Latest news with #AlGreen
Style Blueprint
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Style Blueprint
Have You Heard the Gospel of Al Green's Memphis Church?
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit The Full Gospel Tabernacle Church is a one-of-a-kind spot in Memphis, founded by none other than Al Green, the iconic voice behind so many R&B classics. After a life-changing experience in 1974, Green turned away from the mainstream music scene and poured his heart into gospel ministry instead. These days, the church reflects his faith and the soulful sound that made him famous. And yes, you can still visit the church for a sermon led by Al Green himself! Pin The Man, The Myth, The Legend Born Albert Leornes Greene on April 13, 1946, in Forrest City, Arkansas, Al Green was raised in a deeply religious household. His early exposure to gospel music shaped his vocal style, but the influence of artists like Elvis Presley and Jackie Wilson led him toward secular music. Green's career skyrocketed in the early 1970s thanks to his partnership with producer Willie Mitchell at Hi Records in Memphis. His smooth falsetto and emotionally charged performances made him a defining figure in Memphis soul. However, after his spiritual awakening, Green shifted his focus to gospel music, winning multiple Grammy Awards for his religious recordings. Despite his commitment to ministry, Green eventually returned to secular music, blending his gospel roots with soul classics. His influence remains undeniable, earning him a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1995 and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2014. Pin The Church The story of Full Gospel Tabernacle begins in the mid-1970s, when Al Green, at the height of his career, experienced a profound personal transformation. Known for his silky voice and timeless hits like 'Let's Stay Together' and 'Love and Happiness,' Green was one of the most celebrated soul artists of his time. However, a tragic incident in 1974 changed the course of his life. His then-girlfriend, Mary Woodson, attacked him with boiling grits before taking her own life. This traumatic event made Green reevaluate his path, ultimately turning toward gospel music and ministry. In 1976, Green became an ordained Baptist minister and purchased the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Memphis. The modest church at 787 Hale Road quickly became a beacon for those seeking spiritual guidance and a connection to the legendary singer. Pin The church offers a welcoming and intimate atmosphere. Visitors often describe the experience as electrifying, whether or not Green himself is present. The church features stained glass windows and a striking 12-foot mural of the rapture, creating an atmosphere of reverence and inspiration. Services are known for their passionate sermons, vibrant gospel music, and undeniably transcending energetic boundaries. Over the years, the church has celebrated milestones, including its 34th anniversary in 2010, where Green led a special service filled with gospel music and heartfelt reflections. In 2016, the church marked 40 years since its founding, with Green continuing to preach and inspire his congregation. Green, when present, delivers sermons with the same charisma that made him a star. His booming voice fills the sanctuary, blending scripture with personal anecdotes and, occasionally, impromptu musical performances. However, due to his touring schedule, his appearances are ever-changing, making each service a unique experience. For Fans and Visitors The Full Gospel Tabernacle isn't just a church—it's a destination. Fans, travelers, and worshipers from all over the world make their way to Memphis just for the chance to see Al Green in his element, whether he's preaching, singing, or both. Step inside, and you'll find a warm, welcoming atmosphere filled with soul-stirring gospel music and a service that's all about faith, connection, and community. Some people come because they're moved by the message; others come because they've loved Green's music for years. Either way, it's an experience that sticks with you. If you're an Al Green fan, visiting the Tabernacle is a no-brainer. It's more than just a church; it's a living piece of his story, a place where soul music and spirituality unite in the most powerful way. ********** Stay in the know on the best of the South — subscribe to our daily emails! About the Author Dita Faulkner Dita Faulkner is a freelance writer based in Memphis, TN. You can find her blog at She loves music, dancing, friends, and family.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Frustrated Democrats try new response to Trump barrage: Flood the zone right back
Frustrated Democrats are fighting to counter President Trump's flood-the-zone approach by adopting a mirror strategy with a simple goal: To flood the zone right back. Democrats have struggled to keep pace with the machine-gun tempo of Trump's second term, which has featured a blitz of boundary-busting executive orders, mass deportations, federal firings, and broader efforts to gut the federal government. The Democrats' response to the frenzy of executive actions has infuriated the party's liberal base, which loudly accused Democratic leaders of failing to push back against an aggressive White House in ways that meet the urgency of the moment. The party brass appears to have noticed. Recent weeks have seen the Democrats coalescing behind an assertive new strategy designed to fight fire with fire — what House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) characterizes as a 'more is more' playbook. The strategy is very much a work in progress as Democrats scramble through trial and error to locate communications techniques that can break through the noise of Trump's frenzied second term. And the actions of some lawmakers, like Sen. Cory Booker's (D-N.J.) marathon floor speech, have been better received than the tactics of others, like Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) heckling of Trump on the House floor, which angered some Democratic moderates and led to Green's censure. Still, Democrats are increasingly rallying behind a mantra that's perhaps best encapsulated by words attributed to the hockey great Wayne Gretzky: 'You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.' 'I'm trying stuff — some stuff works, some stuff doesn't,' said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), who spoke up at a recent Democratic caucus meeting to warn colleagues that they're losing the messaging war. 'But, like, every once in a while I get something that really captures the imagination and then my team goes back, we figure out: What was it about that?' she continued. 'We have to do our own data-crunching in real time about what is resonating.' 'Flood the zone,' echoed Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), a leader of the Democrats' messaging arm. 'Communicate often, all the time, about what's going on with a very simple message that the Republicans right now are — the reason they want to cut Medicaid, the reason they want to cut food stamps, is because they want to give billionaires a tax cut.' 'That's what we're talking about. And it's resonating with people.' They have their work cut out. Not only do Democrats lack an obvious national leader, but from the minority wilderness in Congress the party lacks the authority to bring legislation to the floor, conduct hearings on topics of their choosing, or investigate the many scandals of Trump's second term with the subpoena power available to the majority Republicans, who have shown little inclination to check the White House. Democrats are being advised to stay focused on how the Republicans' legislative designs will affect Americans' futures, but they're also stuck relitigating the past amid new revelations about former President Biden's health. And in the ongoing contest for voter attention, Democrats simply don't have the same media infrastructure erected by the right, where conservative voices like Joe Rogan and Dave Portnoy enjoy wide appeal with millions of younger voters who have flocked to Trump. In an effort to close the messaging gap, Democrats are turning to unusual tactics, like diving into GOP-held districts to conduct town halls. That strategy has allowed Democrats to communicate directly with voters in battleground regions, while also highlighting the fact that most Republican lawmakers are avoiding such public events amid an outcry over the steep cuts in federal programs featured in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' 'What we're trying to tell people is that as much as [Trump] said he's for you, he's not. And the proof is in the pudding,' said Stacey Plaskett (D), the House delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands. 'We recognize that Americans are getting their information and news not in the traditional ways that they used to. And it's important for us to go to where they are.' Frost, for one, has joined forces with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to stage town halls in red regions. And he pointed, as another successful model, to the Democrats' response to Trump's joint address to Congress in February, when Democrats hosted a 'spin room' in the Capitol basement where progressive podcasters and influencers mingled with Democratic lawmakers — and broadcast their anti-Trump messages to niche audiences far and wide. 'Usually, the caucus will have maybe 30, 40 members go down there. This year, because the leader himself was involved and pushing people to go, we had 150,' Frost said. 'But one time doesn't win it,' he quickly added. 'We need it to be a part of everyone's day-to-day. So we're getting there.' Jeffries has taken the lead of the Democrats' enhanced outreach campaign, abandoning his traditional routine of one weekly press conference in the Capitol to stage at least two meetings with reporters each week — and sometimes more — to push back against the blizzard of White House actions. In another gambit in late April, he and Booker staged a daylong sit-in on the Capitol steps to draw attention to the Republicans' policy plans. The approach is not quite blind: Jeffries emphasized that the pushback effort is opportunistic — designed around the 'timing and the rhythm of the legislative process and how we engage in making sure that we are aggressively pushing back when the moment presents itself.' 'We continue to be in a more-is-more environment,' he said. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), a front-line Democrat, said she's encountering voters of all stripes who are feeling anxious amid the unpredictable actions from the White House, and they want to see Democrats fighting back with every tool available. In that environment, she said, the key is persistence. 'We've been attacking it on all fronts, and we have to keep doing that. Whether it's amicus briefs or town halls or legislation or letters to the administration — we've just got to keep the drumbeat going,' she said. 'They like it when you fight.' 'I don't care what I'm invited to,' echoed Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). 'I did the LA City Business Council — I took that as an opportunity to do my town hall. So I do it everywhere.' Democrats are resigned to the likelihood that the immediate impact of the fight will be that nothing changes. Indeed, for all their fierce messaging against Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' they were powerless to block it from moving through the House last month. But the ultimate goal is longer-term: flipping control of the House in next year's midterms so they can provide a check on Trump in the final two years of his presidency. 'We need every single tool right now, because we're focused on winning back the majority. Like, that is the focus right now, because how else can we stop … all of these horrible policies?' Balint said. 'It's a numbers game. We have to get those people in those seats.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Talking Heads Serving Up More ‘Food' For 50th Anniversary
Just in time for the band's 50th anniversary this year, Talking Heads will reissue their Brian Eno-produced 1978 sophomore album, More Songs About Buildings and Food, in deluxe editions July 25 from Rhino Records. A previously unreleased alternate version of 'Found a Job' from the set is out now. Fans will be treated to three other unheard versions of album tracks, while an Aug. 1978 concert at New York's Entermedia Theatre is included as a Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround sound and high resolution stereo mixes. Click here to explore the LP and CD variants, which include a four-LP version with four bonus international seven-inch singles from the era. More from Spin: Bruce Springsteen Boosts Mexican 'Soldaderas' On 'Adelita' Pavement Returning To Headline Levitation Fest Clipse 'Sort Out' First Album In 16 Years More Songs About Building and Food was one of the first albums to be recorded at Island Records chief Chris Blackwell's Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas. 'To our great relief, [Eno] realized we were a tight live band at this point, so it made sense to record us all playing together in the studio,' frontman David Byrne recalls. 'We weren't all that comfortable in a recording studio, so this arrangement made us comfortable and put us at ease.' The album's atypical biggest hit, a cover of Al Green's 'Take Me to the River,' almost didn't make it to tape in the version fans came to love. 'We were used to playing the song at a pretty fast tempo like Al Green's original, but we gave it a go [in a slower speed],' recalls drummer Chris Frantz. 'After several takes, we got what [Eno] was looking for, and everyone loved his treatment of the snare drum. This song became our first radio hit.' More Songs About Building and Food also spawned favorites such as 'Artists Only' and 'Stay Hungry' and is well-known for its Polaroid mosaic cover photo. 'David took the pictures of Chris, Jerry [Harrison] and me, while I took the pictures of David,' says bassist Tina Weymouth. 'We used a close-up attachment and a red cloth for the backdrop. It was shot on the roof above Chris's and my Long Island City loft. I still have that camera!' Further surprises are planned this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary milestone. Byrne also appears to have his first post-American Utopia album percolating, although details have yet to be announced. To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
John Legend review – a somewhat bloodless performance from a wonderful singer
'Get lifted' is Glaswegian slang for being taken into police custody. It seems unlikely, to say the least, that John Legend knew this when choosing Glasgow to open his Get Lifted 20th Anniversary world tour. Still, his appearance is appropriately arresting, strolling on stage in the sort of dazzling white suit that looked so fine on Marvin Gaye and Al Green. 'Can I be sexy tonight?' he asks – the very definition of a rhetorical question – ahead of She Don't Have to Know, a breezy ode to cheating. The tour is a celebration of his classic debut, an album that announced Legend as a soul man who could, it seemed, be spoken of in the same breath as giants of the genre. In his 20s when Get Lifted was released, he's now 46: a middle-aged star playing the songs of a hungry – and horny – young musician; a husband and father singing of infidelity and reconciliation. Perhaps because he no longer feels the words he wrote back then, there's something bloodless about much of the performance. He is a wonderful singer and his nine-piece band skilled, but the set is drilled to the point of being dull. Legend is a former management consultant – as he mentioned during one of the interminable 'my musical journey' talky bits – and one suspects that somewhere backstage is a PowerPoint plotting every priapic strut and yelp. His between-song chat is so cheesy that when he asks us to 'Make some noise for Philadelphia!' it isn't clear whether we are being urged to cheer the city or the spread. His playing is expressive enough; no need for all that commentary. The ballads Ordinary People and All of Me, solo at the piano, are beautiful songs beautifully performed. Take My Hand, Precious Lord shows off his gospel roots. There is even a curveball Beatles cover, I Want You (She's So Heavy), stitched seamlessly to the end of his own I Can Change. Those are highlights, but the show as a whole drags. At two hours we are detained too long and it is a relief to be released. John Legend plays Co-op Live, Manchester, 29 May, then tours the UK until 1 June
Fox News
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'American Idol' winner Iam Tongi reveals dramatic 115-pound weight loss
Iam Tongi revealed a staggering weight loss while walking the red carpet at the "Lilo & Stitch" world premiere in Los Angeles. The "American Idol" winner admitted he "feels amazing" now that he's down 115 pounds. Tongi, 20, credited his personal trainer with helping him stay on track with his health and weight-loss goals. "We have a workout session maybe around 11, come back [home], and we go to an ice bath or sauna," he told People magazine. "And then we come back, shower and go on a walk. And I've lost 115 pounds. It feels amazing. I feel great." Tongi said he's been committed to "working on myself" and "trying to stay healthy." "We have a workout session maybe around 11, come back [home], and we go to an ice bath or sauna. And then we come back, shower and go on a walk. And I've lost 115 lbs. It feels amazing. I feel great." He's leaning into change this season, and is feeling inspired to create, now that he's living in Tennessee. "I moved out to Memphis, so I've been working out, writing, recording, and just been busy — but in a different way," he said. "I'm working on an album, actually, so I'm excited about that, and we'll see how that goes. I'm inspired by a lot of soul. I love Al Green. Al Green is one of my favorite singers, so I'm excited for that [single]." Despite the move to a land-locked state, Tongi will always appreciate visiting his home in Hawaii. "It's a great feeling to go home and just see the people and see them be excited when they see me. It's such a good feeling. It's a cool feeling," he said. For the finals on "American Idol," Tongi was up against Megan Danielle and Colin Stough. Despite the competition, Tongi built a friendship with both of his fellow competitors. "Honestly, if it wasn't for these guys and all my family and our friends, I would … I don't know if I would stay humble, because these guys taught me every day that I'm useless — I'm just kidding," Tongi previously told People magazine. "Honestly, we laugh a lot." After his win, Tongi received backlash from viewers who thought the competition was "rigged." Many claimed the musician had only won because of his "sob story." The contestant's father passed away in 2021, and Tongi often referenced his father and used his guitar during performances.
