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Van Morrison

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Biography

Use dmy dates|date=February 2011Infobox musical artist|name=Van Morrison|image=VanMorrison2.jpg|caption=Van Morrison at Marin Civic Center, 2007|image_size=|background=solo_singer|birth_name=George Ivan Morrison|alias=Van the Man
The Belfast Cowboy|birth_date=Birth date and age|1945|8|31|df=yes|death_date=|origin= Belfast , Northern Ireland |genre= Rock music|Rock , blues , rhythm and blues , Folk music|folk , blue-eyed soul , Celtic music|celtic , rock and roll , jazz fusion , country music|country |instrument=Vocals, guitar, harmonica , saxophone s, keyboards, drums, tambourine , ukulele |occupation=Singer-songwriter, musician|years_active=1958�present|label= Decca Records|Decca
Bang Records|Bang
Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.
London Records|London
Mercury Records|Mercury
Exile/ Polydor Records|Polydor
Verve Records|Verve
Point Black Records|Point Black
Virgin Records|Virgin
Universal Music|Universal
Blue Note Records|Blue Note
Lost Highway Records|Lost Highway
Listen to the Lion/ EMI
Manhattan Records|Manhattan |associated_acts= Them (band)|Them |website= http://www.vanmorrison.com/ www.vanmorrison.com
Van Morrison , Order of the British Empire|OBE (born George Ivan Morrison ; 31 August 1945) is a Northern Ireland|Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendentalCite news|url= http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi? f=/c/a/2009/05/03/DDU317DM77.DTL|author=Selvin, Joel|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date=4 May 2009|title=Van Morrison's transcendent 'Astral' at Greek|accessdate=25 May 2010Cite news|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturecritics/helenbrown/5186265/Van-Morrison-performing-Astral-Weeks-live-at-the-Albert-Hall-review.html|title=Van Morrison performing Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl review|last=Brown|first= Helen|date=20 April 2009|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=25 May 2010 | location=LondonCite web|url= http://www.avclub.com/articles/van-morrison,41962/|title=Geek obsession: Van Morrison|publisher=avclub.com|author=Heller, Jason|date=10 June 2010|accessdate=26 February 2011 and inspired;cite journal|url= http://www.rockstarweekly.com/van-morrision-was-all-business-in-vancouver.html|title=Van Morrison was all business in Vancouver|magazine= Rockstar Weekly |author=Savoie, Dan|date=8 August 2010|accessdate=26 February 2011Cite web|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/live-review-bob-dylan-joni-mitchell-and-van-morrison-19980526|title=Live Review: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Van Morrison|publisher= Rolling Stone |author=Pecorelli, John|date=26 May 1998|accessdate=26 February 2011Cite book|url= http://books.google.com/books? id=EQR3U2pjwrQC& pg=PA105& dq=inspired+Van+Morrison& lr=|title=Back to a shadow in the night|publisher=Google |last=Colt|first= Jonathan|accessdate=25 May 2010 | isbn=9780634035968 while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance , and the live album '' It's Too Late to Stop Now '', are widely viewed as among the greatest ever made.Cite web|url= http://acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A121.htm|title=Astral Weeks: Van Morrison|publisher=acclaimedmusic.net|accessdate=30 April 2008Cite web|url= http://acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A183.htm|title=Acclaimed Music � Moondance|publisher=acclaimedmusic.net|accessdate=26 January 2010Cite web|url= http://acclaimedmusic.net/Current/A306.htm|title=Acclaimed Music � It's Too Late to Stop Now|publisher=acclaimedmusic.net|accessdate=22 November 2009

Known as "Van the Man" to his fans,Cite web|url= http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/republican/index.ssf? /base/entertainment-0/125688694981090.xml& coll=1|title=Singer Van Morrison continues to fascinate|publisher=The Republican|date=30 October 2009|accessdate=18 May 2010|last=O'Hare|first=Kevin Morrison started his professional career when, as a teenager in the late 1950s, he played a variety of instruments including guitar, harmonica, keyboards and saxophone for various Irish showbands covering the popular hits of the day. He rose to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead vocalist|lead singer of the Northern Irish R& B band Them (band)|Them , with whom he recorded the garage band classic " Gloria (Them song)|Gloria ". His solo career began under the pop-hit oriented guidance of Bert Berns with the release of the hit single " Brown Eyed Girl " in 1967.
After Berns' death, Warner Bros. Records bought out his contract and allowed him three sessions to record Astral Weeks in 1968.Turner (1993). pages 86 � 90 Even though this album would gradually garner high praise, it was initially poorly received; however, the next one, Moondance , established Morrison as a major artist,Cite web|url= http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_van_morrisons_moondance/|publisher=mixonline.com|title=Classic Tracks: Van Morrison's Moondance|date=1 April 2005|author=Eskow, Gary|accessdate=26 May 2009 and throughout the 1970s he built on his reputation with a series of critically acclaimed albums and live performances. Morrison continues to record and tour, producing albums and live performances that sell well and are generally warmly received, sometimes collaborating with other artists, such as Georgie Fame and The Chieftains . In 2008 he performed Astral Weeks live for the first time since 1968.

Much of Morrison's music is structured around the conventions of soul music and R& B , such as the popular singles "Brown Eyed Girl", " Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile) ", " Domino (Van Morrison song)|Domino " and " Wild Night ". An equal part of his catalogue consists of lengthy, loosely connected, spiritually inspired musical journeys that show the influence of Celtic tradition, jazz, and Stream of consciousness (narrative mode)|stream-of-consciousness narrative, such as Astral Weeks and lesser-known works such as Veedon Fleece and Common One .Cite web|url= http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/index.php/exhibits/bio/C333S|title=SHOF: Van Morrison biography|publisher=songwritersshalloffame.org|accessdate=7 July 2008Cite web|url= http://www.musthear.com/reviews/veedonfleece.html|author=Ballon, John|date=28 December 2008|title=Musthear review: Veedon Fleece|publisher=musthear.com|accessdate=18 May 2010 The two strains together are sometimes referred to as "Celtic Soul".Cite news|url= http://www.time.com/time/2006/100albums/0,27693,Astral_Weeks,00.html|work=TIME |date=13 November 2006|author=Light, Alan|title=The All-Time 100 Albums|accessdate=6 May 2010

Morrison has received considerable acclaim, including six Grammy Award s, being inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame , and appearing on several "Greatest Artists" lists.

Life and career


Early life and musical roots: 1945�64


George Ivan (Van) Morrison was born on 31 August 1945, 125 Hynford Street, Bloomfield, Belfast|Bloomfield , East Belfast , Northern Ireland as the only child of George Morrison, a shipyard electrician, and Violet Stitt Morrison, a singer and tap dance r in her youth.Cite web| date=22 September 2007|url= http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/its-van-the-mam-13478426.html|author=McNeilly, Claire|title=It's Van: The Mam|publisher=Belfast Telegraph|accessdate=26 September 2007 Van Morrison's family roots descend from the Ulster Scots people|Ulster Scots population that settled in Belfast.Cite web|url= http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php? id=16537|publisher=allaboutjazz.com|title=Van Morrison at All About Jazz|accessdate=12 December 2009Hinton (1997), page 18.Heylin (2003), page 4. From 1950 to 1956, Morrison, who began to be known as "Van" during this time, attended Elmgrove Primary School .Turner (1993), page 20. Morrison's father had what was at the time one of the largest record collections in Ulster (acquired during his sojourn in Detroit, Michigan in the early 1950s),Hinton (1997), page 19. and the young Morrison grew up listening to artists such as Jelly Roll Morton , Ray Charles , Lead Belly , and Solomon Burke ;Hinton (1997), page 20. of whom Morrison later said, "If it weren't for guys like Ray and Solomon, I wouldn't be where I am today. Those guys were the inspiration that got me going. If it wasn't for that kind of music, I couldn't do what I'm doing now."Cite web|date=2 June 2005|archiveurl= www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/articles/story/7371946/renaissance_van|archivedate=18 June 2008|title=Renaissance Van|author=Wild, David|work=Rolling Stone |accessdate=30 April 2010 His father's record collection exposed him to various musical genres, such as the blues of Muddy Waters ; the Gospel music|gospel of Mahalia Jackson ; the jazz of Charlie Parker ; the folk music of Woody Guthrie ; and country music from Hank Williams and Jimmie Rodgers (country singer)|Jimmie Rodgers , while the first record he ever bought was by blues musician Sonny Terry .Cite journal|url= http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2009/03/09/090309ta_talk_greenman|title=Listening Party|magazine=New Yorker|author=Greenman, Ben|date=9 March 2009|accessdate=18 May 2010 When Lonnie Donegan had a hit with " Rock Island Line (song)|Rock Island Line ", written by Huddie Ledbetter (Lead Belly), Morrison felt he was familiar with and able to connect with skiffle|skiffle music as he had been hearing Lead Belly before that.Collis (1996), page 33.Cite web|url= http://www.salon.com/people/bc/2000/09/19/morrison/index.html|title= http://www.salon.com/people/bc/2000/09/19/morrison/index.html|title=Van Morrison|publisher=salon.com|author=Elder, Sean|date=19 September 2000|accessdate=18 May 2010

Morrison's father bought him his first acoustic guitar when he was eleven, and he learned to play rudimentary chord (music)|chord s from the song book, The Carter Family Style , edited by Alan Lomax .Turner (1993), page 25. A year later, when he was twelve years old, Morrison formed his first band,
Cite web|url= http://www2.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/arts/story.html? id=d25c7b6a-7ddb-4540-84db-9dc6cd09f632
|title=Van Morrison: The Irascible Mystic
|publisher=www2.canada.com
|accessdate=18 May 2010
|date=30 June 2007
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a skiffle group, "The Sputniks", named after the recently launched Soviet satellite, Sputnik 1 .Hinton (1997), page 22. In 1958, the band played at some of the local cinemas, and Morrison took the lead, contributing most of the singing and arranging. Other short-lived groups followed � at fourteen, he formed Midnight Special, another modified skiffle band and played at a school concert. Then, when he heard Jimmy Giuffre playing saxophone on "The Train and The River", he talked his father into buying him a saxophone,Heylin (2003), page 34. and took lessons in tenor sax and music reading.Turner (1993), page 26.
Now playing the saxophone, Morrison joined with various local bands, including one called Deanie Sands and the Javelins, with whom he played guitar and shared singing. The line-up of the band was lead vocalist Deanie Sands, guitarist George Jones (radio presenter)|George Jones and drummer, vocalist Roy Kane.Cite journal
|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/14639/80271 | last =Grissim Jr. | first =John | title =Van Morrison: The Rolling Stone Interview | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=22 June 1972 | accessdate=23 July 2010
Later the four main musicians of the Javelins, with the addition of Wesley Black as pianist, became known as the Monarchs.Turner (1993), page 28.

Morrison attended Orangefield High School , leaving in July 1960 with no qualifications.
Cite news|url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/nov/02/vanmorrison-popandrock
|title=Is this the best album ever made? | Music | The Observer
|work=The Guardian |date=2 November 2008
|accessdate=18 May 2010
|last=O'Hagan
|first=Sean
| location=London
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 (song)|Saint Dominic's Preview ".Rogan (2006), page 48. 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 (G. D.) Sproule, whom he later named as one of his biggest influences.Rogan (2006), pages 43�48.

At age 17, he toured Europe for the first time with the Monarchs, now calling themselves the International Monarchs. This Irish showband ,
Cite web|url= http://geocities.com/the_strath/1963.htm
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with Morrison playing saxophone, guitar and harp, in addition to back-up duty on bass and drums, toured steamy clubs and US Army bases in Scotland, England, and Germany, often playing five sets a night. While in Germany, the band recorded a single, "Boozoo Hully Gully"/"Twingy Baby", under the name Georgie and The Monarchs. This was Morrison's first recording, taking place in November 1963 at Ariola Studios in Cologne with Morrison on saxophone; it made the lower reaches of the German charts.
Cite web|url= http://www.geocities.com/tracybjazz/hayward/van-the-man.info/miscellaneous/themchrono.html
|title=Van Morrison with The Monarchs / Them Chronology 1947/8-1969
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Cite web|url= http://www.iangallagher.com/monarchsvanmorrison.html
|title=monarchsvanmorrison
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Upon returning to Belfast in November 1963, the group disbanded,Turner (1993), pages 33�38. so Morrison connected with Geordie Sproule again and played with him in the Manhattan Showband along with guitarist Herbie Armstrong. When Armstrong auditioned to play with Brian Rossi and the Golden Eagles, Morrison went along and was hired as a blues singer.Rogan (2006), page 78.

Them: 1964�66


Main|Them (band)The roots of Them, the band that first broke Morrison on the international scene, came in April 1964 when Morrison responded to an advert for musicians to play at a new Rhythm and blues|R& B club at the Maritime Hotel � an old dance hall frequented by sailors.
Cite web|url= http://www.superseventies.com/ssvanmorrison.html
|title=Van Morrison � In His Own Words
|publisher=www.superseventies.com
|accessdate=23 April 2009
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The new R& B club needed a band for its opening night; however, Morrison had left the Golden Eagles (the group with which he had been performing at the time), so he created a new band out of The Gamblers, an Belfast East (UK Parliament constituency)|East Belfast group formed by Ronnie Millings, Billy Harrison, and Alan Henderson in 1962.
Cite book|url= http://books.google.co.uk/books? id=haEfq-nKqjgC& pg=RA1-PA424& dq=The+Gamblers+van+morrison& as_brr=3& client=firefox-a
|title=The rough guide to rock � Google Book Search
|publisher=books.google.co.uk
|accessdate=24 April 2009
|last=Buckley
|first=Peter
| isbn=9781843531050

Cite web|url= http://www.thembelfast.com/
|title=THEM the Belfast Blues-Band
|publisher=www.thembelfast.com
|accessdate=24 April 2009
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Eric Wrixon, still a schoolboy, was the piano player and keyboardist.
Cite web|url= http://music.aol.com/artist/eric-wrixon/biography/1166048
|title=Eric Wrixon Biography � AOL Music
|publisher=music.aol.com
|accessdate=24 April 2009
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Morrison played saxophone and harmonica and shared vocals with Billy Harrison. They followed Eric Wrixon's suggestion for a new name, and The Gamblers morphed into Them (band)|Them , their name taken from the Fifties horror movie Them! .Rogan (2006), pp. 79�83

The band's strong R& B performances at the Maritime attracted attention. Them performed without a routine and Morrison ad lib bed, creating his songs live as he performed.Hinton (1997), page 40. While the band did covers, they also played some of Morrison's early songs, such as "Could You Would You", which he had written in Camden Town while touring with The Manhattan Showband.Rogan (2006), page 76 The debut of Morrison's "Gloria" took place on stage here. Sometimes, depending on his mood, the song could last up to twenty minutes. Morrison has stated that "Them lived and died on the stage at the Maritime Hotel," believing that the band did not manage to capture the spontaneity and energy of their live performances on their records.Turner (1993), page 44. The statement also reflected the instability of the Them lineup, with numerous members passing through the ranks after the definitive Maritime period. Morrison and Henderson would remain the only constants, and a highly unsuccessful version of Them even soldiered on after Morrison's departure.Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence? , p.118

Dick Rowe of Decca Records became aware of the band's performances, and signed Them to a standard two-year contract. In that period, they released two albums and ten singles, with two more singles released after Morrison departed the band. They had three record chart|chart hits, " Baby, Please Don't Go " (1964), " Here Comes the Night (Them song)|Here Comes the Night " (1965), and " Mystic Eyes " (1965),
Cite book|url= http://books.google.co.uk/books? id=7ctjc6UWCm4C& pg=PT1077& dq=Baby+Please+Don%27t+Go+/+Gloria& as_brr=3#PPT1077,M1
|title=The rough guide to rock � Google Book Search
|publisher=books.google.co.uk
|accessdate=17 April 2009
|last=Buckley
|first=Peter
| isbn=9781843531050
though it was the b-side of "Baby, Please Don't Go", the garage band classic, " Gloria (Them song)|Gloria ",Turner (1993), pages 48�51 that went on to become a rock standard covered by Patti Smith , The Doors , Shadows of Knight , Jimi Hendrix and others.Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=song|id=t3122630|pure_url=yes |publisher=allmusic.com|author=Janovitz, Bill|title=Gloria:Them:song review|accessdate=21 May 2010
listen|filename = Gloria - Them.ogg|
|title = "Gloria"|description=Morrison's garage rock classic was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. As described by Paul Williams (Crawdaddy& #33; creator)|Paul Williams : "Van Morrison's voice a fierce beacon in the darkness, the lighthouse at the end of the world. Resulting in one of the most perfect rock anthems known to humankind."Cite book|last=Williams |first=Paul |authorlink=Paul Williams (Crawdaddy& #33; creator) |coauthors=Berryhill, Cindy Lee |title=Rock and Roll: The 100 Best Singles |edition=Hardcover |year=1993 |month=December |publisher=Entwhistle Books |location=United States |isbn=9780934558419 |pages=71�72 |chapter=Baby Please Don't Go / Gloria � Them (1964)

Building on the success of their singles in the United States, and riding on the back of the British Invasion , Them undertook a two month tour of America in May and June 1966 that included a residency from 30 May to 18 June at the Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles.Turner (1993), pages 65 � 66. The Doors were the supporting act on the last week,Cite web|url= http://archives.waiting-forthe-sun.net/Pages/Venues/whisky_them.html|author=Lawrence, Paul (2002)|title=The Doors and Them: twin Morrisons of different mothers|publisher=waiting-forthe-sun.net|accessdate=7 July 2008 and Morrison's influence on The Doors singer, Jim Morrison , was noted by John Densmore in his book Riders On The Storm . Brian Hinton relates how "Jim Morrison learned quickly from his near namesake's stagecraft, his apparent recklessness, his air of subdued menace, the way he would improvise poetry to a rock beat, even his habit of crouching down by the bass drum during instrumental breaks."Hinton (1997), page 67. On the final night, the two Morrisons and the two bands jammed together on "Gloria".Cite web|url= http://www.chickenonaunicycle.com/Whisky-A-Go-Go%20History.htm|author=Arnold, Corry|date=23 January 2006|title=The History of the Whisky-A-Go-Go|publisher=chickenonaunicyle.com|accessdate=30 June 2008Cite web|url= http://www.harbour.sfu.ca/~hayward/van/glossary/doors.html|title=Glossary entry for The Doors|archiveurl= http://www.harbour.sfu.ca/~hayward/van/glossary/doors.html|archivedate=10 March 2007 from Van Morrison website. Photo of both Morrisons on stage. Access date 26 May 2007.Cite web|url= http://www.doorshistory.com/doors1966.html|title=Doors 1966 � June 1966|publisher=doorshistory.com|accessdate=13 October 2008

Toward the end of the tour the band members became involved in a dispute with their manager, Decca Records' Phil Solomon, over the revenues paid to the band; that, coupled with the expiry of their work visas, meant the band returned from America dejected. After two more concerts in Ireland, Them split up. Morrison concentrated on writing some of the songs that would appear on Astral Weeks , while the remnants of the band reformed in 1967 and relocated in America.Turner (1993), pages 72�73.

Start of solo career with Bang Records and "Brown Eyed Girl" � 1967


listen|filename = Van Morrison-Brown Eyed Girl.ogg
|title = "Brown Eyed Girl"|description=Morrison's classic 1967 hit single which appeared on the album ''Blowin' Your Mind! . In 2007, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.Cite web|url= http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/awards/hall-of-fame|title=Grammy Hall of Fame award|publisher=grammy.com|accessdate=18 December 2008
Bert Berns , Them�s producer and composer of their 1965 hit, " Here Comes the Night (Them song)|Here Comes the Night ", persuaded Morrison to return to New York to record solo for his new label, Bang Records .Rogan (2006), page 188. Morrison flew over and signed a contract he had not fully studied.Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence. p.144-147 Then, during a two-day recording session at A & R Studios starting 28 March 1967, eight songs were recorded, originally intended to be used as four singles.Turner, Too Late to Stop Now. p.76 Instead, these songs were released as the album '' Blowin' Your Mind! '' without Morrison being consulted. He said he only became aware of the album's release when a friend mentioned on a phone call that he had just bought a copy of it. He later commented to Donal Corvin in a 1973 interview: "I wasn't really happy with it. He picked the bands and tunes. I had a different concept of it."Rogan (2006), page 204.

However, from these early sessions emerged " Brown Eyed Girl ". Captured on the 22nd take on the first day,Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence? , p.152 this song was released as a single in mid-June 1967,Rogan, No Surrender. p.201 reaching number ten in the US charts in 1967. "Brown Eyed Girl" became Morrison's most played song and over the years it has remained a classic; forty years later in 2007, it was the fourth most requested song of Disc jockeys|DJ s in the US.Cite web|url= http://www.aperfectdj.com/Z%20Most%20played%20songs.htm#200%20from%202007//www.aperfectdj.com/Z%20Most%20played%20songs.htm#101|title=Most played 2007|publisher=aperfectdj.com|accessdate=11 September 2008

Following the death of Berns in 1967, Morrison became involved in a contract dispute with Berns' widow that prevented him from performing on stage or recording in the New York area.Rogan (2006), pages 212�215. The song "Big Time Operators", released in 1993, is thought to allude to his dealings with the New York music industry|music business during this time period.Rogan (2006) page 216. He then moved to Boston|Boston, Massachusetts , and was soon confronted with personal and financial problems; he had "slipped into a malaise" and had trouble finding concert bookings.Rogan (2006) page 217. However, through the few gigs he could find, he regained his professional footing and started recording with the Warner Bros. Records label.Heylin (2003), page 170.Heylin (2003), pages 176�177. The record company managed to buy out his contract with Bang Records. Morrison fulfilled a clause that bound him to submit thirty-six original songs within a year to Web IV Music, Berns' music publishing company, by recording thirty-one songs in one session; however, Ilene Berns thought the songs "nonsense music ... about ringworms" and didn't use them.Rogan (2006), pages 212�222.Turner (1993), page 80 The throwaway compositions would come to be known as the "revenge" songs.Heylin, Can You Feel the Silence? , p.159

Astral Weeks � 1968


Main|Astral Weeks
"Astral Weeks is about the power of the human voice � ecstatic agony, agonising ecstacy. Here is an Irish tenor reborn as a White Negro � a Caucasian Soul Man � pleading and beseeching over a bed of dreamy folk-jazz instrumentation: acoustic bass, brushed drums, vibes and acoustic guitar, the odd string quartet � and of course flute."

Barney Hoskyns � Mojo (magazine)|Mojo Cite web|url= http://beatpatrol.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/barney-hoskyns-nothin-but-a-stranger-in-this-world-van-morrison-and-astral-weeks-2001/|title=Barney Hoskyns-Nothing But a Stranger in this World: Van Morrison and 'Astral Weeks'|author=Hoskyns, Barney|publisher=beatpatrol.wordpress.com|date=7 June 2009|accessdate=14 September 2009


listen|pos=right
|filename = Van Morrison Astral Weeks.ogg
|title = Astral Weeks|description= The 1968 title song featuring the opening lines of the album: "If I ventured in the slipstream between the viaducts of your dream". His early voice was described as "flinty and tender, beseeching and plaintive".
His first album for Warner Bros. Records was Astral Weeks (which he had already performed in several clubs around Boston), a mystical song cycle , often considered to be his best work and one of the best albums of all time.Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r13454|pure_url=yes|title=Astral Weeks Review|publisher=Allmusic|author=Ruhlmann, William|accessdate=22 May 2010Rogan (2006), page 223. Morrison has said, "When Astral Weeks came out, I was starving, literally. "Hinton (1997), page 100. Released in 1968, the album eventually achieved critical acclaim, but it originally received an indifferent response from the public. To this day, it remains in an unclassifiable music genre and has been described variously as hypnotic, meditative, and as possessing a unique musical power. It has been compared to French Impressionism and mystical Celtic poetry.Cite news|title=Let's record gratitude for Van's monumental talent|last=Adams|first=David|date=28 February 2008|publisher=The Irish TimesCite web|url= http://www.sfloman.com/vanmorrison.html#1|title=Astral Weeks|publisher=sfloman.com|last=Floman|first=Scott|accessdate=8 October 2010Hinton (1997), pages 88�89. A 2004 Rolling Stone magazine review begins with the words: "This is music of such enigmatic beauty that thirty-five years after its release, Astral Weeks still defies easy, admiring description."Cite web|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/astral-weeks-van-morrison-19691231|title=(19) Astral Weeks|publisher= Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone |accessdate=18 September 2011 Alan Light (journalist)|Alan Light would later describe Astral Weeks as "like nothing he had done previously�and really, nothing anyone had done previously. Morrison sings of lost love, death, and nostalgia for childhood in the Celtic soul that would become his signature." It has been placed on many lists of best albums of all time. In the 1995 Mojo list of 100 Best Albums, it was listed as number two and was number nineteen on the Rolling Stone magazine's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2003.Cite web|url= http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo.html|title=Mojo: 100 Greatest albums ever made (1995)|publisher=rocklistmusic.co.uk|accessdate=25 May 2010Cite web|url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2003/rs500albums1.htm|title=Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Albums of all time|publisher=rockonthenet.com|accessdate=29 April 2010 In December 2009, it was voted the top Irish album of all time by a poll of leading Irish musicians conducted by Hot Press magazine.Cite web|url= http://www.hotpress.com/news/6125654.html|title=Van's album tops musician's poll|publisher=Hotpress|date=18 December 2009|accessdate=18 December 2009Cite web|url= http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1219/1224260976188.html|title=Stellar Van Morrison album tops best album list|author=McGreevy, Ronan|publisher=Irish Times|date=19 December 2009|accessdate=21 December 2009

From Moondance to Into the Music : 1970�79


Morrison's third solo album, Moondance , which was released in 1970, became his first million selling album and reached number twenty-nine on the Billboard charts.Turner (1993), page 95.Turner (1993), page 98.Cite web|url= http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php? resultpage=1& table=SEARCH_RESULTS& action=& title=& artist=van%20morrison& format=& debutLP=& category=& sex=& releaseDate=& requestNo=& type=& level=& label=& company=& certificationDate=& awardDescription=& catalogNo=& aSex=& rec_id=& charField=& gold=& platinum=& multiPlat=& level2=& certDate=& album=& id=& after=& before=& startMonth=1& endMonth=1& startYear=1958& endYear=2008& sort=Artist& perPage=25|publisher=riaa.com|title=RIAA-Gold and Platinum|accessdate=21 April 2009 The style of Moondance stood in contrast to that of Astral Weeks . Whereas Astral Weeks had a sorrowful and vulnerable tone, Moondance restored a more optimistic and cheerful message to his music.Yorke (1975), page 69. The title track, although not released in the US as a single until 1977, received heavy play in FM broadcasting|FM radio formats.Rogan (2006), page 250. " Into the Mystic " has also gained a wide following over the years.Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p107175|pure_url=yes |publisher=allmusic.com|title=Van Morrison Biography|author=Ankeny, Jason|accessdate=7 July 2008Cite web|url= http://www.xpn.org/images/pdfs/wxpn_885songslist.pdf|publisher=xpn.org|title=885songslist|accessdate=14 May 2009 The single released was " Come Running ", which reached the American Top 40 .Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p107175|pure_url=yes|publisher=allmusic.com|title=Van Morrison Chart Awards:singles|accessdate=24 September 2008 Moondance was both well received and favourably reviewed. Lester Bangs and Greil Marcus had a combined full page review in Rolling Stone , stating that Morrison now had "the striking imagination of a consciousness that is visionary in the strongest sense of the word."Cite web|url= http://www.superseventies.com/spmorrisonvan.html|author=Marcus, Greil and Bangs, Lester|title=Moondance:Van Morrison |publisher=superseventies.com|date=17 March 1970|accessdate=29 April 2010 "That was the type of band I dig," Morrison said of the Moondance sessions. "Two horns and a rhythm section � they're the type of bands that I like best." He produced the album himself as he felt like nobody else knew what he wanted.Heylin (2003), page 226. Moondance was listed at number sixty-five on the Rolling Stone magazine's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . In March 2007, Moondance was listed as number seventy-two on the National Association of Recording Merchandisers|NARM Rock and Roll Hall of Fame list of the "Definitive 200".Cite web|url= http://www.timepieces.nl/Top100's/2007NARM.html|publisher=timepieces|title=2007 National Association of Recording Merchandisers|accessdate=6 May 2010

Over the next few years, he released a succession of albums, starting with a second one in 1970. His Band and the Street Choir had a free, more relaxed sound than Moondance , but not the perfection , in the opinion of critic Jon Landau who felt like "a few more numbers with a gravity of 'Street Choir' would have made this album as perfect as anyone could have stood."Cite journal|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/2747/21378 | last =Landau | first =John | title =His Band and the Street Choir music review | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=4 February 1971| accessdate=23 July 2010 It contained the hit single " Domino (Van Morrison song)|Domino ", which charted at number nine in the Billboard Hot 100 .Collis (1996), page 122.

In 1971, he released another well-received album, Tupelo Honey .Rogan (2006), page 259. This album produced the hit single " Wild Night " that was later covered by John Mellencamp . The title song has a notably country-soul feel about itCite web|url=Allmusic|class=song|id=t1648130|pure_url=yes|title=allmusic Tupelo Honey Review|last=Janovitz|first=Bill|accessdate=6 February 2010 and the album ended with another country tune, " Moonshine Whiskey ". Morrison said he originally intended to make an all country album.Rogan (2006), pages 267�268. The recordings were as live as possible � after rehearsing the songs the musicians would go into the studio and play a whole set in one take.Turner (1993), page 107 His co-producer, Ted Templeman , described this recording process as the "scariest thing I've ever seen. When he's got something together, he wants to put it down right away with no overdubbing."Hinton (1997), page 137.

Released in 1972, '' Saint Dominic's Preview '', revealed Morrison's break from the more accessible style of his previous three albums and moving back towards the more daring, adventurous, and meditative aspects of Astral Weeks . The combination of two styles of music demonstrated a versatility not previously found in his earlier albums.Cite journal|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/2747/21052 | last =Holden | first =Stephen | title =Saint Dominic's Preview Music Review | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=31 August 1972| accessdate=23 July 2010 Two songs, " Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile) " and " Redwood Tree (song)|Redwood Tree ", reached the Hot 100 singles chart. The songs " Listen to the Lion " and " Almost Independence Day " are each over ten minutes long and employ the type of poetic imagery not heard since Astral Weeks .Heylin (2003), pages 255�256. It was his highest charting album in the US until his Top Ten debut on Billboard 200 in 2008.Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p107175|pure_url=yes|publisher=allmusic.com|title=Charts & Awards: Van Morrison|accessdate=9 April 2009

He released his next album Hard Nose the Highway in 1973 receiving mixed, but mostly negative, reviews. The album contained the popular song " Warm Love " but otherwise has been largely dismissed critically.Heylin (2003), pages 265�267. In a 1973 Rolling Stone review, it was described as: "psychologically complex, musically somewhat uneven and lyrically excellent."Cite journal|url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/2747/21055 | last =Holden | first =Stephen | title =Hard Nose the Highway Music Review | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=27 September 1973|accessdate= 23 July 2010

During a three-week vacation visit to Ireland in October 1973, Morrison wrote seven of the songs that would make up his next album, Veedon Fleece .Turner (1993), page 122. Though it attracted scant initial attention, its critical stature grew markedly over the years�with Veedon Fleece now often considered to be one of Morrison's most impressive and poetic works.Rogan (2006), page 301.Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r13462|pure_url=yes|publisher=allmusic.com|title=Veedon Fleece: Review|author=Ankeny, Jason & Jurek, Thom|accessdate=13 May 2009 In a 2008 Rolling Stone review, Andy Greene writes that when released in late 1974: "it was greeted by a collective shrug by the rock critical establishment" and concludes: "He's released many wonderful albums since, but he's never again hit the majestic heights of this one."Cite journal| url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/7910/38434 | last =Greene | first =Andy | title =Veedon Fleece Music Review | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=14 July 2008| accessdate=23 July 2010 " You Don't Pull No Punches, But You Don't Push the River ", one of the album's side closers, exemplifies the long, hypnotic, cryptic Morrison with its references to visionary poet William Blake and to the seemingly Holy Grail|Grail -like Veedon Fleece object.Rogan (2006), page 300.

Morrison would not release a follow-up album for another three years. After a decade without taking time off, he said in an interview, he needed to get away from music completely and ceased listening to it for several months.Rogan (2006), page 306. Also suffering from writer's block , he seriously considered leaving the music business for good.Heylin (2003), page 305. Speculation that an extended jam session would be released either under the title Mechanical Bliss , or Naked in the Jungle , or Stiff Upper Lip , came to nothing,Rogan (2006), pages 304�306. and Morrison's next album was A Period of Transition in 1977, a collaboration with Dr. John , who had appeared at The Last Waltz concert with Morrison in 1976. The album received a mild critical reception and marked the beginning of a very prolific period of song making.
listen|filename = Van Morrison-Wavelength.ogg
|title = "Wavelength"|description=Morrison sings the opening lines in falsetto and synthesizers mimic the sounds of the short wave radio stations that he listened to as a boy.
Into the Music : "The album's last four songs, "Angelou", "And the Healing Has Begun", and "It's All in the Game/You Know What They're Writing About" are a veritable tour-de-force with Morrison summoning every vocal trick at his disposal from "Angelou's climactic shouts to the sexually-charged, half-mumbled monologue in "And the Healing Has Begun" to the barely audible whisper that is the album's final sound."
(Scott Thomas Review')


The following year, Morrison released Wavelength (album)|Wavelength ; it became at that time the fastest-selling album of his career and soon went gold.Hinton (1997), page 210. The title track became a modest hit, peaking at number forty-two. Making use of 1970s synthesizers, it mimics the sounds of the shortwave radio stations that he listened to in his youth.Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=song|id=t1621843|pure_url=yes|title=Wavelength:song review|author=Janovitz, Bill|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=11 September 2008 The opening track, "Kingdom Hall" evoked Morrison's own childhood experiences attending church with his mother and foretold a religious theme that would be more evident in his next album, Into the Music .Cite web|url= http://www.timepieces.nl/Albums-M/VanMorrisonIntoTheMusic.htm|author=Cocks, Jay|date=1 November 1979|publisher=timepieces|title=Van Morrison: Into the Music |accessdate=29 April 2010

Considered by Allmusic as "the definitive post-classic-era Morrison",
Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r13465|pure_url=yes|title=Into the Music Review
|publisher=Allmusic
|accessdate=21 May 2010
|last=Erlewine
|first=Stephen Thomas
Into the Music , was released in the last year of the 1970s. Songs on this album for the first time alluded to the healing power of music, which would become an abiding interest of Morrison's.Hage (2009), page 89. " Bright Side of the Road " was a joyful, uplifting song that would appear on the soundtrack of the movie, Michael (1996 film)|Michael .Cite web|url= http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0607341/|title=Van Morrison at IMDb|publisher=imdb.com|accessdate=12 January 2009

Common One to Avalon Sunset : 1980�89


With his next album, the new decade found Morrison following his muse into uncharted territory and merciless reviews.Heylin (2003), page 364.Rogan (2006), page 330. In February 1980, Morrison and a group of musicians traveled to Super Bear, a studio in the French Alps , to record (on the site of a former abbey ) what is considered to be the most controversial album in his discography; later "Morrison admitted that his original concept was even more esoteric than the final product."Hinton (1997), page 230.Heylin (2003), page 365. The album, Common One , consisted of six songs, each of varying length. The longest, " Summertime in England ", lasted fifteen and one-half minutes and ended with the words, "Can you feel the silence? " . NME magazine's Paul Du Noyer called the album "colossally smug and cosmically dull; an interminable, vacuous and drearily egotistical stab at spirituality: Into the muzak." Even Greil Marcus , whose previous writings had been favourably inclined towards Morrison, said: "It's Van acting the part of the 'mystic poet' he thinks he's supposed to be." Morrison insisted that the album was never "meant to be a commercial album." Biographer Clinton Heylin concludes: "He would not attempt anything so ambitious again. Henceforth every radical idea would be tempered by some notion of commerciality." Later the critics would reassess the album more favourably with the success of "Summertime in England". Lester Bangs wrote in 1982, "Van was making holy music even though he thought he was, and us sic rock critics had made our usual mistake of paying too much attention to the lyrics."

Morrison's next album, Beautiful Vision , released in 1982, had him returning once again to the music of his Northern Irish roots.Rogan (2006), page 338. Well received by the critics and public, it produced a minor UK hit single, " Cleaning Windows ", that referenced one of Morrison's first jobs after leaving school.Rogan (2006), pages 337�338. Several other songs on the album, " Vanlose Stairway ", "She Gives Me Religion", and the instrumental, " Scandinavia (composition)|Scandinavia " show the presence of a new personal muse in his life: a Danish public relations agent, who would share Morrison's spiritual interests and serve as a steadying influence on him throughout most of the 1980s.Heylin (2003), page 371. "Scandinavia", with Morrison on piano,Cite journal| url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/3045/21723 | last =Fricke | first =David | title =Inarticulate Speech of the Heart Music Review | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=28 April 1983| accessdate=23 July 2010 was nominated in the Best Rock Instrumental Performance category for the 25th Annual Grammy Awards .Cite web|url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1983/grammys.htm|title=Rock on the Net: 25th Annual Grammy Awards-1983|publisher=rockonthenet|accessdate=8 October 2009

Much of the music Morrison released throughout the 1980s continued to focus on the themes of spirituality and faith. His 1983 album, Inarticulate Speech of the Heart was "a move towards creating music for meditation" with synthesisers, uilleann pipes and flute sounds and four of the tracks were instrumentals.Turner (1993), page 153. The titling of the album and the presence of the instrumentals were noted to be indicative of Morrison's long-held belief that "it's not the words one uses but the force of conviction behind those words that matters." During this period of time, Morrison had studied Scientology and gave "Special Thanks" to L. Ron Hubbard on the album's credits.Turner (1993), page 150

A Sense of Wonder , Morrison's 1985 album, pulled together the spiritual themes contained in his last four albums, which were defined in a Rolling Stone review as: "rebirth ( Into the Music ), deep contemplation and meditation, ( Common One ); ecstasy and humility ( Beautiful Vision ); and blissful, mantra like languor ( Inarticulate Speech of the Heart )."Cite journal| url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/3045/21725 | last =Puterbaugh | first =Parke | title =A Sense of Wonder Music Review | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=9 May 1985| accessdate=23 July 2010 The single, " Tore Down a la Rimbaud " was a reference to Arthur Rimbaud|Rimbaud and an earlier bout of writer's block that Morrison had encountered in 1974.Heylin (2003), page 308. In 1985, Morrison also wrote the musical score for the movie, Lamb (film)|Lamb starring Liam Neeson .Collis (1996), page 162.

Morrison's 1986 release, No Guru, No Method, No Teacher , was said to contain a "genuine holiness...and musical freshness that needs to be set in context to understand."Hinton (1997), page 255. Critical response was favourable with a Sounds reviewer calling the album "his most intriguingly involved since Astral Weeks " and "Morrison at his most mystical, magical best."Heylin (2003), page 396.Rogan (2006), page 360. It contains the song, " In the Garden (Van Morrison song)|In the Garden " that, according to Morrison, had a "definite meditation process which is a 'form' of transcendental meditation as its basis. It's not TM". He entitled the album as a rebuttal to media attempts to place him in various creeds.Hinton (1997), page 253. In an interview in the Observer he told Anthony Denselow:

Quote|There have been many lies put out about me and this finally states my position. I have never joined any organisation, nor plan to. I am not affiliated to any guru, don't subscribe to any method and for those people who don't know what a guru is, I don't have a teacher either.Hinton (1997), page 253-254.
After releasing the "No Guru" album, Morrison's music appeared less gritty and more adult contemporary music|adult contemporary with the well-received 1987 album, Poetic Champions Compose , considered to be one of his recording highlights of the 1980s.Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r13472|pure_url=yes|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|title=AllMusic review:Poetic Champions Compose|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=7 July 2008 The romantic ballad from this album, " Someone Like You (Van Morrison song)|Someone Like You ", has been featured subsequently in the soundtracks of several movies, including 1995's French Kiss (film)|French Kiss , and in 2001, both Someone Like You (film)|Someone Like You and '' Bridget Jones's Diary (film)|Bridget Jones's Diary .Cite web|url= http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,104926,00.html|author=Bonin, Liane|date=4 April 2001|title=Song Sung Blue|work=Entertainment Weekly |accessdate=13 July 2008

In 1988, he released Irish Heartbeat , a collection of traditional Folk music of Ireland|Irish folk songs recorded with the Irish group, The Chieftains , which reached number 18 in the UK album charts. The title song, " Irish Heartbeat (song)|Irish Heartbeat ", was originally recorded on his 1983 album Inarticulate Speech of the Heart .Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=song|id=t877617|pure_url=yes|title=Allmusic: Irish Heartbeat|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=7 July 2008

The 1989 album, Avalon Sunset , which featured the hit duet with Cliff Richard " Whenever God Shines His Light " and the ballad " Have I Told You Lately " (on which "earthly love transmutes into that for God."( Brian Hinton|Hinton ),Hinton (1997), page 278. reached 13 on the UK album chart. Although considered to be a deeply spiritual album,Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r13474|pure_url=yes|publisher=allmusic.com|title=Avalon Sunset Review|accessdate=14 May 2009 it also contained "Daring Night" which "deals with full, blazing sex, whatever it's churchy organ and gentle lilt suggest."(Hinton)Hinton (1997), page 280. Morrison's familiar themes of "God, woman, his childhood in Belfast and those enchanted moments when time stands still" were prominent in the songs.Turner (1993), page 163. He can be heard calling out the change of tempo at the end of this song, repeating the numbers "1 � 4" to cue the chord progression|chord changes (the first and fourth chord in the key of the music). He often completed albums in two days, frequently releasing first takes.Cite web|url= http://www.electricrev.net/archive/2004/july/features-profiles1.html |author=Aiello, John|date=18 July 2002|title=July 2004 archives Wild Veils|publisher=electricrev.net|accessdate=3 July 2008Heylin (2003) pages 429�463.

The Best of Van Morrison to Back on Top : 1990�99


The early to middle 1990s were commercially successful for Morrison with three albums reaching the top five of the UK charts, sold out concerts, and a more visible public profile; but this period also marked a decline in the critical reception to his work.Heylin (2003), pages 450�458. The decade began with the release of The Best of Van Morrison ; compiled by Morrison himself, the album was focused on his hit singles, and became a multi-platinum success remaining a year and a half on the UK charts. Allmusic determined it to be "far and away the best selling album of his career."Cite web|url = http://www.theirishworld.com/article.asp? SubSection_Id=7& Article_Id=4318|author=Marsden, Shelley|date=12 November 2007|title=He's still Got It
|publisher=The Irish World|accessdate=7 July 2008

After Enlightenment (Van Morrison album)|Enlightenment which included the hit single, " Real Real Gone ",Heylin (2003), page 253. another compilation album, The Best of Van Morrison Volume Two was released in January 1993, followed by Too Long in Exile in June, another top five chart success.Cite web|url= http://tsort.info/music/cy84r9.htm|title=Album artist 49 -Van Morrison|publisher=tsort.info|accessdate=21 May 2010
The 1994 live double album A Night in San Francisco received favourable reviews as well as commercial success by reaching number eight on the UK charts.Cite journal| url= http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/album/7076/36727 | last =Puterbaugh | first =Parke | title =A Night in San Francisco Music Review | magazine =Rolling Stone | date=14 July 1994| accessdate=23 July 2010
Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r202241|pure_url=yes|title=A Night in San Francisco Review
|publisher=Allmusic
|accessdate=21 May 2010
|last=Ruhlmann
|first=William

Cite web|url= http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302402,00.html
|title=A Night in San Francisco
|work=Entertainment Weekly |date=27 May 1994
|accessdate=21 May 2010
|last=McDonnell
|first=Evelyn

Cite web|url= http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php? id=645
|title=Chart Stats � Van Morrison
|publisher=www.chartstats.com
|accessdate=29 April 2009
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|first=
1995's Days Like This (Van Morrison album)|Days Like This also had large sales � though the critical reviews were not always favourable.Heylin (2003), page 458. This period also saw a number of side projects, including the live jazz performances of 1996's How Long Has This Been Going On , from the same year Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison , and 2000's The Skiffle Sessions - Live In Belfast 1998 , all of which found Morrison paying tribute to his early musical influences.

In 1997, Morrison released The Healing Game . The album received mixed reviews, with the lyrics being described as "tired" and "dull",Rogan (2006), page 450. though critic Greil Marcus praised the musical complexity of the album by saying: "It carries the listener into a musical home so perfect and complete he or she might have forgotten that music could call up such a place, and then populate it with people, acts, wishes, fears."Marcus (2010), page 111. The following year, Morrison finally released some of his previously unissued studio recordings in a two-disc set, '' The Philosopher's Stone (album)|The Philosopher's Stone ''. His next release, 1999's Back on Top (Van Morrison album)|Back on Top , achieved a modest success, being his highest charting album in the US since 1978's Wavelength (album)|Wavelength .Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p107175|pure_url=yes|title=Van Morrison: Billboard albums|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=12 September 2008

Recent years: 2000 - present


Van Morrison continued to record and tour in the 2000s, often performing two or three times a week.Cite web|url= http://ivan.vanomatic.de/|title=concerts|publisher=ivan.vanomatic.de|accessdate=16 October 2008 He formed his own independent label, Exile Productions Ltd, which enables him to maintain full production control of each album he records, which he then delivers as a finished product to the recording label that he chooses, for marketing and distribution.Collis (1996), page 181.

The album, Down the Road (Van Morrison album)|Down the Road released in May 2002, received a good critical reception and proved to be his highest charting album in the US since 1972's ''Saint Dominic's Preview . It had a nostalgic tone, with its fifteen tracks representing the various musical genres that Morrison had previously covered�including R& B, blues, country and folk;Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r589019|pure_url=yes|publisher=Allmusic|title=Down the Road Review|author=Ruhlmann, William|accessdate=21 May 2010 one of the tracks was written as a tribute to his late father George, who had played a pivotal role in nurturing his early musical tastes.

Morrison's 2005 album, Magic Time , debuted at number twenty-five on the US Billboard 200 charts upon its May release, some forty years after Morrison first entered the public's eye as the frontman of Them. Rolling Stone listed it as number seventeen on The Top 50 Records of 2005 .Cite web|url= http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/rolling.htm#2005|publisher=rocklistmusic|title=Rolling Stone 2005 Critics|accessdate=6 May 2010 Also in July 2005, Morrison was named by Amazon.com|Amazon as one of their top twenty-five all-time best-selling artists and inducted into the Amazon.com Hall of Fame.Cite web|url= http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_July_11/ai_n14731632|title=Amazon.com Inducts 25 musicians into Hall of Fame |publisher=Bnet|date=11 July 2005|accessdate=12 October 2008 Later in the year, Morrison also donated a previously unreleased studio track to a charity album, Hurricane Relief: Come Together Now , which raised money for relief efforts intended for Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast victims devastated by hurricanes, Hurricane Katrina|Katrina and Hurricane Rita|Rita .Cite web|url= http://www.sting.com/news/news.php? uid=3907|publisher=sting.com/news|title=Sting and Chris Botti on Katrina benefit CD|accessdate=21 May 2010 Morrison composed the song, "Blue and Green", featuring Foggy Lyttle on guitar. This song was released in 2007 on the album, The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3 and also as a single in the UK. Van Morrison was a headline act at the international celtic music festival, The Hebridean Celtic Festival in Stornoway, Outer Hebrides|Stornoway Outer Hebrides in the summer of 2005.Cite web|url= http://www.hebceltfest.com/past/2005/thursday.php|title=2005 Festival Reviews- F�IS 2005|author=MacNeil, Kevin|publisher=hebceltfest.com|accessdate=21 May 2010

He released an album with a country music theme, entitled Pay the Devil , on 7 March 2006 and appeared at the Ryman Auditorium where the tickets sold out immediately after they went on sale.Cite web|url= http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1525667/03082006/morrison_van.jhtml|title=Van Morrison offers country songs|publisher=CMT|date=8 March 2006|author=Gilbert, Calvin|accessdate=10 December 2009 Pay the Devil debuted at number twenty-six on The Billboard 200 and peaked at number seven on Top Country Albums.Cite news|url= http://articles.latimes.com/2006/mar/16/news/wk-albums16|title=Rapper Juvenile tops the charts|author=Boucher, Geoff|date=16 March 2006|work=LA Times |accessdate=21 May 2010Cite web|url= http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1526478/20060317/lost_trailers.jhtml |title=Van Morrison, Norah Jones visit the country top 10|author=Gilbert, Calvin|date=18 March 2006|publisher=CMT|accessdate=21 May 2010 Amazon Best of 2006 Editor's Picks in Country listed the country album at number ten in December 2006. Still promoting the country album, Morrison's performance as the headline act on the first night of the Austin City Limits Music Festival on 15 September 2006 was reviewed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the top ten shows of the 2006 festival.Cite journal|last=Rogulewski & Smith|first= Charley, Dane|date=18 September 2006|title=10 Best Shows at Austin City Limits|magazine=Rolling Stone In November 2006, a limited edition album, Live at Austin City Limits Festival was issued by Exile Productions, Ltd. A later deluxe CD/DVD release of Pay the Devil , in the summer of 2006 contained tracks from the Ryman performance.Cite web|url= http://www.losthighwayrecords.com/artist/releases/release.aspx? pid=1684& aid=248|title=Van Morrison-Pay the Devil|publisher=losthighwayrecords.com|accessdate=6 August 2008 In October 2006, Morrison had released his first commercial DVD, Live at Montreux 1980/1974 with concerts taken from two separate appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival .

A new double CD compilation album The Best of Van Morrison Volume 3 was released in June 2007 containing thirty-one tracks, some of which were previously unreleased. Morrison selected the tracks, which ranged from the 1993 album Too Long in Exile to the song " Stranded (Van Morrison song)|Stranded " from the 2005 album Magic Time .Cite web|url= http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl? ACCT=104& STORY=/www/story/04-16-2007/0004566380& EDATE=|title=Van Morrison's TBOVM Vol. 3 to be released June& nbsp;19|publisher=prnewswire.com|accessdate=30 January 2008 On 3 September 2007, Morrison's complete catalogue of albums from 1971 through 2002 were made available exclusively at the ITunes Store in Europe and Australia and during the first week of October 2007, the albums became available at the US
ITunes Store.Cite web|url= http://weblogs.variety.com/thesetlist/2007/10/van-morrison-fi.html|author=Gallo, Phil|date=30 October 2007|title=Van Morrison finds a fantabulous time to join Itunes|publisher=variety.com|accessdate=1 November 2007

Still on Top - The Greatest Hits , a thirty-seven track double CD compilation album was released on 22 October 2007 in the UK on the Polydor label. On 29 October 2007, the album charted at number two on the Official UK Top 75 Albums�his highest UK charting.Cite web|url= http://www.uncut.co.uk/news/van_morrison/news/10548|title=Van Morrison Scores Highest Ever Album Chart Placing|publisher=Uncut|accessdate=11 November 2007 The November release in the US and Canada contains twenty-one selected tracks.Cite web|url= http://www.musicremedy.com/v/Van_Morrison/album/Still_On_Top-4439.html|title=Van Morrison Still on Top|publisher=Music Remedy|accessdate=21 May 2010 The hits that were released on albums with the copyrights owned by Morrison as Exile Productions Ltd.�1971 and later�had been remastered in 2007.

Keep It Simple , Morrison's 33rd studio album of completely new material was released by Exile/Polydor Records on 17 March 2008 in the UK and released by Exile/ Lost Highway Records in the US and Canada on 1 April 2008.Cite web|url= http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Music-Review/van-morrison-to-release-new-album-keep-it-simple|title=Van Morrison to release new album-Keep It Simple|publisher=indielondon.co.uk|author=Foley, Jack|accessdate=23 January 2008 It comprised eleven self-penned tracks. Morrison promoted the album with a short US tour including an appearance at the South by Southwest|SXSW music conference,Cite web|url= http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/M/Morrison_Van/ConcertReviews/2008/03/14/pf-5002231.html|author=Sterdan, Darryl|date=14 March 2008|title=South by Southwest Music Festival Review|publisher=canoe.ca|accessdate=9 July 2008Cite web|url= http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/music/entries/2008/03/13/sxsw_review_van_morrison.html|author=Davis, John T.|date=13 March 2008|title=SXSW Review: Van Morrison|publisher=austin360.com|accessdate=8 September 2008 and a UK concert broadcast on BBC Radio 2 . In the first week of release Keep It Simple debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number ten, Morrison's first Top Ten charting in the US.Cite web|url= http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp? vnu_content_id=1003787340|author=Hasty, Katie N.Y.|date=9 April 2008|title=Strait Speeds Past REM to debut at No. 1|work=Billboard |accessdate=8 September 2008

Live performances


By 1972, after being a performer for nearly ten years, Morrison began experiencing stage fright when performing for audiences of thousands, as opposed to the hundreds as he had experienced in his early career. He became anxious on stage and would have difficulty establishing eye contact with the audience. He once said in an interview about performing on stage, "I dig singing the songs but there are times when it's pretty agonizing for me to be out there." After a brief break from music, he started appearing in clubs, regaining his ability to perform live, albeit with smaller audiences.

The 1974 live double album, '' It's Too Late to Stop Now '', has been on lists of greatest live albums of all time.Cite web|url= http://www.muzieklijstjes.nl/MojoBestLiveAlbums.htm|title=MOJO Top 50 Live Albums|publisher=Muziek|accessdate=31 March 2007Cite web|url= http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/vox.html#live|title=VOX The Greatest live albums ever| publisher=rocklistmusic.co.uk|accessdate=21 May 2010Cite web| url= http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/stylus-magazines-top-50-live-albums-of-all-time.htm| title=Top 50 Live Albums|publisher=Stylus |accessdate= 31 March 2007Cite web|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/j9hj/|title=BBC Review of the remastered CD reissue|publisher=BBC|author=Jones, Chris|date=24 January 2008|accessdate=21 May 2010 Biographer Johnny Rogan states that "Morrison was in the midst of what was arguably his greatest phase as a performer."Rogan, No Surrender, p. 282 Performances on the album were from tapes made during a three month tour of the US and Europe in 1973 with the backing group The Caledonia Soul Orchestra . Soon after recording the album, Morrison restructured the Caledonia Soul Orchestra into a smaller unit, the Caledonia Soul Express.Heylin (2003), page 284.

On Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving Day 1976, Morrison performed at the farewell concert for The Band . Morrison's first live performance in several years, he considered skipping his appearance until the last minute, even refusing to go on stage when they announced his name. His manager, Harvey Goldsmith , said he "literally kicked him out there."Heylin (2003), page 313. Morrison was on good terms with The Band as near-neighbours in Woodstock, New York|Woodstock , and they had the shared experience of stage-fright. At the concert, he performed two songs. His first was a rendition of the classic Irish song Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral .Cite web|url= http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=x1RxTEOn_Y0|title=Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral, The Last Waltz His second song was " Caravan (Van Morrison song)|Caravan ", from his 1970 album Moondance . Greil Marcus , in attendance at the concert, wrote: "Van Morrison turned the show around...singing to the rafters and ...burning holes in the floor. It was a triumph, and as the song ended Van began to kick his leg into the air out of sheer exuberance and he kicked his way right offstage like a Rockette. The crowd had given him a fine welcome and they cheered wildly when he left."Cite web|url= http://theband.hiof.no/articles/lwgm.html|author=Marcus, Greil|date=30 December 1976|title=The Bands Last Waltz (Rolling Stone Magazine)|publisher=theband.hiof.no|accessdate=31 March 2007 The filmed concert served as the basis for Martin Scorsese 's 1978 film, The Last Waltz .Cite web|url= http://www.totalfilm.com/dvd_reviews/the_last_waltz|title=The Last Waltz|publisher=totalfilm.com|accessdate=17 September 2007

It was during his association with The Band that Morrison acquired the nickname s: "Belfast Cowboy" and "Van the Man". When Morrison sang the duet "4% Pantomime" (that he co-wrote with Robbie Robertson ), Richard Manuel calls him, "Oh, Belfast Cowboy". It would be included in The Band's album Cahoots (album)|Cahoots . When he left the stage, after performing "Caravan" on The Last Waltz , Robertson calls out " Van the Man!"

On 21 July 1990, Morrison joined many other guests for Roger Waters ' massive performance of The Wall - Live in Berlin with an estimated crowd of between three hundred thousand to half a million people and broadcast live on television.Cite web|url= http://www.rogerwaters.org/about_berlin.html|title=The Wall Live in Berlin|publisher=rogerwaters.org|accessdate=7 July 2998 He sang " Comfortably Numb " with Roger Waters, and several members from The Band: Levon Helm , Garth Hudson and Rick Danko . At concert's end, he and the other performers sang " The Tide Is Turning ".

Morrison performed before an estimated audience of sixty to eighty thousand people when US President Bill Clinton visited Belfast, Northern Ireland on 30 November 1995. His song " Days Like This (song)|Days Like This " had become the official anthem for the Northern Ireland peace process|Northern Irish peace movement .Rogan (2006), page 437.

Van Morrison continued performing concerts in the 2000s throughout the year rather than touring. Playing few of his best-known songs in concert, he has firmly resisted relegation to a nostalgia act.Cite web|url= http://www.laweekly.com/2008-11-06/music/van-morrison-and-astal-weeks-la-weekly-snags-a-rare-one-on-one-interview-with-the-elusive-singer/1|title=Van Morrison and Astral Weeks: LA Weekly snags a rare one-on-one interview with the elusive singer|publisher=laweekly.com|author=Foundas, Scott|date=5 November 2008|accessdate=8 February 2009Cite web|url= http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/2377/listening_to_old_voices_van_morrison |title=Van Morrison: The Lion in Winter |publisher=Paste Magazine |date=14 November 2005|author=Whitman, Andy|accessdate=15 May 2009 During a 2006 interview, he told Paul Sexton:

Quote|I don't really tour. This is another misconception. I stopped touring in the true sense of the word in the late 1970s, early 1980s, possibly. I just do gigs now. I average two gigs a week. Only in America do I do more, because you can't really do a couple of gigs there, so I do more, 10 gigs or something there.Cite news|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/van-morrison-seeking-the-man-inside-473055.html|author=Sexton, Paul|date=7 April 2006|title= Van Morrison: seeking the man inside|work=The Independent |accessdate=25 January 2008 | location=London
listen|pos=left
|filename = Astral Weeks Live.ogg
|title = Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl|description= The 2008 titled song, "Astral Weeks (I Believe I've Transcended)" with the opening lines: "If I ventured in the slipstream between the viaducts of your dream" shows "a deeper, louder roar than the blue-eyed soul voice of his youth � softer on the diction � but none the less impressively powerful."

On 7 and 8 November 2008, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, Morrison performed the entire Astral Weeks album live for the first time. The Astral Weeks band featured guitarist Jay Berliner , who played on the album that was released forty years previously in November 1968. Also featured on piano was Roger Kellaway . A live album entitled Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl resulted from these two performances.Cite news|url= http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-morrison1-2008nov01,0,3773763.story? track=ntothtml|title=Van Morrison discusses Astral Weeks which he performs at the Hollywood Bowl|work=LA Times |author=Lewis, Randy|date=1 November 2008|accessdate=3 November 2008 The new live album on CD was released on 24 February 2009,Cite web|url= http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123543248786353835.html|title=Van Morrison revisits 'Astral Weeks'|date=24 February 2009|work=The Wall Street Journal |author=Fusilli, Jim|accessdate=24 February 2009 followed by a DVD from the performances.Cite web|url= http://blurt-online.com/reviews/view/849/|publisher=blurt-online.com|date=18 February 2009|author=Rosen, Steven|title=Van Morrison: Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl|accessdate=24 February 2009 The DVD, Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl: The Concert Film was released via Amazon Exclusive on 19 May 2009.
Morrison began a week of Astral Week Live concerts, interviews and TV appearances with concerts at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City in late February 2009Cite web|url= http://www3.timeoutny.com/newyork/tonyblog/? p=8580|publisher=timeoutny.com|author=Shteamer, Hank|date=7 January 2009|title=Van Morrison brings Astral Weeks to NYC 28 and 29& nbsp;February|accessdate=23 January 2009 and at the Beacon Theatre (New York City)|Beacon Theatre in early MarchCite web|url= http://www.wnew.com/2009/02/am-nuggets-van-morrison-twofer-at-beacon-theater-playing-astral-weeks-in-entirety.html|publisher=wnew.com|title=A.M. Nuggets: Van Morrison Two-fer at Beacon Theater, Playing Astral Weeks in Entirety|author=Simpson, Matt|accessdate=6 February 2009 with a twenty-four minute interview to Don Imus on his Imus in the Morning radio show on 26 February. http://www.ilike.com/artist/Van+Morrison/track/Imus+In+The+Morning+Radio+Interview ListenCite web|url= http://www.ilike.com/artist/Van+Morrison/track/Imus+In+The+Morning+Radio+Interview |publisher=ilike.com|title=Imus in the Morning: Van Morrison 26& nbsp;February 2009|accessdate=12 December 2009 Midway between the scheduled concerts at the WaMu and Beacon, he made a guest appearance on Jimmy Fallon 's debut show as host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on 2 March 2009 performing " Sweet Thing (Van Morrison song)|Sweet Thing " from the Astral Weeks album.Cite web|url= http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/zontv/2009/03/jimmy_fallon_van_morrison_just.html|publisher=baltimoresun.com|title=Z on TV: Fallon stumbles in debut even with DeNiro, Morrison|author=Zurawick, David|date=3 March 2009|accessdate=10 April 2009 Morrison also performed "Sweet Thing" and " Brown Eyed Girl ", on Live with Regis and Kelly the next morning on 3 March 2009.Cite web|url= http://www.locatetv.com/tv/live-with-regis-and-kelly/6126710|publisher=locatetv.com|title=Live with Regis and Kelly:Episode 93|accessdate=24 February 2009 Morrison continued with the Astral Weeks performances with two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London in AprilCite news|url= http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/live_reviews/article6128843.ece|work=The Times |title=Van Morrison at the Royal Albert Hall|author=Paphides, Pete|date=20 April 2009|accessdate=25 April 2009 | location=LondonCite news|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturecritics/helenbrown/5186265/Van-Morrison-performing-Astral-Weeks-live-at-the-Albert-Hall-review.html|author=Brown, Helen|date=20 April 2009|work=The Daily Telegraph |title=Van Morrison performing Astral Weeks live at the Albert Hall, review|accessdate=26 April 2009 | location=London and then returned to California in May 2009 performing the Astral Weeks songs at the Hearst Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California|Berkeley and the Orpheum Theatre (Los Angeles, California)|Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.Cite web|url= http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php? id=32421|publisher=allaboutjazz.com|title=Van Morrison will bring 'Astral Weeks' shows back to California|date=24 March 2009|accessdate=24 March 2009 Morrison filmed the concerts at the Orpheum Theatre so that they could be viewed by Farrah Fawcett , confined to bed with cancer and who therefore could not attend the concerts.Cite web|url= http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/morrison-films-la-shows-for-farrah_1103538|publisher=contactmusic.com|title=Morrison films LA show for Fawcett|accessdate=25 October 2009Cite web|url= http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/marc_malkin/b124066_farrah_fawcett_gets_comfort_from_fave.html|publisher=eonline.com|title=Farrah Fawcett gets comfort from fave musician|author=Malkin, Marc|date=14 May 2009|accessdate=16 May 2009 On 6 May 2009, Morrison appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992 TV series)|The Tonight Show with Jay Leno performing the updated version of " Slim Slow Slider|Slim Slow Slider (I Start Breaking Down) " from Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl .

In addition to ''It's Too Late to Stop Now and Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl , Morrison has released three other live albums: Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast in 1984; A Night in San Francisco in 1994 that Rolling Stone '' magazine felt stood out as: "the culmination of a career's worth of soul searching that finds Morrison's eyes turned toward heaven and his feet planted firmly on the ground"; and The Skiffle Sessions - Live in Belfast 1998 recorded with Lonnie Donegan and Chris Barber and released in 2000.

Morrison was scheduled to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 's 25th anniversary concert on 30 October 2009, but cancelled.Cite web|url= http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/10/leonard_cohen_a_2.html|title=Leonard Cohen and Van Morrison at MSG this weekend but Van will not be back for Rock Hall of Fame|publisher=brooklynvegan.com|accessdate=30 October 2009 In an interview on 26 October, Morrison told his host Don Imus that he had planned to play "a couple of songs" with Eric Clapton (who had cancelled on 22 October due to gallstone surgery),Cite web|url= http://www.ericclapton.com/eric-clapton-news/eric-clapton-cancels-rock-roll-hall-fame-concert|title=Eric Clapton cancels Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert|publisher=ericclapton.com|accessdate=30 October 2009 but that they would do something else together at "some other stage of the game".Cite web|url= http://www.tv.com/imus-in-the-morning/show/17256/episode.html|title=Imus in the morning Season 13 Episode Guidel|publisher=imus.com|accessdate=13 December 2009

Morrison performed for the Edmonton Folk Music Festival in Edmonton , Alberta, Canada on 4 August 2010 as the headline act for the fundraiser and scheduled as second day headliner at the Feis 2011 Festival in London's Finsbury Park on 19 June 2011.Cite news|url= http://communities.canada.com/edmontonjournal/blogs/pluggedin/archive/2010/05/31/morrison-is-a-go.aspx|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|last=Sperounes|first=Sandra|date=31 May 2010|title=Morrison is a go& #33; � Plugged In|accessdate=3 June 2010Cite web|url= http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/M/Morrison_Van/ConcertReviews/2010/08/05/14928946.html|title=Concert Review: Van Morrison|date=5 August 2010|author=Ross, Mike|publisher=canoe.ca|accessdate=5 August 2010Cite news|url= http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/topstories/8918744.Irish_music_festival_extended_for_second_day/|newspaper=Haringey Independent |last=Kirk|first=Tristan|date=18 March 2011|title=Van Morrison to headline second day of London Feis festival|accessdate=18 June 2011

Morrison will appear in concert at Odyssey Arena in Belfast on 3 February and at The O2 (Dublin)|The O2 in Dublin on 4 February 2012. These will be his first performances in Belfast and Dublin for over a decade.cite web|url= http://www.independent.ie/incoming/incoming_dailyfeed/van-prepares-to-take-us-on-a-rare-moondance-2927123.html|publisher= Irish Independent |title= Van prepares to take us on a rare Moondance|date=6 November 2011|last=Egan|first=Barry|accessdate=9 November 2012

Collaborations


During the 1990s, Morrison developed a close association with two vocal talents at opposite ends of their careers: Georgie Fame (with whom Morrison had already worked occasionally) lent his voice and Hammond organ skills to Morrison's band; and Brian Kennedy (singer)|Brian Kennedy 's vocals complemented the grizzled voice of Morrison, both in studio and live performances.

The 1990s also saw an upsurge in collaborations by Morrison with other artists, a trend continuing into the new millennium. He recorded with Irish folk band The Chieftains on their 1995 album, The Long Black Veil (album)|The Long Black Veil . Morrison's song, " Have I Told You Lately " would win a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 1996.Cite web|url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1996/grammys.htm|publisher=rockonthenet.com|title=38th Grammy awards-1996|accessdate=24 September 2008

He also produced and was featured on several tracks with blues legend John Lee Hooker on Hooker's 1997 album, '' Don't Look Back (John Lee Hooker album)|Don't Look Back .'' This album would win a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1998 and the title track " Don't Look Back (John Lee Hooker song)|Don't Look Back ", a duet featuring Morrison and Hooker, would also win a Grammy Award for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals" in 1998.Cite web|url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1998/grammys.htm|publisher=rockonthenet.com|title=40th annual Grammy awards � 1998|accessdate=10 April 2009 The project capped a series of Morrison and Hooker collaborations that began in 1971 when they performed a duet on the title track of Hooker's 1972 album Never Get Out of These Blues Alive . On this album, Hooker also recorded a cover of Morrison's " T.B. Sheets ".Cite book|url= http://books.google.com/books? id=LhmEjnBwsnwC& lpg=PP1& dq=Boogie%20Man& pg=PA401#v=onepage& q=van%20morrison& f=false|title=Boogie Man: The Adventures of John Lee Hooker in the American Twentieth Century |publisher=Macmillan |last=Murray|first= Charles|accessdate=8 July 2011 | isbn=?9780312270063?

Morrison additionally collaborated with Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones on his 1999 album Reload (Tom Jones album)|Reload , performing a duet on " Sometimes We Cry ", and he also sang vocals on a track entitled "The Last Laugh" on Mark Knopfler 's 2000 album, Sailing to Philadelphia .Cite web|url= http://georgegraham.com/reviews/knopflr2.html|author=Graham, George D.|date=25 October 2000|title=Mark Knopfler:Sailing to Philadelphia|publisher=georgegraham.com|accessdate=4 July 2008 In 2004, Morrison was one of the guests on Ray Charles ' album, Genius Loves Company , featuring the two artists performing Morrison's " Crazy Love (Van Morrison song)|Crazy Love ".

Music


Vocals


It is at the heart of Morrison�s presence as a singer that when he lights on certain sounds, certain small moments inside a song�hesitations, silences, shifts in pressure, sudden entrances, slamming doors�can then suggest whole territories, completed stories, indistinct ceremonies, far outside anything that can be literally traced in the compositions that carry them.

Greil Marcus Marcus (2010), page 108.


Featuring his characteristic growl�a mix of folk music|folk , blues , soul music|soul , jazz , gospel music|gospel , and Ulster Scots people|Ulster Scots Celtic music|Celtic influences�Morrison is widely considered by many rock historians to be one of the most unusual and influential vocalists in the history of rock and roll .Cite web|archiveurl= http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/biography|title=Van Morrison Biography: Rolling Stone|archivedate=22 June 2008|publisher=Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll (Simon and Shulster, 2001)|accessdate=17 May 2010Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p107175|pure_url=yes|title=Allmusic: Van Morrison biography|author=Ankeny, Jason|publisher=allmusic.com|accessdate=6 July 2008Cite web|url= http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/van-morrison/|title=R& R Hall of Fame:Van Morrison|publisher=rockhall.com|accessdate=7 July 2008 Critic Greil Marcus has gone so far as to say that "no white man sings like Van Morrison."Cite web|url= http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/reviews/music/van-morrison-still-on-top-greatest-hits-$1153228.htm|title=Van Morrison: Still on Top � The Greatest Hits|author=Meghan, Graham|date=7 October 2007|publisher=inthenews.co.uk|accessdate=17 October 2008 In his 2010 book, Marcus wrote, "As a physical fact, Morrison may have the richest and most expressive voice pop music has produced since Elvis Presley, and with a sense of himself as an artist that Elvis was always denied."Marcus (2010), page 7

As Morrison began live performances of the 40 year old album Astral Weeks in 2008, there were comparisons to his youthful voice of 1968.�His early voice was described as "flinty and tender, beseeching and plaintive".Cite news|url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/nov/02/vanmorrison-popandrock|work=The Guardian |author=O'Hagan, Sean|date=2 November 2008|title=Is this the best album ever made? |accessdate=2 May 2009 | location=London Forty years later, the difference in his vocal range and power were noticeable but reviewers and critic's comments were favourable: "Morrison's voice has expanded to fill his frame; a deeper, louder roar than the blue-eyed soul voice of his youth � softer on the diction � but none the less impressively powerful."Cite news|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturecritics/bernadettemcnulty/5245540/On-another-Astral-plane.html|work=The Daily Telegraph |title=On Another Astral Plane|author=McNulty, Bernadette|date=29 April 2009|accessdate=2 May 2009 | location=London Morrison also commented on the changes in his approach to singing:
"The approach now is to sing from lower down the diaphragm so I do not ruin my voice. Before, I sang in the upper area of my throat, which tends to wreck the vocal cords over time. Singing from lower in the belly allows my resonance to carry far. I can stand four feet from a mic and be heard quite resonantly."Neil, Chris, Performing Songwriter , Issue 116, March/April 2009, Pages 44�50

Songwriting and lyrics


Morrison has written hundreds of songsCite news|url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1882001,00.html|work=TIME |title=10 Questions for Van Morrison|date=26 February 2009|accessdate=6 May 2009Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p107175|pure_url=yes|publisher=allmusic.com|title=Van Morison songs|accessdate=7 May 2009 during his career with a recurring theme reflecting a nostalgic yearning for the carefree days of his childhood in Belfast.Cite web|url= http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-02-18/music/the-astral-travels-of-van-morrison/|date=17 February 2009|publisher=villagevoice.com|author=Foundas, Scott|title=The Astral Travels of Van Morrison|accessdate=18 February 2009 Some of his song titles derive from familiar locations in his childhood such as: " Cyprus Avenue " (a nearby street), " Orangefield (song)|Orangefield " (the boys school he attended), "On Hyndford Street" (where he was born). Also frequently present in Morrison's best love songs is a blending of the sacred-profane as evidenced in " Into the Mystic " and "So Quiet in Here".Hinton (1997), page 13.Cite journal|magazine=Rolling Stone|title=Enlightenment: Van Morrison review|author=Swenson, John|date=15 November 1990 Beginning with his 1979 album, Into the Music and the song " And the Healing Has Begun ", a frequent theme of his music and lyrics has been based on his belief in the healing power of music combined with a form of mysticism|mystic Christianity. This theme has become one of the predominant qualities of his work.Collis (1996), page 149. His lyrics show an influence of the visionary poets William Blake and W. B. Yeats Hinton (1997), page 12. and others such as Samuel Coleridge|Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth .Turner (1993), page 145 Biographer Brian Hinton believes "like any great poet from Blake to Seamus Heaney he takes words back to their origins in magic...Indeed, Morrison is returning poetry to its earliest roots � as in Homer or Old English epics like Beowulf or the Psalms or folk song � in all of which words and music combine to form a new reality." Another biographer John Collis believes that Morrison's style of jazz singing and repeating phrases preclude his lyrics from being regarded as poetry or as Collis asserts: "he is more likely to repeat a phrase like a mantra, or burst into scat singing. The words may often be prosaic, and so can hardly be poetry."Collis (1996), page 10. Morrison has described his songwriting method by remarking that: "I write from a different place. I do not even know what it is called or if it has a name. It just comes and I sculpt it, but it is also a lot of hard work doing the sculpting."

Performance style


"Van Morrison is interested, obsessed with how much musical or verbal information he can compress into a small space, and, almost, conversely, how far he can spread one note, word, sound, or picture. To capture one moment, be it a caress or a twitch. He repeats certain phrases to extremes that from anybody else would seem ridiculous, because he's waiting for a vision to unfold, trying as unobtrusively as possible to nudge it along...It's the great search, fueled by the belief that through these musical and mental processes illumination is attainable. Or may at least be glimpsed."

Lester Bangs Cite web|url= http://personal.cis.strath.ac.uk/~murray/astral.html|title= Lester Bangs on Astral Weeks |author=Lester Bangs|publisher=personal.cis.strath.ac.uk|accessdate=8 February 2009



Critic Greil Marcus argues that given the truly distinctive breadth and complexity of Morrison's work, it is almost impossible to cast his work among that of others: "Morrison remains a singer who can be compared to no other in the history of rock & roll, a singer who cannot be pinned down, dismissed, or fitted into anyone's expectations."Marcus (1992), page 447. Or in the words of Jay Cocks : "He extends himself only to express himself. Alone among rock's great figures�and even in that company he is one of the greatest�Morrison is adamantly inward. And unique. Although he freely crosses musical boundaries�R. and B., Celtic melodies, jazz, rave-up rock, hymns, down-and-dirty blues�he can unfailingly be found in the same strange place: on his own wavelength."Cite news|url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,974140-1,00.html|title=Listen to the Lion|work=TIME |author=Cocks, Jay|date=28 October 1991|accessdate=12 January 2009 His transcendence (religion)|transcendental signature style came into full expression with his 1968 classic, Astral Weeks . This musical art form was based on stream of consciousness songwriting and emotional vocalizing of lyrics that have no basis in normal structure or symmetry. His live performances are dependent on building dynamics with spontaniety between himself and his band, whom he controls with hand gestures throughout, sometimes signaling impromptu solos from a selected band member. The music and vocals build towards a hypnotic and trance-like state that depends on in-the-moment creativity. He has said he believes in the jazz improvisational technique of never performing a song the same way twice and except for the unique rendition of the Astral Weeks songs live, doesn't perform a concert from a preconceived set list. Morrison has said he prefers to perform at smaller venues or symphony halls noted for their good acoustics .Cite web|url= http://www.dailycal.org/article/105492/famed_artist_van_morrison_talks_about_musical_career|publisher=dailycal.org|title=Famed artist Van Morrison talks about his musical career|date=30 April 2009|author=Lee, Stefanie|accessdate=1 May 2009 His ban against alcoholic beverages, which made entertainment news during 2008, was an attempt to prevent the disruptive and distracting movement of audience members leaving their seats during the performances.Cite web|url= http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/3368/Morrison-bans-alcohol-at-gigs/|title=Morrison bans alcohol at gigs|publisher=OK!|date=18 September 2008|accessdate=25 May 2010 In a 2009 interview, Morrison stated: "I do not consciously aim to take the listener anywhere. If anything, I aim to take myself there in my music. If the listener catches the wavelength of what I am saying or singing, or gets whatever point whatever line means to them, then I guess as a writer I may have done a day's work."Cite news|url= http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-morrison9-2009jan09,0,5414358.story|title=Van Morrison takes listeners on his spiritual journey|work=Los Angeles Times |date=9 January 2009|author=Lewis, Randy|accessdate=12 January 2009

Genre


The music of Van Morrison has encompassed many genres since his early days as a blues and rhythm and blues|R& B singer in Belfast. Over the years he has recorded songs from a varying list of genres drawn from many influences and interests. As well as blues and R& B, his compositions and cover versions|covers have moved between pop music, jazz , rock, folk music|folk , country music|country , gospel music|gospel , folk music of Ireland|Irish folk and Irish traditional music|traditional , big band , skiffle , rock and roll , New age music|new age , classical music|classic and sometimes spoken word (" Coney Island (song)|Coney Island ") and instrumental s.Hinton (1997), page 15. Morrison defines himself as a soul singer.Cite web|url= http://mvremix.com/rock_blogs/2009/01/08/van-morrisons-astral-weeks-live-at-the-hollywood-bowl-chronicles-the-first-ever-live-performance-of-legendary-soul-singers-revered-1968-album/|publisher=mvremix.com|date=8 January 2009|title=Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl"|accessdate=29 May 2009

Some of Morrison's music has been classified in a genre of its own and referred to as "Celtic soul" or what biographer Brian Hinton referred to as a new alchemy called "Caledonian soul." Another biographer, Ritchie Yorke quoted Morrison as believing that he has "the spirit of Caledonia in his soul and his music reflects it."Yorke (1975), page 159. According to Yorke, Morrison claimed to have discovered "a certain quality of soul" when he first visited Scotland (his Belfast ancestors were of Ulster Scots people|Ulster Scots descent) and Morrison has said he believes there is some connection between soul music and Caledonia. Yorke relates that Morrison "discovered several years after he first began composing music that some of his songs lent themselves to a unique major modal scale (without sevenths) which of course is the same scale as that used by bagpipes|bagpipe players and old Irish and Scottish folk music."

Caledonia


The name " Caledonia " has played a prominent role in Morrison's life and career. Biographer Ritchie Yorke had pointed out already by 1975 that Morrison has referred to Caledonia so many times in his career that he "seems to be obsessed with the word." In his 2009 biography, Erik Hage found that "Morrison seemed deeply interested in his paternal Scottish roots during his early career, and later in the ancient countryside of England, hence his repeated use of the term Caledonia (an ancient Roman name for Scotland/northern Britain)."Hage (2009), page 52. As well as being his daughter's middle name, it's the name of his first production company, his studio, his publishing company, two of his backing groups, and he also recorded a cover of the song, "Caldonia" (with the name spelled "Caledonia") in 1974. Morrison used "Caledonia" in what has been called a quintessential Van Morrison moment in the song, " Listen to the Lion " with the lyrics, "And we sail, and we sail, way up to Caledonia".Cite web|url= http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2005/11/listening-to-old-voices-van-morrison.html|publisher=pastemagazine.com|author=Whitman, Andy|title=Listening to Old Voices: Van Morrison The Lion In Winter|date=14 November 2005|accessdate=17 January 2009 As late as 2008, Morrison used "Caledonia" as a mantra in the live performance of the song, " Astral Weeks (song)|Astral Weeks " recorded at the two Hollywood Bowl concerts.Cite news|url= http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-morrison9-2009jan09,0,5414358.story|title=Van Morrison takes listeners on his spiritual journey|work=Los Angeles Times |date=9 January 2009|author=Lewis, Randy|accessdate=22 January 2009

Influence


Morrison's influence can readily be heard in the music of a diverse array of major artists and according to ''The Rolling Stone's Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll'' (Simon & Shuster, 2001), "his influence among rock singers/song writers is unrivaled by any living artist outside of that other prickly legend, Bob Dylan . Echoes of Morrison's rugged literateness and his gruff, feverish emotive vocals can be heard in latter day icons ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Elvis Costello ". His influence includes U2 (much of The Unforgettable Fire ); Bono ("I am in awe of a musician like Van Morrison. I had to stop listening to Van Morrison records about six months before we made The Unforgettable Fire because I didn't want his very original soul voice to overpower my own.");Bayles, Martha. Hole in Our Soul: Loss of Beauty and Meaning in American Popular Music. New York: Free Press, 1994, p.321. John Mellencamp (" Wild Night ");Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p105068|pure_url=yes|title=John Mellencamp Biography|publisher=Allmusic|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|accessdate=22 May 2010 Jim Morrison ;Hinton 1997. p67. Joan Armatrading (the only musical influence she will acknowledge);Cite news|url= http://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/24/arts/the-pop-life-369888.html? pagewanted=all& src=pm|title=The Pop Life|author=Holden, Stephen|date =24 August 1988|work= New York Times |accessdate=27 September 2011 Rod Stewart ;Cite news|url= http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/15/have-i-told-you-lately-rod-steward-coming-singapore.html|title=Have I told you lately that Rod Stewart is coming to Singapore? |publisher=The Jakarta Post|author=Petite, Kathy|date=15 February 2009|accessdate=22 May 2010 Tom Petty ;Cite web|url= http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php? id=21113|author=Lang, Joe|date=29 July 2008|title=Tom Petty and Steve Winwood|publisher=jazz.com|accessdate=8 September 2008 Rickie Lee Jones (recognises both Laura Nyro and Van Morrison as the main influences on her career);Cite news|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/rickie-lee-jones-the-devil-in-miss-jones-573273.html|title=Rickie Lee Jones: The devil in Miss Jones|author=Gill, Andy|date=16 January 2004|newspaper=The Independent|location=London|accessdate=22 May 2010Cite web|url= http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1786/19971107/jones_rickie_lee.jhtml|title=You say it's your birthday: Rickie Lee Jones|date=7 November 1997|publisher=vh1|accessdate=22 May 2010 Elton John ;"Elton had clamored to get his new band on Tumbleweed Connection and succeeded with "Amoreena" ... He also plays organ on the song and sings the lyrics in a lower voice than in the rest of the album. He would later attribute this to Van Morrison's influence." see, Rosenthal, His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John , pages 25�26. Graham Parker ;Cite web|url= http://www.segerfile.com/influences.html|title=The Seger File|publisher=segerfile.com|accessdate=4 July 2008 Sin�ad O'Connor ;Cite web|url= http://www.sinead-oconnor.com/home/index.php? option=com_content& task=view& id=193& Itemid=179|title=No woman, No cry-Hot Press 1995 |publisher=sinead-oconnor.com|accessdate=28 September 2008 Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy ;Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p19057|pure_url=yes|title=Phil Lynott Biography|publisher=Allmusic|author=Prato, Greg|accessdate=8 September 2008 Bob Seger ("I know Bruce Springsteen was very much affected by Van Morrison, and so was I." from Creem interview) (" I've Been Working ");Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r17681|pure_url=yes|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|title=''Back in '72'' Allmusic review|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=27 September 2008 Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners (" Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)|Jackie Wilson Said ");Cite web|url= http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/dexys_midnight_runners/reviews/10194|title=Dexy's Midnight Runners � Too Rye Ay|author=Stephen Trousse|work=Uncut|accessdate=29 July 2010Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p17004|pure_url=yes|title=Dexys Midnight Runners Biography|publisher=Allmusic|author=Huey, Steve|accessdate=22 May 2010 Jimi Hendrix (" Gloria (Them song)|Gloria ");Cite web|url= http://www.cmt.com/lyrics/jimi-hendrix/gloria/3343797/lyrics.jhtml |title=Music: lyrics Gloria|publisher=CMT|accessdate=6 August 2008 Jeff Buckley (" The Way Young Lovers Do ", " Sweet Thing (Van Morrison song)|Sweet Thing ");Cite web|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=88091608|title=Assisted Listen: TV homage boosts Buckley|publisher=NPR|accessdate=4 July 2008 Nick Drake ;Moon (2008), page 238. and numerous others, including the Counting Crows (their "sha-la-la" sequence in Mr Jones , is a tribute to Morrison).Cite web|url= http://www.salon.com/people/bc/2000/09/19/morrison|publisher=salon.com|title=Van Morrison Biography|accessdate=30 April 2010 Morrison's influence reaches into the country music genre, with Hal Ketchum acknowledging, "He (Van Morrison) was a major influence in my life."Cite news|url= http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/20/songwriter-singer-nds-right-mix-his-life/|author=Fink, Jerry|date=20 May 2008|title=Songwriter, singer finds the right mix for his life|publisher=Las Vegas Sun|accessdate=13 July 2008

Morrison's influence on the younger generation of singer-songwriters is pervasive: including Irish singer Damien Rice , who has been described as on his way to becoming the "natural heir to Van Morrison";Cite news|url= http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article3038395.ece|author=Perrone, Pierre|date=8 October 2007|title=Damien Rice, Wembley Arena London|work=The Independent |location=UK |accessdate=17 November 2007 Ray Lamontagne ;Cite web|url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p96200|pure_url=yes|author=Leggett, Steve|title=Ray Lamontagne Biography |publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=8 December 2008 James Morrison (singer)|James Morrison ;Cite web|url= http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/31606/james-morrison-undiscovered/ |author=Joseph, Mike|date=13 March 2007|title=James Morrison Undiscovered|publisher=popmatters.com|accessdate=30 March 2007Cite web|url= http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/M/Morrison_James/2007/04/10/3972282.html|author=Daniell, Mark|title=Morrison Tries to Live up to Hype|publisher=canoe.ca|accessdate=14 April 2007 Paolo Nutini ;Cite news|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-paolo-nutini-sunny-side-up-atlantic-1692411.html|title=Album: Sunny Side Up Review|newspaper=The Independent|location=London|author=Gill, Andy|date=29 May 2009|accessdate=22 May 2010 Eric Lindell Cite web|url= http://blog.nola.com/keithspera/2008/01/eric_lindell_shines_on_new_low.html|author=Spera, Keith|date=25 January 2008|title=Eric Lindell shines on new Low on Cash, Rich in Love|publisher=nola.com|accessdate=3 February 2007 and David Gray (musician)|David Gray Cite web|url= http://www.scaruffi.com/vol6/gray.html|author=Scaruffi, Piero (1999)|title=David Gray|publisher=scaruffi.com|accessdate=18 November 2007 are also several of the younger artists influenced by Morrison. Glen Hansard of the Irish rock band The Frames (who lists Van Morrison as being part of his holy trinity with Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen ) commonly covers his songs in concert.Cite news|url= http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/dylan-support-slot-a-dream-come-true/2007/08/15/1186857582503.html? s_cid=rss_entertainment|date=15 August 2007|title=Dylan support slot a dream come true|work=The Sydney Morning Herald |accessdate=22 May 2010 American rock band, The Wallflowers have covered " Into the Mystic ".Cite web|url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-w/wallflowers_main.htm|title=The Wallflowers�Timeline|publisher=rockonthenet.com|accessdate=13 July 2008 Canadian blues-rock singer Colin James also covers the song frequently at his concerts.Cite web|url= http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/J/James_Colin/2006/10/17/2048468.html|title=Colin James makes big return |publisher=jam.canoe.ca|author=McEwen, Kerra|date=17 October 2006|accessdate=22 May 2010 Actor and musician Robert Pattinson has said that Van Morrison was his "influence for doing music in the first place".Cite web|url= http://www.fandango.com/commentator_exclusive+interview3a+robert+pattinson_203? wssac=123& wssaffid=11842|publisher=fandango.com|title=Exclusive interview: Robert Pattinson|author=Atkin, Hillary|date=16 November 2008|accessdate=1 December 2008 Morrison has shared the stage with Northern Irish singer-songwriter Duke Special , who admits Morrison has been a big influence.Cite web|url= http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/? a=323& pr=77& day=& genre=|title=Greenbelt � Duke Special|publisher=greenbelt.org.uk|accessdate=4 December 2008

Overall, Morrison has typically been supportive of other artists, often willingly sharing the stage with them during his concerts. On the live album, A Night in San Francisco , he had as his special guests, among others, his childhood idols: Jimmy Witherspoon , John Lee Hooker and Junior Wells . Although he often expresses his displeasure (in interviews and songs) with the music industry and the media in general, he has been instrumental in promoting the careers of many other musicians and singers, such as James Hunter (singer)|James Hunter ,Cite web|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=5364455|title=James Hunter in Concert|publisher=npr.org|accessdate=30 March 2007 and fellow Belfast-born brothers, Brian Kennedy (singer)|Brian and Bap Kennedy .Cite web|url= http://www.briankennedy.co.uk/biography.html|date=2006-07|title=Biography-Brian Kennedy|publisher=2006 briankennedy.co.uk|accessdate=30 March 2007Cite web|url= http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article.aspx? art_id=65|title=My cultural life: Bap Kennedy|publisher=culturenorthernireland.org|accessdate=3 August 2009

Van Morrison also had great influence on the other arts: The German painter Johannes Heisig created a series of Lithographs illustrating the book "In the Garden - for Van Morrison", published by St�dtische Galerie Sonneberg, Germany, in 1997.Cite web|url=https://portal.d-nb.de/opac.htm? method=showFullRecord& currentResultId=Woe%253D11910413X%2526any& currentPosition=6|title=Catalogue of German National Library|accessdate=21 October 2011

Personal life


Morrison lived in Belfast from birth until 1967, when he moved to New York after signing with Bang Records . Facing deportation due to visa problems, he managed to stay in the US when his American girlfriend Janet (Planet) Rigsbee agreed to marry him.Heylin 2003. p168. Once married, Morrison and his wife moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts , where he found work performing in the local clubs. The couple had one daughter Shana Morrison , who has become a singer-songwriter. Morrison and his family moved around America, living in Boston ; Woodstock, New York ; and a hilltop home in Fairfax, California . His wife appeared on the cover of the album Tupelo Honey . They divorced in 1973.Heylin (2003), page 260.Rogan (2006), page 280.

Morrison moved back to Europe in the late 1970s, first settling in London's Notting Hill Gate area.Rogan (2006), page 342. Later, he moved to Bath, Somerset|Bath , where he purchased Wool Hall Studios.Rogan (2006), page 400. He also has a home in the Irish seaside village of Dalkey near Dublin, where legal actions against two different neighbours concerning safety and privacy issues have been taken to court in 2001 and in 2010. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/van-gets-no-encore-for--hardcore-in-driveway-row--with-neighbours-322033.html Van gets 'no encore' for hardcore in driveway row with neighbours, Irish Independent , 1 December 2001. Retrieved 8 June 2010.Cite web|url= http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/1210/van.html |title=Van Morrison loses court battle over extension|work=RT� News|date=10 December 2002|accessdate=25 May 2010 http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/parked-plans-may-be-back-on-agenda-for-van-124811.html Parked plans may be back on agenda for Van, Sunday Independent , 29 April 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2010. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0608/breaking64.html Van Morrison house case opens, Irish Times , 8 June 2010. In the former case, Morrison pursued his action all the way to the Irish Supreme Court. http://www.supremecourt.ie/Judgments.nsf/1b0757edc371032e802572ea0061450e/cb435afde08964b680256de8004a7b8d? OpenDocument Text of Irish Supreme Court judgement in the case of ''Alphonsus O'Mara and Claudia O'Mara v. Van Morrison , supremecourt.ie , 13 October 2003. Accessed 8 June 2010.

Morrison met Irish socialite Michelle Rocca in the summer of 1992, and they often featured in the Dublin gossip columns, an unusual event for the reclusive Morrison. Rocca also appeared on one of his album covers, Days Like This (Van Morrison album)|Days Like This .Rogan, No Surrender, p.406 The couple are married and have two children;Cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8436535.stm|title=Singer Van Morrison denies 'unfounded baby' story|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=31 December 2009 | date=31 December 2009 A daughter was born in January 2006 and a son was born in August 2007.Cite web|url= http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/why-van-and-michelle-live-their-hymns-to-silence-1997101.html|title=Why Van and Michelle live their hymns to the silence|work=The Irish Independent |author=Egan, Barry|date=3 January 2010|accessdate=4 January 2010Cite web|url= http://www.independent.ie/national-news/duping-worlds-press-on-reclusive-vans-baby-is-festive-childs-play-1997068.html|title=Duping world's press on reclusive Van's 'baby' is festive child's play|work=The Irish Independent |date=3 January 2010|author=Quinlan, Ronald|accessdate=10 January 2011

In December 2009, Texas native and Morrison employee Gigi Lee gave birth to a son she asserted was Morrison's and who was named after him. At the time, Morrison vehemently denied knowing Lee and issued a statement that the announcement of the birth on his website was the work of a hacker. Morrison and Lee began legal action against the UK Daily Mail with a High Court injunction that "banned anyone from ever publishing anything again about their �private lives or relationships"', which they subsequently withdrew when evidence surfaced that they had misled the court to cover up Morrison's relationship with Lee and his knowledge of the child.cite news|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1377665/Van-mini-Van-true-story-Van-Morrisons-love-child-last.html|title=Van and his mini-Van, the true story of Van Morrison's love child at last|journal=Mail Online|author=Churcher, Sharon|date=2011-04-17|accessdate=2011-05-20

Discography


Main|Van Morrison discographydiv col|cols=3
  • '' Blowin' Your Mind! (1967)

  • Astral Weeks (1968)

  • Moondance (1970)

  • His Band and the Street Choir (1970)

  • Tupelo Honey (1971)

  • '' Saint Dominic's Preview (1972)

  • Hard Nose the Highway (1973)

  • '' It's Too Late to Stop Now (Live) (1974)

  • Veedon Fleece (1974)

  • A Period of Transition (1977)

  • Wavelength (album)|Wavelength (1978)

  • Into the Music (1979)

  • Common One (1980)

  • Beautiful Vision (1982)

  • Inarticulate Speech of the Heart (1983)

  • Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast (1984)

  • A Sense of Wonder (1985)

  • No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1986)

  • Poetic Champions Compose (1987)

  • Irish Heartbeat (1988)

  • Avalon Sunset (1989)

  • Enlightenment (Van Morrison album)|Enlightenment (1990)

  • Hymns to the Silence (1991)

  • Too Long in Exile (1993)

  • A Night in San Francisco (Live) (1994)

  • Days Like This (Van Morrison album)|Days Like This (1995)

  • How Long Has This Been Going On (1996)

  • Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison (1996)

  • The Healing Game (1997)

  • '' The Philosopher's Stone (album)|The Philosopher's Stone (1998)

  • Back on Top (Van Morrison album)|Back on Top (1999)

  • The Skiffle Sessions - Live in Belfast 1998 (2000)

  • You Win Again (album)|You Win Again (2000)

  • Down the Road (Van Morrison album)|Down the Road (2002)

  • '' What's Wrong with This Picture? (Van Morrison album)|What's Wrong with This Picture? (2003)

  • Magic Time (2005)

  • Pay the Devil (2006)

  • Live at Austin City Limits Festival (Limited edition) (2006)

  • Keep It Simple (2008)

  • Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl (2009)

  • Div col end

    Legacy


    main|List of awards and nominations received by Van Morrison
    Morrison has received several major music awards in his career, including six Grammy Awards (1996�2007); inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (January 1993), the Songwriters Hall of Fame (June 2003), and the Irish Music Hall of Fame (September 1999); and a The Brit Awards|Brit Award (February 1994). In addition he has received Civil decoration|civil awards of an Order of the British Empire|OBE (June 1996) and an Officier de l�Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1996), and he has honorary doctorate s from the University of Ulster (1992) and Queen's University Belfast (July 2001).

    The Hall of Fame inductions began in 1993 with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Morrison notable for being the first inductee not to attend his own List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees|ceremony ,Cite web|url= http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/van-morrison|publisher=rockhall.com|title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Van Morrison|accessdate=9 November 2008Rogan (2006), page 411. so that Robbie Robertson from The Band accepted the award on his behalf.Turner (1993), page 177. When Morrison became the initial musician inducted into the Irish Music Hall of Fame, Bob Geldof presented Morrison with the award.Cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/435343.stm|title=Van's the man for rock museum|date=2 September 1999|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=4 July 2008 Morrison's third induction was into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for "recognition of his unique position as one of the most important songwriters of the past century." Ray Charles presented the award, following a performance during which the pair performed Morrison's " Crazy Love (Van Morrison song)|Crazy Love ", from the album, Moondance .Cite news|url= http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9C02E2DA1638F937A25755C0A9659C8B63|title=Songwriting hitmakers donning their laurels|author=Gunnaike, Lola O.|date=14 June 2003|work=The New York Times |accessdate=1 July 2008 Morrison's The BRIT Awards|BRIT Award was for his Outstanding Contribution to British Music .Cite web|url= http://www.brits.co.uk/history/shows/1994|title=Brit Award Shows-1994
    |publisher=brits.co.uk|accessdate=13 December 2009
    He was presented with the award by former Beirut hostage, John McCarthy (journalist)|John McCarthy , who while testifying to the importance of Morrison's song, " Wonderful Remark " called it "a song ... which was very important to us."Rogan (2006), page 419.

    Morrison received two civil awards in 1996, first was the Order of the British Empire for his service to music,Rogan (2006), page 443. the second was an award by the French government when he was made an Officier de l� Ordre des Arts et des Lettres .Cite web|url= http://www.independent.ie/national-news/van-and-jordan-honoured-by-france-437577.html|title=Van and Jordan honoured by France|date=1 July 1998|work=The Irish Independent |accessdate=25 January 2009 Along with these state awards he has two honorary degrees in music; an honorary doctorate in literature from the University of Ulster ,Rogan (2006), page 409. and an honorary doctorate in music from Queen's University Belfast|Queen's University in his hometown of Belfast.Cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/1421036.stm|date=3 July 2001|title= Doctorate for Van the Man|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=3 July 2008

    Among other awards are an Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1995,Cite journal|url= http://books.google.com/books? id=1gsEAAAAMBAJ& pg=PA71& dq=van+morrison+billboard+1995+billboard+1995=|title=Elvis, Presley are top winners at Ivor award|magazine= Billboard |page=71|date=3 June 1995|accessdate=13 November 2010 the Broadcast Music Incorporated|BMI ICON award in October 2004 for Morrison's "enduring influence on generations of music makers",Cite web|url= http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234191|date=22 September 2004|title=Morrison to be honored as BMI ICON|publisher=bmi.com news|accessdate=8 September 2008 and an Oscar Wilde: Honouring Irish Writing in Film award in 2007 for his contribution to over fifty films, presented by Al Pacino who compared Morrison to Oscar Wilde as they were both "visionaries who push boundaries".Cite web|url= http://www.us-irelandalliance.org/wmspage.cfm? parm1=622|title= Van Morrison, Terry George and Bill Monahan honored in LA|publisher=US-Irish Alliance|accessdate=30 March 2007 He was voted the Best International Male Singer of 2007 at the inaugural International Awards in Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club , London.Cite web|url= http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp? id=61639|title=Van Morrison receives jazz award|publisher=4NI.co.uk|accessdate=9 May 2007

    Morrison has also appeared in a number of Greatest lists, including the TIME magazine list of The All-Time 100 Albums,Cite news|url= http://www.time.com/time/2006/100albums/index.html|author=Tyrangiel, Josh and Light, Alan|date=13 November 2006|title=The All-Time 100 Albums|publisher=Time/CNN|accessdate=31 March 2007 which contained Astral Weeks and Moondance , and he appeared at number thirteen on the list of WXPN 's 885 All Time Greatest Artists.Cite web|url= http://www.xpn.org/images/pdfs/885artists_2006.pdf|title=885 Countdown: Greatest artists (2006)|publisher=xpn.org|accessdate=31 October 2010 In 2000, Morrison ranked twenty-fifth on American cable music channel VH1 's list of its "100 Greatest Artists of Rock and Roll".Cite web|url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1998/vh1artists.htm|title=Vh1: 100 greatest artists of Rock & Roll|publisher=rockonthenet|accessdate=12 September 2008 In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Van Morrison forty-second on their list of "Greatest Artists of All Time".
    Cite web|url= http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2004/immortals.htm
    |title=Rolling Stone: The Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All-Time
    |publisher=rockonthenet.com
    |accessdate=29 April 2010
    |last=
    |first=

    Paste (magazine)|Paste ranked him twentieth in their list of "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" in 2006.Cite web|title=100 Best Living Songwriters|publisher=Paste Magazine|url= http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/3003/feature/music/pastes_100_best_living_songwriters_the_list|accessdate=6 July 2007 Q (magazine)|Q ranked him twenty-second on their list of "100 Greatest Singers" in April 2007Cite web|url= http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm#100%20Greatest%20Singers|publisher=rocklistmusic.co.uk|title=100 Greatest Singers|accessdate=8 April 2007 and he was voted twenty-fourth on the November 2008 list of Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.Cite web|url= http://stereogum.com/34931/rolling_stones_100_greatest_singers_of_all_time/list/|title=Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time|publisher=stereogum.com|accessdate=29 April 2010

    Three of Morrison's songs were included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll : " Brown Eyed Girl ", " Madame George " and " Moondance (song)|Moondance ".Cite web|url= http://www.listsofbests.com/list/37752-500-songs-that-shaped-rock-and-roll|title=The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll|publisher=listsofbests.com|accessdate=31 October 2010

    Morrison has been announced to be one of the 2010 honorees listed in the Hollywood Walk of Fame .Cite web|url= http://www.seeing-stars.com/immortalized/walkoffame.shtml|title=The Hollywood Walk of Fame|publisher=seeing-stars.com|accessdate=31 October 2010

    See also


    portal|Poetry
  • List of people on stamps of Ireland Cite web|url= http://corkuniversitypress.typepad.com/beautiful_day_40_years_of/2005/07/irish_rock_lege.html|title=Beautiful Day: Irish Rock Legends|publisher=corkuniversitypress|accessdate=30 September 2008


  • References


    ;Footnotes
    Reflist|colwidth=20em
    ;Bibliography
  • Collis, John (1996). Inarticulate Speech of the Heart , Little Brown and Company, ISBN 0-306-80811-0

  • Erik Hage|Hage, Erik (2009). The Words and Music of Van Morrison , Praeger Publishers, ISBN 978-0-313-35862-3

  • Clinton Heylin|Heylin, Clinton (2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography , Chicago Review Press, ISBN 1-55652-542-7

  • Brian Hinton|Hinton, Brian (1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison , Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074-169-X

  • Greil Marcus|Marcus, Greil . 1992. "Van Morrison." In: The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll. Anthony DeCurtis and James Henke, with Holly George-Warren, eds. (original ed. Jim Miller): pp442�447. New York: Random House, ISBN 978-0-679-73728-5

  • Greil Marcus|Marcus, Greil (2010). When That Rough God Goes Riding: Listening to Van Morrison , Public Affairs, ISBN 978-1-58648-821-5

  • Moon, Tom (2008). 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die , Workman Publishing Company, ISBN 978-0-7611-3963-8

  • Johnny Rogan|Rogan, Johnny (2006). Van Morrison: No Surrender , London: Vintage Books ISBN 978-0-09-943183-1

  • Rosenthal, Elizabeth. (2001) His Song: The Musical Journey of Elton John , Billboard Books, ISBN 0-8230-8893-6

  • Cite web| title = The Immortals: The First Fifty| work=Rolling Stone Issue 946| url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty

  • Steve Turner (writer)|Turner, Steve (1993). Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now , Viking Penguin, ISBN 0-670-85147-7

  • Cite web| title = Van Morrison| work=Peter Wolfe. Rolling Stone Issue 946| url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939236/42_van_morrison

  • Ritchie Yorke|Yorke, Ritchie (1975). Into The Music , London: Charisma Books, ISBN 0-85947-013-X


  • ;Further reading
  • Brooks, Ken (1999). In Search of Van Morrison , Agenda, ISBN 1 89988295 2

  • Buzacott, Martin; Andrew Ford|Ford, Andrew (2005) Speaking in Tongues: The Songs of Van Morrison , ABC, ISBN 0-7333-1297-7

  • Dawe, Gerald (2007). My Mother-City, Belfast :Lagan Press � (Includes section on Van Morrison from previous edition, The Rest is History, Newry:Abbey Press, 1998)

  • DeWitt, Howard A. (1983). ''Van Morrison: The Mystic's Music , Horizon Books, ISBN 0-938840-02-9

  • Mills, Peter (2010). Hymns to the Silence (book)|Hymns To The Silence: Inside the Music and Lyrics of Van Morrison , Continuum, ISBN 978-0-8264-2976-6


  • External links


    Commons category|Van MorrisonWikiquote
  • Official website| http://www.vanmorrison.com

  • http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/van-morrison/ Van Morrison @ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

  • http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C333 Van Morrison @ Songwriters Hall of Fame

  • http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/10questions/0,30255,1881447,00.html Photos: Van Morrison: A Life in Music TIME

  • Van MorrisonVan Morrison singlesThemThe Caledonia Soul Orchestra
    Good article

    Persondata|NAME=Morrison, Van
    |ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Morrison, George Ivan (full name)
    |SHORT DESCRIPTION=Musician, singer and songwriter
    |DATE OF BIRTH=31 August 1945
    |PLACE OF BIRTH= Belfast , Northern Ireland , United Kingdom
    |DATE OF DEATH=
    |PLACE OF DEATH=
    DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, Van Category:1945 births
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