Van Morrison

One of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters in modern rock history, Van Morrison bridged the earthly and the spiritual in a musical career that spanned over four decades and included such iconic songs as "Gloria," "Brown-Eyed Girl," "Moondance," "Tupelo Honey," "Have I Told You Lately," "Real Real Gone," and countless other tunes. He began his career in his native Ireland with the gritty garage band Them, with which he waxed the original version of the rock staple "Gloria." Morrison struck out on his own in 1968, shifting gears dramatically with the poetic Astral Weeks, which minted him as a visionary artist influenced by American music and Celtic poetry. A slew of highly influential records followed, including Moondance (1970) and Saint Dominic's Preview (1972), which showed Morrison's skill at interpolating elements of soul, country and jazz into his work, but his muse appeared to run dry in the mid-1970s. He addressed issues of spirituality and redemption throughout the 1980s before returning to form at the end of the decade with "Have I Told You Lately," which became a standard for pop crooners. The 1990s found him revisiting his R&B roots, which drew enthusiastic response from listeners and critics alike, while experimenting with jazz and country music. One of popular music's great iconoclasts, Van Morrison was also one of its most gifted writers, penning songs of faith, love, redemption and joy that served as anthems for several generations.