Al Green Artistfacts

April 13, 1946
Al Green was born in Arkansas to a family of sharecroppers. His birth name was Albert Greene.
He formed a gospel quartet in the mid-1950s with his brothers. They were called the Green Brothers. Al was kicked out when his father caught him listening to Jackie Wilson.
He cut his first single as Al Green and the Soul Mates on a label, Hot Line Music Journal, founded by his high school friends, Curtis Rogers and Palmer James.
Green was signed to Hi Records by their vice president, Willie Mitchell, who also produced and co-wrote many of Green's songs.
In October 1974, Green brought home two woman he had been seeing: his sometimes girlfriend Mary Woodson, and a stewardess named Carlotta Williams. It turned tragic when Woodson poured boiling grits she was making on him, inflicting second degree burns to the singer. As Williams tended him, Woodson killed herself with his gun. Green, who became a born-again Christian in 1973, interpreted this as a sign from God to join the ministry.
Another sign from God: In 1979, Green fell off a Cincinnati stage and was almost injured badly. He decided it was time to stop performing secular music.
Green is a fully ordained pastor. He opened his own Memphis church, the Full Gospel Tabernacle, in 1976. The subjects of his sermons vary from week to week but in essence remain consistent with the lyrics of "Let's Stay Together."

"I preach about everyone staying together, staying strong in good times and bad," Green told Mojo magazine in 2016. "What I sing, what I preach, is about love in the end – about finding love, and keeping it, however you can."
In 1995, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Frank Zappa, Neil Young, and the Allman Brothers Band. Natalie Cole was his presenter.
He cites Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers as major influences.
Drummer Al Jackson, of Booker T. & the MG's fame, played with Al Green several times and even co-wrote some of his material.
He won his first Grammy in 1982 for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Performance for the album The Lord Will Make a Way.
To delight his female fans on his Summer Tour 2003, Al Green ordered 24 long-stem dethroned roses on stage, which he could distribute. Good thinking taking out the thorns.
Green was still making music into his 70s. In 2024 he released a cover of R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts." In 2026, when he was 79, he sang on "Goodbye Henry," a song by the British singer Raye, who was 28 and a huge fan of Al Green and other soul singers from his era.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Watching The WheelsJohn Lennon

In the late '70s, John Lennon slowed his roll, becoming a househusband who baked bread and took care of his young son Sean. This inspired his song "Watching The Wheels," where he discovers the benefits of taking it easy.

Take My Breath AwayBerlin

"Take My Breath Away" from Top Gun was a huge hit for Berlin, but lead singer Terri Nunn was the only band member to perform on it. This caused friction that broke up the group a year later.

ContagiousThe Isley Brothers

The Isley Brothers became the first group to score a Top 50 hit in six consecutive decades when their song "Contagious" peaked at #19 in 2001. Their first entry was their song "Shout" in 1959.

I Missed AgainPhil Collins

Phil Collins' "I Missed Again" was originally "I Miss You, Babe," and was a very somber song about his recent divorce. Collins decided to lighten it up and inject some humor into the song.

I Kissed a GirlKaty Perry

Katy Perry's breakout hit, "I Kissed A Girl," was surprising to those familiar with her past: Her parents were pastors and she started off singing Christian music.

Try AgainAaliyah

Until December 5, 1998, a song had to be issued as a single to make the Hot 100. Aaliyah's "Try Again" was the first tune to top the chart based on airplay alone, without any sales figures being included.