Van Morrison
Van Morrison once said, “Music is spiritual. The music business is not.” Perhaps there is no better description for this Irish musician’s long career with a fan base that continues to expand. Born in 1945 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Morrison’s mother was a singer; his father a collector of American jazz and blues albums. At 15, Morrison went on the road with The Monarchs, and then came home to form his own group, Them. Their 1964 debut single, “Don’t Start Crying Now,” did well but was topped by their recording of “Baby Please Don’t Go,” which made it into the UK’s top ten in 1965. One of his songs from that time, “Gloria” would find new life when covered by both The Doors and Patti Smith. Morrison quit the music business after a 1966 tour of the US. The next year, though, he was coaxed back in, and recorded “Brown Eyed Girl” (originally titled “Brown Skinned Girl”) which became the big hit of 1967. A pattern emerged: at the center of music worlds in the US (Woodstock, California) and then leaving the business to return to Ireland. His next two albums – Astral Weeks and Moondance – are still considered among the best of our time, as is his song “Domino.” Morrison also suffered from stage fright. For The Band’s Last Waltz he had to be pushed onstage, having refused to perform for large crowds for some time. His set became one of the highlights of the event. (See the Martin Scorcese film for the performance.) In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; in 1996 he received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II; and in 1999, Van Morrison was the first person honored by the new Irish Music Hall of Fame.
