Al Green ~ Let's Stay Together 1971 Soul Purrfection Version

Al Green was not confident that "Let's Stay Together" would be a hit according to Willie Mitchell, the song's co writer and producer. Green was not happy with his falsetto and thought that made his voice sound thin and wanted to "open up" instead. But it was the falsetto that made the song in a tradition that R&B love men Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross made their careers.

Green did not want the record to come out and fought Mitchell in the only time the duo ever had one. Mitchell said, "Man, that is the way it is and the record is going out like that. It came out on a Monday and went gold by Thursday and after that there was never another fight.

Al was born April 13, 1946 in Forrest City, Arkansas parents Robert and Cora and moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan when he turned nine. He began performing gospel music with three of his brothers as the Green Brothers. Then he joined a pop band called The Creations in 1964 first signing with Zodiac Records then forming their own record label in 1967. A single, "Back Up Train" was recorded after a few personnel changes with a new name Al Greene & The Soul Mates and it made it to #41 on the Hot100. They did not have a follow up to maintain the momentum and the label folded.

About a year later, Green was getting ready to play a club in Midland, Texas and met Willie Mitchell who was in a competing band and of record label named Hi Records and had just been made Vice President. Willie approached Green who was not interested in Memphis soul. Mitchell persisted and Green eventually came down to record some music. The first single was a cover of the Temptations "I Can't Get Next To You" that made it to #60. Employing the tactic of covering original hit singles alongside cover versions of popular songs for each album he was able to sustain a successful recording career.

The first single issued with the new sound was an original, "Tired Of Being Alone" and it peaked at #11 on the Hot100. Willie had transformed the gospel singer into a pop star by directing him away from the full throated gospel release to a "steel belted smoothness" that made his voice sound silky and modified his appearance by putting him in a business suit and cutting his Afro down a bit and Al Green was ready for his chart assault.