Returning back to the stage after seven years, the legendary soul singer, songwriter, and record producer Rev. Al Green will be performing at The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA for the first time ever, on May 3, 2019, at 8 PM.
Green’s performance in Atlanta is among the limited run of tour dates. The tour will kick off in Austin, TX on April 24, and includes shows in other major cities such as Dallas, New Orleans, Houston, New York, and Chicago; ending in Los Angeles on May 9.
“It’s springtime, and I wanted to spring it up in a couple of cities with a tour,” Green said. “Rather than trying to have new guys trying to come in to imitate someone else’s plan, I’m using the same band that I have been performing with since the beginning.”
“We’ll sing what we usually sing like, ‘Let’s Stay Together,’ ‘Tired Of Being Alone,’ ‘Love and Happiness,’ ‘For the Good Times,’ ‘How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,’ and more.”
Green said since he decided to start touring again, he has been getting a number of requests to visit other cities including Raleigh, Durham, Boston, and San Francisco.
“I only wanted to do four shows, my manager sent me 26 shows, so we got it down to eight shows,” said Green.
Over the span of five decades, Green has undeniably made a lasting impact in multiple music genres including blues, soul, r&b, pop, and gospel. He’s also won 13 Grammy awards. He obtained the first Grammy of his career as a result of his first Gospel album “The Lord Will Make A Way.”
“My favorite song is ‘Tired Of Being Alone’ because it actually broke in Atlanta,” Green said. “There was a disc jockey in Atlanta, and he played ‘Tired Of Being Alone’ like he had a headache.”
“He played and played it. They told me, ‘Al you got to come to Atlanta. This boy in town is driving us crazy with this song.’ So I came over to Atlanta and walked into the club where he was, and he was so excited to meet me. I think he was just tired of being alone himself.”
In more recent years, Green has dedicated most of his time to his congregation at Full Gospel Tabernacle church in Memphis, where he still preaches regularly. However, he did record and release “Before The Next Teardrop Falls,” back in 2018. It was his first single in almost 10 years.
“God gave me the gift of music from the beginning, Green said. “I used to wonder, ‘Why have you given me all of these songs, but everybody says they’re bad?’”
“Then God told me, ‘Look Al, that’s people for you. I gave you the songs to put shoes on your little kid’s feet, to educate your children, and to take care of your household. You wanted to be a singer so I gave you the songs.’”
Green says he thinks the public is now comfortable with his ability to remain a man of God while switching genres at will.
“At first, they used to say, ‘Why did you go back to singing R&B?’ Well I mean I started singing R&B, and then I went to gospel. I didn’t start singing gospel then go to R&B,” Green said.
“The changing part for me was when I born again in 1973 in Anaheim, California. I was suddenly woken up from sleep and started rejoicing in the Lord. I am just thankful because all these things have happened to me, and I’ve been able to be successful with all the same people over the years. This is the full evolution of what God started in our lives since the beginning,” further expressed Green.
Green says that he’s currently working on new music.
“I’m going to be working on a country western album featuring some cover songs, and I am going to write one or two songs myself,” Green said. “After that, I’m going to do an R&B album.”
In addition to his tour performances, Green will appear at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 50th Anniversary on April 28.
Prices for the concert range from $90 to $400 per person. Tickets are still available for purchase via the Fox Theatre website, as well as other concert ticket websites. Following Green’s final performance in Los Angeles, he intends to release new music, as well as continue his ministry work.
