The Van Morrison Musical Career Story
Born in Belfast in the 1945, in Northern Ireland George Ivan Morrison was an only child. His father George was a ship worker, and mother Violet a housewife, and a competent tap dancer and entertainer in her youth. Fortuitously, his father had acquired a large record collection during a trip to the United States and Van grew up listening to blues artists such as Ray Charles and Leadbelly who were to influence his style later in life.
He is renowned for being stubborn, but is critically acclaimed with a devoted fan base and he often gives astounding live performances. His albums Astral Weeks and Moondance are often rated as being some of the best records recorded.
Morrison's father bought him his first acoustic guitar when he was eleven, and he learned to play some basic chords. He started performing as a professional as a young teenager in the late 1950s playng a number of instruments, including the harmonica, guitar, keyboards, and saxophone in a range of Irish bands covering popular hits of the day.
His first band "The Sputniks" in 1958 was named after the Russian and shortly after forming, they began to perform in intimate locations with Morrison on bluesy rich vocals and taking care of the arrangements.
Morrison left school in 1960 with no qualifications. As a member of a working-class community, it was expected that he would get a regular full-time job, so after several short apprenticeship positions, he settled into a job as a window cleaner" later alluded to in his songs, "Cleaning Windows" and "Saint Dominic's Preview". However, he had been developing his musical interests from an early age and continued playing with the Monarchs part-time. Young Morrison also played with the Harry Mack Showband, the Great Eight, with his older workplace friend, Geordie Sproule whom he later named as one of his biggest influences.
Touring Europe for the first time at seventeen with his band The Monarchs, Morrison played saxophone, guitar and harmonica regularly, and bass and drums as required. He had become a competent musician and learnt his trade touring clubs and US Army bases in England, Scotland and Germany, playing five sets a night on many occasions. The band recorded a single at Ariola Studios in Cologne which was Morrison's first on which he played saxophone and remarkably it entered the lower part of German charts.
In the mid-1960s he was the lead singer with Them and recorded the classic "Gloria", one of the favorites in his sets. When he returned to Belfast the group disbanded and he began his solo career.
Under the tutelage of pop impresario Bert Berns, he released the hit single "Brown Eyed Girl" in 1967. Warner Brothers bought out his contract shortly after his manager had died. In several sessions he recorded Astral Weeks in 1968 which was critically acclaimed, but sales were initially poor. It has now grown to become an all-time classic. The album and title tune Moondance, established him as a major recording artist, and throughout the 1970s he built his reputation. Van Morrison continues to tour, record and collaborate with other artists, producing albums and live performances that are well received. In 2008 and in to 2009 he continues to perform Astral Weeks live always leaving the crowd wanting more.
Morrison has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and appearing on several "Greatest Artists" lists as well as receiving six Grammy Awards. - 23806
He is renowned for being stubborn, but is critically acclaimed with a devoted fan base and he often gives astounding live performances. His albums Astral Weeks and Moondance are often rated as being some of the best records recorded.
Morrison's father bought him his first acoustic guitar when he was eleven, and he learned to play some basic chords. He started performing as a professional as a young teenager in the late 1950s playng a number of instruments, including the harmonica, guitar, keyboards, and saxophone in a range of Irish bands covering popular hits of the day.
His first band "The Sputniks" in 1958 was named after the Russian and shortly after forming, they began to perform in intimate locations with Morrison on bluesy rich vocals and taking care of the arrangements.
Morrison left school in 1960 with no qualifications. As a member of a working-class community, it was expected that he would get a regular full-time job, so after several short apprenticeship positions, he settled into a job as a window cleaner" later alluded to in his songs, "Cleaning Windows" and "Saint Dominic's Preview". However, he had been developing his musical interests from an early age and continued playing with the Monarchs part-time. Young Morrison also played with the Harry Mack Showband, the Great Eight, with his older workplace friend, Geordie Sproule whom he later named as one of his biggest influences.
Touring Europe for the first time at seventeen with his band The Monarchs, Morrison played saxophone, guitar and harmonica regularly, and bass and drums as required. He had become a competent musician and learnt his trade touring clubs and US Army bases in England, Scotland and Germany, playing five sets a night on many occasions. The band recorded a single at Ariola Studios in Cologne which was Morrison's first on which he played saxophone and remarkably it entered the lower part of German charts.
In the mid-1960s he was the lead singer with Them and recorded the classic "Gloria", one of the favorites in his sets. When he returned to Belfast the group disbanded and he began his solo career.
Under the tutelage of pop impresario Bert Berns, he released the hit single "Brown Eyed Girl" in 1967. Warner Brothers bought out his contract shortly after his manager had died. In several sessions he recorded Astral Weeks in 1968 which was critically acclaimed, but sales were initially poor. It has now grown to become an all-time classic. The album and title tune Moondance, established him as a major recording artist, and throughout the 1970s he built his reputation. Van Morrison continues to tour, record and collaborate with other artists, producing albums and live performances that are well received. In 2008 and in to 2009 he continues to perform Astral Weeks live always leaving the crowd wanting more.
Morrison has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and appearing on several "Greatest Artists" lists as well as receiving six Grammy Awards. - 23806
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There is some great information about the latest Van Morrison music dates available at the official Van Morrison tickets site. Extensive news and official reviews are also available here.
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