Sept. 11, 2008 – The Reichhold Center for the Arts is celebrating its 30th anniversary with one of the biggest names in R&B. Al Green perform will perform at 8 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 11.
Mixing classic soul with neo-soul, Green is still in true form on his new Billboard hit CD "Lay It Down," featuring collaborations with Corinne Bailey Rae and John Legend. Leaving his gospel days behind, Green returns to the soul circuit with his all-time classics: "Let's Stay Together," "Tired of Being Alone" and "Love and Happiness."
The year 2008 has been great for Green. "Lay It Down" became his first album ever to debut in the top 10 on the Billboard charts. The R&B legend also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards.
The new album has been receiving rave reviews for its adherence to classic Al Green, while bringing in fresh musical flavor by the way of producer Amir Thompson (aka ?uestLove from the hip-hop group The Roots). A May 25, 2008, New York Times headline about the CD read: "Al Green Pays Tribute to the Old Al Green," saying "'Lay It Down'… is a throwback itself: an uncannily faithful evocation of the vintage Al Green sound."
That vintage sound is reminiscent of his musical heyday in the 1970's when he released a string of albums: "Green is Blues" (1970), "Al Green Gets Next To You" (1971), "Let's Stay Together" and "I'm Still In Love With You" (1972), "Call Me" and "Livin' For You" (1973), "Al Green Explores Your Mind" (1974), "Al Green Is Love" (1975), "Full Of Fire" and "Have A Good Time" (1976), "The Belle Album" (1977), and "Truth n' Time" (1979).
In following years, he focused on gospel music and preaching, but he never fully left his soul beginnings. In 1988, he released "Put A Little Love In Your Heart," a duet with Annie Lennox for the movie "Scrooged." A few years later, he recorded another successful duet, "Funny How Time Slips Away," with country singer Lyle Lovett.
The album, "Your Heart's in Good Hands," came in 1995. That same year, Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2002, the nine-time Grammy Award winner received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
One year later, he released "I Can't Stop," returning to his Memphis sound and past collaborator Willie Mitchell.
Since early 2008, he has taken his masterful musical collection on successful tours throughout North America and Europe.
Al Green and other performances during Reichhold Center's 30th Anniversary Week are sponsored by Theodore Tunick and Company. Reichhold Center's 2008-2009 season sponsors are: First Bank, First Insurance, Marriott's Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star Resort, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts and Innovative Cable TV.
Tickets are $48, $68 and $98, and are available at Modern Music, UVI Bookstore, V.I. Bridal & Tuxedo, Urban Threadz, Essentric Shoe Boutique, Island Video (Nisky), Home Again (Red Hook) and the Reichhold Center Box Office at 693-1559.
