"A Grammy Award winner and all-around staple in the folk-rock genre since the 1960s, the legendary Van Morrison has rocked and rolled his way from Ireland to America, boasting a fiery sound with R&B, jazz, blues, rock ‘n' roll and Celtic folk styles all rolled into one life-changing genre. Morrison may be best known these days for coining the Jimmy Buffett cover ""Brown Eyed Girl,"" but the incredible musician's career delves much deeper than that one hit single.Van Morrison was born with the name George Ivan Morrison in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the mid-1940s. Steeped in a childhood of music, Morrison quit school at age 15 to join the R&B band the Monarchs, who toured military bases throughout Europe. Upon his return home, Morrison founded his own band Them, influenced by the gritty sounds of bands like Howlin' Wolf and Little Walter. Stirring up the local scene with the 1964 single ""Don't Start Crying Now,"" Them surpassed the limits of Belfast, gaining national acclaim before Morrison quit the band in 1966. Persuaded by producer Bert Berns to go solo, Morrison moved to New York City and released the hit single ""Brown-Eyed Girl,"" which was originally titled ""Brown-Skinned Girl."" The single reached the Top Ten in 1967, leading the way for hits to come.Bouncing back and forth between the U.S. and Ireland, Van Morrison released the phenomenal Astral Weeks in 1968, one of the most outstanding rock albums to date. The 1970s proved just as rewarding (if not more) for the folk-rock musician, and hits like ""Domino"" and ""Wild Night"" propelled his career through the rest of the decade. Van Morrison has continued to be a musical powerhouse since then, pounding out hit singles and albums well into the 2000s while mixing his old and new material with much success."