danish public relations agent. This person shared Morrison's spiritual interests and helped him throughout the 1980s.

Much of the music Morrison released in the 1980s focused on spirituality and faith. His 1983 album, Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, aimed to create "music for meditation." It used synthesizers, uilleann pipes, and flute sounds. Four of the tracks were instrumentals. Morrison believed that "it's not the words one uses but the force of conviction behind those words that matters."

A Sense of Wonder, Morrison's 1985 album, brought together the spiritual themes from his last four albums. The single "Tore Down a la Rimbaud" referred to Rimbaud and a time when Morrison had trouble writing songs in 1974. In 1985, Morrison also wrote music for the movie Lamb.

Morrison's 1986 album, No Guru, No Method, No Teacher, was said to have "genuine holiness" and "musical freshness." Critics liked it, calling it "Morrison at his most mystical, magical best." It includes the song "In the Garden," which Morrison said had a "definite meditation process." He named the album to push back against media trying to label his beliefs. He told an interviewer:

There have been many lies put out about me and this finally states my position. I have never joined any organisation, nor plan to. I am not affiliated to any guru, don't subscribe to any method and for those people who don't know what a guru is, I don't have a teacher either.

After "No Guru," Morrison's music became smoother. His 1987 album, Poetic Champions Compose, is considered one of his best recordings of the 1980s. The romantic song "Someone Like You" from this album has been in several movie soundtracks.

In 1988, he released Irish Heartbeat, a collection of traditional Irish folk songs. He recorded it with the Irish group the Chieftains. It reached number 18 in the UK album charts.

The 1989 album, Avalon Sunset, included the hit duet with Cliff Richard "Whenever God Shines His Light" and the song "Have I Told You Lately." It reached 13 on the UK album chart. Morrison's usual themes of "God, woman, his childhood in Belfast and those enchanted moments when time stands still" were strong in the songs. He often finished albums quickly, sometimes releasing first recordings.

The Best of Van Morrison to Back on Top: 1990–1999

The early to mid-1990s were very successful for Morrison. Three of his albums reached the top five in the UK charts. His concerts sold out, and he was more visible to the public. The decade began with The Best of Van Morrison. Morrison himself put this album together, focusing on his hit singles. It sold millions of copies and stayed on the UK charts for a year and a half. AllMusic called it "by far the best-selling album of his career." In 1991, he wrote and produced four songs for Tom Jones. He also performed a duet with Bob Dylan.

The 1994 live double album A Night in San Francisco received good reviews and sold well. It reached number eight on the UK charts. Days Like This (1995) also sold many copies, though critics had mixed opinions. During this time, he also worked on other projects. These included the live jazz performances of How Long Has This Been Going On (1996) and Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison (1996). In 2000, he released The Skiffle Sessions – Live in Belfast 1998. All these albums showed Morrison honoring his early musical influences.

In 1997, Morrison released The Healing Game. Critics had mixed feelings about it. The lyrics were sometimes called "tired." However, critic Greil Marcus praised the album's musical depth. The next year, Morrison released some of his unreleased studio recordings in a two-disc set, The Philosopher's Stone. His next album, Back on Top (1999), was a modest success. It was his highest-charting album in the US since 1978.

Down the Road to Keep It Simple: 2000–2009

Van Morrison continued to record and perform in the 2000s. He often played two or three times a week. He started his own record label, Exile Productions Ltd. This allowed him to control how his albums were made. He then delivered the finished albums to a record label for marketing and distribution.

In 2001, after nine months of touring with Linda Gail Lewis for their album You Win Again, Lewis left the tour. She later made claims against Morrison, but these were withdrawn. Morrison's lawyer said he was pleased the claims were withdrawn and that Lewis had given a full apology.

The album Down the Road, released in May 2002, was well-received by critics. It became his highest-charting album in the US since 1972. It had a nostalgic feel, with its fifteen songs covering different music styles Morrison had explored before. One song was a tribute to his late father, George, who had helped him discover music early on.

Morrison's 2005 album, Magic Time, debuted at number twenty-five on the US Billboard 200 charts. This was about forty years after he first became famous with Them. Rolling Stone listed it as number seventeen on The Top 50 Records of 2005. In July 2005, Amazon named Morrison one of their top twenty-five best-selling artists of all time. Later that year, Morrison gave an unreleased song to a charity album, Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now. This album raised money for victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

He released a country music album, Pay the Devil, on 7 March 2006. It debuted at number twenty-six on the Billboard 200 and reached number seven on Top Country Albums. In November 2006, a limited edition album, Live at Austin City Limits Festival, was released. In October 2006, Morrison released his first commercial DVD, Live at Montreux 1980/1974, with concerts from the Montreux Jazz Festival.

A new double CD compilation album, The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3, was released in June 2007. It had thirty-one songs, some of which had not been released before. Morrison chose the songs himself. In September 2007, Morrison's albums from 1971 to 2002 became available on iTunes Store in Europe and Australia.

Still on Top – The Greatest Hits, a double CD compilation, was released on 22 October 2007 in the UK. It charted at number two, his highest UK chart position. The US and Canada release had twenty-one songs.

Keep It Simple, Morrison's 33rd studio album of new material, was released in March 2008. It had eleven songs written by him. Morrison promoted the album with a short US tour and a UK concert. In its first week, Keep It Simple debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 chart. This was Morrison's first Top Ten album in the US.

Born to Sing to Three Chords: 2010–2020

Morrison released two albums in the first half of the 2010s. Then, he released six more in just five years, showing increased productivity after turning 70. Born to Sing: No Plan B was released on 2 October 2012. It was recorded in Belfast, his hometown. A book of Morrison's lyrics, Lit Up Inside, was published in 2014. Morrison chose his best lyrics from 50 years of writing.

In 2015, Morrison sold the rights to most of his music to Legacy Recordings, part of Sony Music. This made 33 of his albums available digitally for the first time. His first album with Sony was Duets: Re-working the Catalogue, released in March 2015. Morrison's 70th birthday in 2015 was celebrated in Belfast. He performed two concerts on Cyprus Avenue on his birthday. The next year, on 30 September, Morrison released Keep Me Singing, his 36th studio album. It had twelve original songs and one cover.

Morrison's album Roll with the Punches was released on 22 September 2017. He released his 38th studio album, Versatile, on 1 December 2017. It features covers of jazz songs and seven original songs. He quickly followed with his 39th studio album, You're Driving Me Crazy, released in April 2018. This album features collaborations on blues and jazz classics.

In October 2018, Morrison announced his 40th studio album, The Prophet Speaks, released in December 2018. A year later, in November 2019, he released his 41st studio album, Three Chords & the Truth. In March 2020, a second book of his selected lyrics, Keep 'Er Lit, was published. In November 2020, Morrison and Eric Clapton worked together on a song called "Stand and Deliver."

Recent Years: 2020s

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Morrison expressed his views on public health measures. He released three new songs in September 2020 that protested against lockdowns. He said the government was "taking our freedom." Some people in Belfast called for his "Freedom of the City" honor to be removed. Northern Ireland health minister Robin Swann criticized Morrison's songs.

In March 2021, Morrison announced his 42nd album, Latest Record Project, Volume 1. This 28-track album included songs like "Why Are You on Facebook?" and "They Own The Media." The album helped Morrison return to the UK Top Ten. This made the 2020s the fourth decade in a row he achieved such success.

The next year, What's It Gonna Take? explored similar themes. In 2023, he returned to his musical roots with Moving on Skiffle and Accentuate the Positive. He also released older recordings through his label, Orangefield Records. His 2024 album, New Arrangements and Duets, included unreleased material and duets with artists like Kurt Elling and Joss Stone.

Van Morrison's songs were used a lot in Kenneth Branagh's 2021 film Belfast. Morrison received his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Down to Joy." Several songs were also in the 2021 film Cherry. "Down to Joy" was released on a Van Morrison album in 2025.

Live Performances

1970s Performances

By 1972, after performing for almost ten years, Morrison started feeling nervous when playing for thousands of people. He became anxious on stage and found it hard to look at the audience. He once said it was "pretty agonising" to be out there. After a short break, he started playing in smaller clubs. This helped him regain his ability to perform live.

The 1974 live double album It's Too Late to Stop Now is considered one of the greatest live concert recordings. Biographer Johnny Rogan wrote that Morrison was in his "greatest phase as a performer." The album's performances came from tapes made during a three-month tour of the US and Europe in 1973. Soon after recording the album, Morrison made his band, the Caledonia Soul Orchestra, smaller.

On Thanksgiving Day 1976, Morrison performed at the farewell concert for the Band. It was his first live performance in several years. He almost did not go on stage. His manager, Harvey Goldsmith, said he "literally kicked him out there." Morrison was friends with the members of the Band. At the concert, he sang two songs: "Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral" and "Caravan." Greil Marcus wrote that Van Morrison "turned the show around." The filmed concert became the basis for Martin Scorsese's 1978 film, The Last Waltz.

During his time with the Band, Morrison got the nicknames "Belfast Cowboy" and "Van the Man." On the Band's album Cahoots, in the song "4% Pantomime," he is called "Belfast Cowboy." When he leaves the stage after "Caravan" in The Last Waltz, he is called "Van the Man!"

1990s Performances

On 21 July 1990, Morrison joined many other guests for Roger Waters' huge performance of The Wall – Live in Berlin. He sang "Comfortably Numb" with Roger Waters and members of The Band. At the end of the concert, he and the other performers sang "The Tide Is Turning." The live audience was estimated at three hundred thousand to half a million people. It was also broadcast live on television.

Morrison performed for an estimated sixty to eighty thousand people when US President Bill Clinton visited Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 30 November 1995. His song "Days Like This" had become the official song for the Northern Irish peace movement.

2000s and Live Albums

Van Morrison continued to perform concerts throughout the year, rather than touring. He played few of his most famous songs in concert. He told an interviewer in 2006:

I don't really tour. This is another misconception. I stopped touring in the true sense of the word in the late 1970s, early 1980s, possibly. I just do gigs now. I average two gigs a week. Only in America do I do more, because you can't really do a couple of gigs there, so I do more, 10 gigs or something there.

On 7 and 8 November 2008, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, Morrison performed the entire Astral Weeks album live for the first time. The Astral Weeks band included guitarist Jay Berliner, who had played on the original album forty years earlier. A live album, Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl, came from these performances. The CD was released in February 2009, followed by a DVD.

In February and March 2009, Morrison returned to the US for more Astral Weeks Live concerts. He played at Madison Square Garden and the Beacon Theatre in New York City. He also appeared on TV shows. Morrison continued with Astral Weeks performances in London and California. He filmed the concerts at the Orpheum Theatre so Farrah Fawcett, who was ill, could watch them.

Besides It's Too Late to Stop Now and Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl, Morrison has released three other live albums. These include Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast (1984) and A Night in San Francisco (1994). Rolling Stone magazine called A Night in San Francisco "the culmination of a career's worth of soul searching." He also released The Skiffle Sessions – Live in Belfast 1998 (2000) with Lonnie Donegan and Chris Barber.

Morrison was supposed to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary concert in October 2009 but cancelled.

2010s to Present Performances

Morrison performed at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival in Canada in August 2010. He was also a headliner at the Feis 2011 Festival in London in June 2011. He played concerts in Belfast and Dublin in February 2012. He was a headliner at the 46th Montreux Jazz Festival in July 2012.

In 2014, Morrison's former high school, Orangefield Boys' Secondary School, closed. To mark this, Morrison performed three concerts in the school assembly hall in August. One performance was just for former teachers and students. The other two were for the public. In June 2015, Morrison performed at the Nocturne Live concerts at Blenheim Palace in the UK.

In June 2021, The Times noted that Morrison played one of the first big concerts in London after the pandemic lockdowns. Will Hodgkinson wrote that the show was "as good an argument for the return of live music as you could wish for."

Working with Other Artists

Van Morrison has worked with many different artists throughout his career. He has collaborated with legends in soul and blues, like John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles, George Benson, Eric Clapton, and BB King. He has also worked with The Chieftains, Gregory Porter, Michael Bublé, Joss Stone, and Mark Knopfler.

1980s Collaborations

Morrison and the famous Irish folk band The Chieftains recorded the album Irish Heartbeat (1988). This album of Irish folk songs reached the UK Top 20. "Whenever God Shines His Light" from Avalon Sunset (1989) is a duet with Cliff Richard. It charted at No. 20 in the UK Singles Chart.

1990s Collaborations

The 1990s saw more collaborations from Van Morrison. He worked closely with two vocalists: Georgie Fame and Brian Kennedy. He reunited with The Chieftains on their 1995 album, The Long Black Veil. Their new version of Morrison's song "Have I Told You Lately" won a Grammy Award. He produced and sang on several songs with blues legend John Lee Hooker on Hooker's 1997 album, Don't Look Back. This album won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. The song "Don't Look Back," a duet with Morrison, won a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Morrison also worked with Tom Jones on his 1999 album Reload. They sang Morrison's song, "Sometimes We Cry."

2000s to Present Collaborations

Morrison sang on "The Last Laugh" on Mark Knopfler's Sailing to Philadelphia (2000). That year, he also recorded a country music duet album, You Win Again, with Linda Gail Lewis. In 2004, Morrison was a guest on Ray Charles' album Genius Loves Company. They performed Morrison's "Crazy Love." In 2015, he recorded an album of collaborations, Duets: Re-working the Catalogue. It featured artists like Steve Winwood, Taj Mahal, and Morrison's daughter Shana Morrison. Morrison also worked a lot with Joey DeFrancesco, and they collaborated on several albums.

Artistic Style

Vocals

Morrison's singing style is unique. It's a mix of folk, blues, soul, jazz, gospel, and Ulster Scots Celtic influences. Many music historians believe he is one of the most unusual and important singers in rock and roll history. Critic Greil Marcus said "no white man sings like Van Morrison." Marcus also wrote that Morrison might have the richest and most expressive voice in pop music since Elvis Presley.

When Morrison started performing Astral Weeks live in 2008, people compared his voice to how it sounded in 1968. His early voice was described as "flinty and tender." Forty years later, his voice was deeper and louder, but still powerful. Morrison also talked about how he changed his singing: "The approach now is to sing from lower down [the diaphragm] so I do not ruin my voice. Before, I sang in the upper area of my throat, which tends to wreck the vocal cords over time. Singing from lower in the belly allows my resonance to carry far."

Songwriting and Lyrics

Morrison has written hundreds of songs. A common theme is a longing for his childhood in Belfast. Some song titles come from places in his childhood, like "Cyprus Avenue" (a nearby street) and "On Hyndford Street" (where he was born). His love songs often mix sacred and everyday feelings, as seen in "Into the Mystic."

Starting with his 1979 album, Into the Music, and the song "And the Healing Has Begun," a frequent theme in his music has been his belief in the healing power of music. This is combined with a type of mystic Christianity. This theme has become a main part of his work.

His lyrics show the influence of poets like William Blake and W. B. Yeats. Biographer Brian Hinton believes Morrison "takes words back to their origins in magic." Another biographer, John Collis, thinks Morrison's jazz singing style and repeating phrases mean his lyrics are not always like poetry.

Morrison has described his songwriting method by saying: "I write from a different place. I do not even know what it is called or if it has a name. It just comes and I sculpt it, but it is also a lot of hard work doing the sculpting."

Performance Style

Critic Greil Marcus says it's hard to compare Morrison's work to others because it's so unique. "Morrison remains a singer who can be compared to no other," Marcus wrote. Jay Cocks said Morrison "freely crosses musical boundaries— R&B, Celtic melodies, jazz, rave-up rock, hymns, down-and-dirty blues—he can unfailingly be found in the same strange place: on his own wavelength."

His spiritual music style first fully appeared with Astral Weeks in 1968. He was still a "master of his transcendental craft" in 2009 when performing Astral Weeks songs live. This musical art form uses a "stream of consciousness" way of writing songs and emotional singing. His live shows depend on creating energy and spontaneity with his band. He controls them with hand gestures, sometimes signaling solos. The music and vocals build to a hypnotic, trance-like state.

Morrison believes in the jazz improvisational technique of never performing a song the same way twice. Except for the unique Astral Weeks live shows, he does not use a planned set list for concerts. Morrison prefers to perform in smaller venues or symphony halls known for good acoustics. He has banned alcoholic drinks at some shows to prevent audience members from moving around and distracting others. In a 2009 interview, Morrison said: "I do not consciously aim to take the listener anywhere. If anything, I aim to take myself there in my music."

Music Genres

Van Morrison's music has covered many genres since his early days as a blues and R&B singer. Over the years, he has recorded songs from various styles. Besides blues and R&B, his music includes pop, jazz, rock, folk, country, gospel, Irish folk, big band, skiffle, rock and roll, and sometimes spoken word or instrumentals. Morrison describes himself as a soul singer.

Morrison's music has been called "Celtic soul" or "Caledonian soul." Biographer Ritchie Yorke quoted Morrison as believing he has "the spirit of Caledonia in his soul." Morrison said he found "a certain quality of soul" when he first visited Scotland. He believes there is a connection between soul music and Caledonia. Yorke said Morrison found that some of his songs used a unique major scale, similar to that used by bagpipe players and old Irish and Scottish folk music.

"Caledonia" Theme

The name "Caledonia" has been important in Morrison's life and career. Biographer Ritchie Yorke noted in 1975 that Morrison seemed "obsessed with the word." Erik Hage found that Morrison was interested in his Scottish roots and the ancient countryside of England. This led to his repeated use of "Caledonia," an old Roman name for Scotland. It is his daughter Shana's middle name. It is also the name of his first production company, his studio, his publishing company, and two of his backing groups. He even recorded a cover of the song "Caldonia" (spelled "Caledonia") in 1974. Morrison used "Caledonia" as a mantra in live performances of "Astral Weeks." In his 2016 album Keep Me Singing, he recorded an instrumental called "Caledonia Swing."

Influence on Other Artists

Morrison has influenced many major artists. The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll says his influence on rock singers and songwriters is unmatched by any living artist except Bob Dylan. His style can be heard in artists like Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello. He has inspired many top performers, including U2 (with Bono saying he was "in awe" of Morrison), John Mellencamp, Jim Morrison, Joan Armatrading, Nick Cave, Rod Stewart, Tom Petty, Rickie Lee Jones, Elton John, Graham Parker, Sinéad O'Connor, Phil Lynott, Bob Seger, Kevin Rowland, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake, and Counting Crows. His influence also reaches country music, with Hal Ketchum saying Morrison was a "major influence." Ray Manzarek of the Doors called Van Morrison "our favourite singer."

Morrison has often supported other artists, sharing the stage with them. On his live album A Night in San Francisco, his guests included his childhood idols: Jimmy Witherspoon, John Lee Hooker, and Junior Wells. Although he often expresses unhappiness with the music industry, he has helped many other musicians and singers, like James Hunter and the Belfast-born brothers Brian and Bap Kennedy. He has also influenced visual arts.

Influence on the Next Generation

Morrison's influence is strong among younger singer-songwriters. This list includes Irish singer Damien Rice, Ray Lamontagne, James Morrison, Paolo Nutini, Eric Lindell, David Gray, and Ed Sheeran. Glen Hansard of the Frames often covers Morrison's songs in concert. American rock band the Wallflowers have covered "Into the Mystic." Canadian blues-rock singer Colin James also covers the song often. Actor and musician Robert Pattinson said Van Morrison was his "influence for doing music in the first place." Morrison has performed with Northern Irish singer-songwriter Duke Special, who says Morrison has been a big influence.

Awards and Legacy

Morrison has received several major music awards. These include two Grammy Awards and five other nominations. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1993), the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2003), and the Irish Music Hall of Fame (1999). He also received a Brit Award (1994).

He has also received civil awards. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1996 for his services to music. The French government also honored him in 1996. He has honorary doctorates from the University of Ulster (1992) and Queen's University Belfast (2001).

Halls of Fame

His Hall of Fame inductions began in 1993 with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Morrison was the first living person to be inducted who did not attend his own ceremony. Robbie Robertson from the Band accepted the award for him. When Morrison was the first musician inducted into the Irish Music Hall of Fame, Bob Geldof presented him with the award. Morrison's third induction was into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. This was for his "unique position as one of the most important songwriters of the past century." Ray Charles presented the award.

Three of Morrison's songs are in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll: "Brown Eyed Girl", "Madame George", and "Moondance". The Songwriter's Hall of Fame gave Morrison the Johnny Mercer Award in June 2015.

Civil Awards and Honors

Morrison received two civil awards in 1996. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his music. He also received an award from the French government. Along with these, he has two honorary degrees in music.

In 2013, Morrison received the Freedom of Belfast. This is the highest honor the city can give. He became the 79th person to receive this award. After getting the award, he performed a free concert for residents.

In August 2014, a "Van Morrison Trail" was created in East Belfast. It is a self-guided trail that leads to eight places important to Morrison and his music.

Morrison was made a Knight Bachelor in 2015 for his services to the music industry and tourism in Northern Ireland. The ceremony was performed by Prince Charles.

Industry Recognition

Other awards include an Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1995. He received the BMI ICON award in October 2004 for his "enduring influence." He also won an Oscar Wilde: Honouring Irish Writing in Film award in 2007 for his work in over fifty films. Al Pacino presented the award. He was voted the Best International Male Singer of 2007 at the International Awards in London.

In 2010, Morrison received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In September 2014, Morrison was given the Legend award at the GQ Men of the Year ceremony in London. In October 2014, Morrison received his fifth BMI Million-Air Award. This was for "Brown Eyed Girl" being played 11 million times on US radio and television. Morrison has also received Million-Air awards for "Have I Told You Lately." In 2017, the Americana Music Association gave Van Morrison the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting.

Morrison was honored by Michael Dorf at his annual charity concert at Carnegie Hall. The Music of Van Morrison was performed in March 2019 by twenty musical acts. In 2019, Morrison received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.

In 2022, Morrison and his song "Down to Joy" for the film "Belfast" were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Lists

Morrison has appeared on many "Greatest" lists. TIME magazine's list of The All-Time 100 Albums included Astral Weeks and Moondance. He was number thirteen on WXPN's 885 All Time Greatest Artists list. In 2000, Morrison ranked twenty-fifth on VH1's list of "100 Greatest Artists of Rock and Roll." In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Van Morrison forty-second on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

Paste ranked him twentieth in their list of "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" in 2006. Q ranked him twenty-second on their list of "100 Greatest Singers" in April 2007. He was voted twenty-fourth on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time in November 2008.

Tribute Albums

• No Prima Donna: The Songs of Van Morrison (1994)
• The Van Morrison Songbook (1997)
• Into the Mystic: An Instrumental Tribute to Van Morrison (2000)
• Vanthology: A Tribute to Van Morrison (2003)
• The String Quartet Tribute to Van Morrison (2003)
• Smooth Sax Tribute to Van Morrison (2005)
• Mystic Piano: Piano Tribute to Van Morrison (2006)

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Morrison lived in Belfast until 1964, when he moved to London with the band Them. Three years later, he moved to New York. He stayed in the US when his American girlfriend, Janet Rigsbee, agreed to marry him. They had a daughter in 1970, Shana Morrison, who is also a singer-songwriter. Morrison and his family moved around America, living in Boston, Woodstock, New York, and Fairfax, California. His wife appeared on the cover of the album Tupelo Honey. They separated in 1973.

Morrison moved back to the UK in the late 1970s. He later moved to Bath. He also has a home in the Irish village of Dalkey. He had some legal disagreements with neighbors about his property.

Morrison met Irish socialite Michelle Rocca in 1992. Rocca also appeared on one of his album covers, Days Like This. They married and have two children. They separated in March 2018.

Morrison's father passed away in 1988, and his mother, Violet, passed away in 2016.

Beliefs and Spirituality

Morrison and his family have been connected to St Donard's Parish Church, an Anglican church in east Belfast. Morrison's parents were open-minded. His father was an atheist, and his mother was connected to Jehovah's Witnesses at one point. Van Morrison was briefly linked to Scientology. Later, he became cautious about religion. He said it is important to tell the difference between spirituality and religion. He said: "Spirituality is one thing, religion ... can mean anything from soup to nuts, you know? But it generally means an organisation, so I don't really like to use the word, because that's what it really means. It really means this church or that church ... but spirituality is different, because that's the individual."

Northern Ireland Conflict

Morrison left Northern Ireland before The Troubles began. He kept his distance from the conflict. However, he later expressed a desire for peace between Protestants and Catholics. In a 1972 interview, he said, "I'm definitely Irish ... I don't think I want to go back to Belfast. I don't miss it with all the prejudice around. We're all the same and I think it's terrible what's happening. But I'd like to get a house in Ireland ... I'd like to spend a few months there every year."

Discography

See also

In Spanish: Van Morrison para niños

• List of people on the postage stamps of Ireland
• List of British Grammy winners and nominees