Van Morrison
IrelandBiography of Van Morrison
Van Morrison was a Northern Irish singer-songwriter who was born and raised in the United States. Despite growing up in a family with a jazz singer mother and a father who was a passionate blues record collector, Irish folk music had little influence on the young Van Morrison.
Early Career
In 1960, Van Morrison graduated from school and joined the group Monarchs. He embarked on a tour of American military bases in Germany with the band. In 1963, Van Morrison returned to Ireland and formed the band Them, inviting two musicians from Monarchs to join him (Billy Harrison on guitar and Ronnie Millings on drums). Them quickly gained recognition in Belfast. They successfully arranged Slim Harpo's composition "Don't Start Crying Now," which became a hit in Ireland at the end of 1964 and opened the door to Decca studios. Their version of Joe Williams' song "Baby Please Don't Go" entered the UK Top 10 in early 1965.
Success and Collaboration
After relocating to London, the band invited the renowned American producer Bert Berns, co-writer of classic soul hits of the 60s such as "Twist And Shout," "Tell Him," and "Cry Baby," to work with them. They recorded Berns' song "Here Comes The Night," which propelled them into the American market. Their next two singles, "Gloria" and "Mystic Eyes" (the latter written by Van Morrison), also became hits in the United States. The lineup of Them constantly changed, which contributed to the failure of their 1966 American tour. Upon returning to England, Van Morrison disbanded Them (the group later reformed with vocalist Ken McDowell).
Solo Career
Van Morrison ceased performing and returned to Belfast. Meanwhile, Berns established a new record label, Bang Records, in New York and invited Van Morrison to record several singles. One of those singles, "Brown Eyed Girl," became a summer hit in 1967.
