Van Morrison Pictures, Biography, Profile, Facts, Discography, Filmography, more.

George Ivan Morrison was born on 31 August 1945, he is one of the most consistently praised singer/songwriters. In 1963 he recorded a CBS single with the R&B/Soul rock band the Monarchs. The group merged with another band, the Gamblers, and formed Them. Them had two 1965 UK Top 10 hits with "Baby Please Don't Go" and "Here Comes The Night" (both 1965). "Gloria," the Morrison penned B-side of "Baby Please Don't Go," became a garage band classic.

Van Morrison stands out in the youth-obsessed, disposable world of modern pop music. A grouchy fireplug of a man, he has earned a loyal following that's always kept guessing as to what direction he'll take next. Since the beginning, Morrison has ignored all fly-by-night fads and in doing so has amassed a timeless body of work. Them broke up in 1966 and Morrison recorded some solo sessions for producer Bert Berns and the Bang label. The single "Brown Eyed Girl" became a hit, reaching US #10 in 1967. The sessions were compiled on the "Blowin Your Mind" album. Berns died before more was recorded and Morrison toured for the next year refining his sound. He returned with 1968's Astral Weeks and it's impressionistic mix of jazz and folk is one of the most acclaimed albums ever made. He continued to release highly acclaimed acclaims, Moondance, His Band And The Street Choir (with "Domino"), Tupelo Honey (with "Wild Night") and Saint Dominic's Preview (with "Jackie Wilson Said"). 1973's Hard Nose The Highway received mixed reviews, but Morrison came back in 1974 with the hailed It's Too Late To Stop Now live album and Veedon Fleece.

Morrison took a three-year hiatus and returned in 1977. He usually released another acclaimed album every year. Some highlights include 1979's Into The Music, his 1988 collaboration with the Chieftains, Irish Heartbeat and 1989's Avalon Sunset. The latter album featured "Have I Told You Lately" which became a Top 5 US hit for Rod Stewart. Starting in 1977 Morrison was generally more popular in the UK than the US, with most of his albums reaching the UK Top 30. From 1990 to 1997, his albums consistently reached the Top 10 or Top 5 in the UK. 1996's How Long Has This Been Going On, recorded with Georgie Fame, and Tell Me Something - The Songs of Mose Allison, with Fame, Ben Sidran and Mose Allison, were both US #1 Jazz albums. 1999's Back on Top and 2002's Down the Road returned him to the upper reaches of the UK charts.

Van Morrison Trivia / Timeline:

Was invited to sing at President George W. Bush's inauguration, but declined.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Was a member of the 1960s group, "Them".

Is First Lady Laura Bush's favorite singer.

He was voted the 42nd Greatest Artist in Rock 'n' Roll by Rolling Stone.

Quotations by Van Morrison:

Music is spiritual. The music business is not.

Van Morrison Discography:

1960s/70s Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs:

1967 Blowin' Your Mind! Epic/Legacy

1968 Astral Weeks Warner

1970 Moondance Warner

1970 His Band and the Street Choir Warner

1971 Tupelo Honey Mercury

1972 Saint Dominic's Preview Mercury

1973 Hard Nose the Highway Mercury

1974 Veedon Fleece Mercury

1977 A Period of Transition Mercury

1978 Wavelength Mercury

1979 Into the Music Polygram

1980s Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs:

1980 Common One Polygram

1982 Beautiful Vision Exile

1983 Inarticulate Speech of the Heart Polygram

1985 A Sense of Wonder Mercury

1986 No Guru, No Method, No Teacher Mercury

1987 Poetic Champions Compose Mercury

1988 Irish Heartbeat Mercury

1989 Avalon Sunset Polygram

1990s/00s Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs:

1990 Enlightenment Mercury

1991 Hymns to the Silence Mercury

1993 Too Long in Exile Mercury

1995 Days Like This Mercury

1996 How Long Has This Been Going On Verve

1996 Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison Verve

1997 The Healing Game Mercury

1999 Back on Top Virgin

2000 You Win Again Virgin

2002 Down the Road Universal

2003 What's Wrong With This Picture? Blue Note

2004 Madame George Pazzazz

2005 Magic Time Geffen

Van Morrison Discography - Live Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs

1974 It's Too Late to Stop Now Mercury

1994 A Night in San Francisco Mercury

1985 Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast Mercury

2000 The Skiffle Sessions: Live in Belfast 1998 Pointblank

1960s-80s Compilation Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs:

1969 Best of Van Morrison Bang

1974 T.B. Sheets Sony

1975 His Band and the Street Choir/Tupelo Honey Warner

1976 Van Morrison

1982 Moondance/His Band & Street Choir Warner

1982 This Is Where I Came In Bang

1985 Celtic Swing Phonogram

1985 Cry for Home Phonogram/Merc

1988 Moondance/Astral Weeks/His Band & The Street... Wea

1990s Compilation Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs:

1990 The Best of Van Morrison Mercury

1991 Bang Masters Epic

1993 The Best of Van Morrison, Vol. 2 Mercury

1994 Payin' Dues Fruit Tree

1997 New York Sessions '67 Recall

1997 Van Morrison Eagle

1998 Brown Eyed Beginnings M.I.L.

1998 Brown Eyed Girl EMI-Capitol

1998 The Philosopher's Stone Polydor

1998 Brown Eyed Girl Digimode

1999 Masters Cleopatra

1999 Super Hits Columbia/Legac

1999 The Bang Demos Lost Gold

1999 Millenium Collection Digimode

2000s Compilation Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs:

2000 In Session Dressed to

2000 The Early Years BCI

2000 Great Import

2000 The Early Years: 1967-1968 Metro

2001 The Great Red

2001 Brown Eyed Handsome Man Bianco

2001 Essential Van Morrison Cleopatra

2001 The Legends Collection: The Van Morrison... Legends

2001 Spanish Rose Neon

2001 Van Morrison Collection, Vol. 2 Dressed to

2001 Van Morrison Collection, Vol. 1 Dressed to

2002 Early Years Brentwood

2002 The Complete Bang Sessions Purple Pyramid

2003 Brown Eyed Girl Collectables

2003 Before the Fame Alchemy

2003 Brown Eyed Girl

2004 Music Legends - Van Morrison: The Early Years Brentwood

2004 Timeless Classics St. Clair

2004 Midnight Special Pazzazz

2004 Best of Van Morrison St. Clair

2004 Here Comes Pazzazz

2005 Golden Legends St. Clair

2005 Brown Eyed Girl Prism Platinum

1960s/70s Van Morrison Singles:

1967 Brown Eyed Girl

1970 Come Running

1971 Blue Money

1971 Call Me Up In Dreamland

1971 Domino

1971 Wild Night

1972 Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)

1972 Redwood Tree

1972 Tupelo Honey

1978 Wavelength

1980s-00s Van Morrison Singles & Van Morrison CDs (Singles):

1985 Tore Down A La Rimbaud

1986 Ivory Tower

1990 Real Real Gone

1999 Precious Time

2000 I Wanna Go Home

2000 Back on Top

2002 Hey Mr. DJ

2002 Meet Me in the Indian Summer

Van Morrison Videos & Van Morrison DVDs:

1989 The Concert Polygram

Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs - Them:

Them Them (1965) Harmonica, Vocals

Them Here Comes the Night (1965) Vocals

Them Them Again (1966) Vocals

Them Them Featuring Van Morrison (1987) Performer

Them Story of Them Featuring Van Mossison (1997) Performer

Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs - Appearances A-F:

Chet Baker Live at Ronnie Scott's (1986) Vocals

Chet Baker Nightbird (1994) Vocals, Performer

The Band Cahoots (1971) Vocals, Performer

The Band Last Waltz (1978) Vocals, Performer

The Band Last Waltz (Box Set) (2002) Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)

The Band Last Waltz: Upgrade (2003) Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)

Borderline Sweet Dreams and Quiet Desires (1973) Liner Notes

Jim Capaldi Fierce Heart (1983) Guitar

The Chieftains Chieftains Celebration (1989) Guitar, Vocals

The Chieftains Long Black Veil (1995) Vocals, Performer

The Chieftains Wide World Over: A 40 Year... (2002) Arranger, Vocals

Pee Wee Ellis & NDR... What You Like (1997) Vocals, Guest Appearance

Georgie Fame Cool Cat Blues (1991) Vocals, Vocal Ad-Libs

Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs - Appearances H-J:

Jools Holland Small World Big Band (2001) Performer

Jools Holland & His Rhythm Jools Holland's Big Band Rhythm &... (2002) Performer

John Lee Hooker Folk Blues (1959) Vocals

John Lee Hooker Never Get Out of the Blues Alive (1972) Guitar, Vocals

John Lee Hooker Born in Mississippi, Raised Up in... (1973) Guitar, Vocals

John Lee Hooker Mr. Lucky (1991) Guitar, Vocals

John Lee Hooker Best of John Lee Hooker 1965-1974 (1992) Guitar, Vocals, Performer

John Lee Hooker Chill Out (1995) Guitar, Vocals

John Lee Hooker Don't Look Back (1997) Guitar, Vocals, Producer

John Lee Hooker Best of Friends (1998) Guitar, Vocals, Producer

John Lee Hooker Final Recordings, Vol. 1: Face to... (2003) Duet

James Hunter Believe What I Say (1996) Vocals

Tom Jones Reload (1999) Vocals, Producer

Tom Jones Reloaded: Greatest Hits (2003) Guest Appearance

Tom Jones Definitive 1964-2002 (Boxed Set) (2003) Producer

Van Morrison Albums & Van Morrison CDs - Appearances K-Z:

B.B. King Deuces Wild (1997) Performer

Mark Knopfler Sailing to Philadelphia (2000) Vocals

Stepfanie Kramer One Dream (1999) Composer

Van Morrison Into the Mystic (1978) Performer

Marley's Ghost Live at the Freight (2001) Performer

Mink DeVille Miracle (1997) Writer

Shana Morrison 7 Wishes (2002) Harmonica, Vocals

Jakki O In the Mood for Love (1987) Composer

Freddie Scott Cry to Me: The Best of Freddie... (1998) Songwriter, Producer

John Storms-Rohm Songs My Family Taught Me (2003) Arranger

Roger Waters Wall: Live in Berlin, 1990 (1990) (1990) Vocals, Performer

Roger Waters Tide Is Turning (1990)

Tim Weisberg Time Traveler: Three Decade... (1999) Composer

John Williams Born on the Fourth of July (1989) Performer

Bill Wyman Monkey Grip (1974) Sax (Alto)

Bill Wyman Stone Alone (1976) Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Harmonica, Saxophone, Sax (Alto)

Van Morrison Filmography:

As Composer:

American Wedding (2003) (song "Into the Mystic") ... aka American Pie: The Wedding (Australia) (Europe: English title) (Singapore: English title) (UK) ... aka American Pie - Jetzt wird geheiratet (Germany)

Evelyn (2002) (song "Sitting on Top of the World") (as Morrison)

Moonlight Mile (2002) (songs "I'll Be Your Lover Too", "Sweet Thing")

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) (song "Everyone")

Someone Like You... (2001) (song "Someone Like You") ... aka Animal Attraction (UK)

Proof of Life (2000) (song "I'll Be Your Lover, Too")

Bringing Out the Dead (1999) (song "T.B. Sheets")

Patch Adams (1998) (song "Into the Mystic")

As Good as It Gets (1997) (song "Days Like This")

Ulee's Gold (1997) (song "Tupelo Honey")

Michael (1996) (song "Bright Side of the Road")

Al di là delle nuvole (1995) ... aka Al di là delle nuvole (Italy) ... aka Beyond the Clouds (USA) ... aka Jenseits der Wolken (Germany) ... aka Par-delà les nuages (France)

Nine Months (1995) (song "These Are The Days")

French Kiss (1995) (song "Someone Like You") ... aka Paris Match

Moondance (1995)

Van Morrison: The Concert (1990) (V) (songs)

Immediate Family (1989) (song "Into the Mystic")

Lamb (1986)

Street Hero (1984)

Shergar (1984) (TV)

The Last Waltz (1978) (song "Caravan")

Slipstream (1973) ... aka Une voix dans la nuit (Canada: French title)

Dusty and Sweets McGee (1971)

Drei Amerikanische LP's (1969) (TV) ... aka 3 American LPs (International: English title)

Acapulco a go-go (1967) (song)

As Actor:

The Wall: Live in Berlin (1990) (TV) .... Pink (during "Comfortably Numb") ... aka The Wall: Berlin 90 (Canada: English title)