HERE’S What Happened to the Soul Singer Al Green [2023 Update]

If you are a fan of soul music who followed soul music from its earliest days to about the 1970s, then the name Al Greene will not be a strange one to you. Unarguably, Greene was the most famous performer of soul music in the 1970s.

From this amazing performer, came unforgettable soul music hits like, “Take Me to the River,” “Tired of Being Alone,” “I’m Still in Love with You,” “Love and Happiness,” and his signature song, “Let’s Stay Together.”

Unlike many stars in today’s music industry, Al Greene wasn’t just famous because of some massive marketing and promotional stunts by major labels, he was truly talented and loved by many soul music fans from America down to Africa and other parts of the world.

The song, “Let’s Stay Together” was Greene’s biggest hit. It climbed up to number one on both the R&B and pop charts in 1972. This song was written by Green, Mitchell, and Al Jackson, who also was the drummer for Booker T. and the MG’s.

With his yearning for spirituality, Greene made a major career and life decision at the height of his commercial success as a soul music artist. This was after his girlfriend died of suicide sometime in the mid-1970s.

This was when Greene decided to become a minister; subsequently establishing his church. By the year 1980, Greene had devoted himself completely to his ministry and gospel music. He, however, much later made his way back to secular music.

However, it bothers many that as of today, they can’t exactly tell where Al Greene is and what he is doing. In this article, we will try to answer the recurring question, “what happened to Al Greene.”

It is a fact that Al Green established the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Memphis in the year 1976.

There are also speculations that he currently resides and ministers there in Memphis, just close to Graceland. Read on to find out if this is true or not.

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Who Really is Al Greene?

Reverend Albert Leornes Green is a soul and gospel singer from the United States. He was born on April 13, 1946, in Forrest City, Arkansas.

Al was the sixth child of Robert and Cora Greene’s ten kids. Shortly after Al was born, his family moved to another small town called Jacknash, where he grew up in.

At age 10, he started performing with a group from Forrest City called the Greene Brothers.

Years later, as a solo artist, Greene dropped the “E” from the end of his last name. In the middle of the 1950s, they (he and the group) did a lot of touring in the South.

When the Greenes moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, they also started touring around Michigan. Because his father caught him listening to Jackie Wilson, he was kicked out of the group.

In October 1974, Al Green was getting into the shower when his girlfriend, Mary Woodson, came into the bathroom with a pan of boiling grits and threw them all over him. She then went on to kill herself with Green’s gun.

Albert was in the hospital for a long time and swore he would never sing secular songs like that again. Instead, he made gospel music his life’s work from then henceforth.

After the incident, Green became a Baptist minister and bought the Full Gospel Tabernacle in 1976.

Green said his voice could go from smooth high notes to deep south growls and rasps. He has sold more than 20 million records all over the world.

In 1995, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the most talented soul music artists of all time. Green is a pastor who has been ordained; he started the Full Gospel Tabernacle, his church in Memphis.

The things he talks about in his sermons change from week to week, but they always have something to do with the words “Let’s Stay Together.” Here are some of his albums and year of release:

Back It Up	1967
Green Is Blues	1969
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
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
Your Hearts’ in Good Hands	1995
I Can’t Stop	2003

Here are some of his songs and year of release:

Back Up Train	1967
Tired Of Being Alone	1971
Let’s Stay Together	1971
I’m Still in Love	1972
Look What You Done For Me	1972
Call Me	1973
Here I Am	1973
Sha-la-la (Make Me Happy)	1974
L-O-V-E	1975
Full of Fire	1976
Let it Shine	1976
Keep Me Cryin’	1978
For The Good Times	1972
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart	1972
Take Me to the River	1974

Being a renowned singer, Al Green has won several awards. Here are a few:

Rock and Rol Hall of Fame – 1995
Kennedy Center Honors – 2014

Green has also won several Grammy Awards, including:

Best R&B Performance By A Duo with Vocals- 2008
Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals-1994
Best Soul Gospel Performance-male singles 1989
Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album- 1989

What Happened to Al Greene; Why Did He Disappear?

Here are some of the possible reasons that Greene disappeared. These reasons, however, may not be completely factual. Some are just speculations; we, however, still have to consider them:

Personal life saga

At the end of the 1970s, Al Green’s life changed significantly. He became a born-again Christian after his girlfriend, Mary Woodson, poured boiling grits on him while he was taking a shower and then killed herself with his gun. This event made Green think about his life and led him to church.

In 1979, while performing in Cincinnati, he hurt himself when he fell off the stage; he saw this as a sign from God. He then put all of his efforts into being the pastor of his church and making gospel music.

Green’s Shift to Gospel

Green focused on gospel music and became a minister after he changed his mind. He even started his church in Memphis, Tennessee, called the Full Gospel Tabernacle. He kept making and playing music but became less well-known as he moved away from secular music.

Green released a string of Gospel CDs between 1981 and 1989. Green recorded The Lord Will Make a Way, his first of six albums for the Christian label, Myrrh Records, while still under contract with Hi Records.

The album’s title track would win Green his first of eight Grammy Awards in the Best Soul Gospel Performance category.

In the 1990s, Green tried to return to secular music a few times, but it didn’t do as well as his earlier work. He kept making gospel music and preaching.

Divorce

In 1983, Al Green went missing following his divorce from Shirley Kyles. There are various accounts and theories regarding what happened, but it is unclear what the true cause was.

In 1995, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame made him a member. Green kept making R&B records, but his sales declined, and critics had mixed things to say about him.

Green stopped composing music for whatever reason, and it took him a few years before he began again.

After he became religious, Al Green did not go away. Instead, he changed how he worked and what he did. Here are some of his other interviews about faith and music.

Where is Al Greene today, and What is he up to?

Still, Al Green is a minister, in addition to his music career. Greene has been the pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle church in Memphis, Tennessee, since 1976.

In the 1970s, Green was ordained as a pastor, and he has preached and led his congregation for the rest of his music career. As of now, he is a Reverend.

Greene has talked much about his faith’s importance to his life and work, and some of his music has tagged religious themes.

Al Green has currently not said anything about upcoming projects or releases. However, he is still on tour and performing at the time.

It’s important to know that Al Green is a private person who rarely tells the public about his plans or activities.

Al Greene’s Net Worth

Since the 1970s, Al Green has been working tirelessly. He has built up a nice net worth as a singer, songwriter, pastor, and record producer. As of 2022, Green had a net worth of about $50 million.

Al Green’s lucrative music career has been the primary source of his fortune. He is a well-known singer and composer distinguished by his deep and very unique voice.

Green’s involvement in many business endeavours and his music career may have increased his net worth.

Some of his major business ventures include:

Real Estate

Throughout his career, Green has made investments in several homes, including a 6,000-square-foot mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.

Record Label

American Music is the name of Green’s record label, which he established in the 1970s. The label distributed his CDs as well as those by other musicians.

Food industry

Green also invested in Al Green’s Soul Food Cafe restaurant chain, which started up multiple locations nationwide. The restaurant franchise looks to have shut down recently, though.

Broadcast

In 2005, Green bought WLOK, a radio station in Memphis, TN. Gospel music and religious programming are broadcast on the channel.

Conclusion

Green’s musical style significantly influenced subsequent soul and R&B musicians.

Many other singers have covered his songs throughout the years, and he has received numerous prizes and distinctions for his contributions to the music industry.

Ultimately, Al Green’s musical legacy is one of fresh perspectives, inventiveness, and emotional depth. His soul has been affected by the music of millions and millions of people around the world, including you.

He is currently a gospel minister in his church in Memphis, where he also resides.