The soul legend known for hits like “Let’s Stay Together” and “Tired of Being Alone” is Al Green.
Born Albert Leornes Greene in Arkansas in 1946, Green became one of the defining voices of Memphis soul. His early-1970s recordings combined a gentle, expressive vocal style with the tight rhythm section associated with Memphis’s Hi Records studio sound.
“Tired of Being Alone” became his first major solo success in 1971, while “Let’s Stay Together,” released in 1972, reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the R&B chart. Other essential Green recordings include “Love and Happiness,” “Take Me to the River,” and “I’m Still in Love with You.”
A common mix-up is Tina Turner’s version of “Let’s Stay Together,” which became a major comeback single for her in 1983. Green’s original, however, is the signature recording associated with the song. In the late 1970s, Green became an ordained pastor and devoted much of the 1980s to gospel music, though his early secular soul recordings remain his best-known work.