- For the American lawyer and politician, see Rep. Al Green.
Albert Leornes Greene (born: July 26, 1949), better known online as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer.
History[]
Albert Leornes Greene was born on April 13, 1946, in Forrest City, Arkansas, to Cora Lee and Robert G. Greene Jr. At around the age of ten, Greene began performing with his sister in the Greene Brothers. During the late 1950s, the family relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan.[1] While he was a teenager, Greene was kicked out of the family home after his father, who was religious, caught him listening to Jackie Wilson. He later lived with a prostitute and did drugs.[2][3]
In high school, Greene formed Al Greene & the Creations.[4] In 1966, they changed their name to Al Greene & the Soul Mates and recorded "Back Up Train", releasing it on Hot Line Music. The song was a hit on the R&B charts and peaked at No. 46 in the Cashbox Top 100. However, their debut album Back Up Train, didn't succeed. While performing with the Soul Mates, Greene came into contact with Willie Mitchell, who hired him in 1969 to be a vocalist for a show with Mitchell's band. Following the performance, Mitchell asked Greene to sign with Hi Records.[5]
Mitchell became his vocal mentor. Before releasing his first album with Hi Records, Greene removed the final "e" from his name. He then released Green Is Blues.[6] By the time Greene released The Belle Album in 1977, his record sales had dropped, partially due to Greene's own personal issues during this time and his wish to become a minister. Greene's last Hi Records album, Truth n' Time, was released in 1978 and failed to chart top 40.[7] In 1979, he injured himself after falling off the stage while performing and took this as a message from God. He later moved towards pastoring a church and gospel music.[8]
Discography[]
Albums[]
- Back Up Train (1967)
- Al Green Gets Next to You (1971)
- Let's Stay Together (1972)
- I'm Still in Love with You (1972)
- Call Me (1973)
- Livin' for You (1973)
- Al Green Explores Your Mind (1974)
- Al Green Is Love (1975)
- Full of Fire (1976)
- Have a Good Time (1976)
- The Belle Album (1977)
- Truth n' Time (1978)
- The Lord Will Make a Way (1980)
- Higher Plane (1981)
- Precious Lord (1982)
- I'll Rise Again (1983)
- White Christmas (1983)
- Trust in God (1984)
- He Is the Light (1985)
- Soul Survivor (1987)
- I Get Joy (1989)
- Love Is Reality (1992)
- Don't Look Back (1993)
- Your Heart's in Good Hands (1995)
- I Can't Stop (2003)
- Everything's OK (2005)
- Lay It Down (2008)
Compilation Albums[]
- Al Green's Greatest Hits (1975)
- Al Green's Greatest Hits, Volume II (1977)
- Cream of Al Green (1980)
- Al Green's Greatest Hits Volume One and Two (1983)
- Hi Life: The Best of Al Green (1988)
- Love Ritual (Rare & Previously Unreleased 1968-76) (1989)
- One in a Million (1991)
- The Supreme Al Green: The Greatest Hits (1992)
- Al (1992)
- Al Green's Greatest Hits (1995)
- Anthology (1997)
- The Very Best of Al Green (1997)
- More Greatest Hits (1998)
- Hi and Mighty: The Story of Al Green (1969-1978) (1998)
- True Love: A Collection (1999)
- Greatest Gospel Hits (2000)
- The Hi Singles A's and B's (2000)
- Take Me to the River (2000)
- Testify: The Best of the A&M Years (2001)
- L-O-V-E: The Essential Al Green (2002)
- The Love Songs Collection (2003)
- Absolute Best (2004)
- The Immortal Soul of Al Green (2004)
- Love & Happiness: The Very Best of Al Green (2005)
- The Millennium Collection: The Best of Al Green (2006)
- The Definitive Greatest Hits (2007)
- What Makes the World Go 'Round? (2008)
- Greatest Hits (2009)
- The Best of Gospel Sessions (2011)
- The Love Songs Collection (2013)
Live Albums[]
- Tokyo...Live! (1978)
Singles[]
- Want to Hold Your Hand (1969)
- Before the Next Teardrop Falls (2018)
- Perfect Day (2023)
- Everybody Hurt (2024)
References[]
- ↑ https://archive.org/details/peoplegetreadyne0000dard/page/296
- ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=wyYEAAAAMBAJ&q=al+green+divorce+shirley+1982&pg=PA191
- ↑ https://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/pop/1645/
- ↑ http://www.biography.com/people/al-green-37614#commercial-success
- ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Guinness-Whos-Soul-popular-music/dp/0851127339
- ↑ http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/446/al_green_green_blues_and_soul/
- ↑ https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/while-al-green-was-looking-get-god-he-became-star
- ↑ http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2773
