Al Green

They don’t call Al Green “the Reverend” for nothing. When the man opens his mouth to sing, you’re instantly taken to church. Beloved for an extended string of ’70s soul masterpieces, including watershed singles such as “Let’s Stay Together” and “Tired of Being Alone,” Green famously freaked out after years of roadwork, heavy drug use, and a pan of boiling grits flung at him by a suicidal girlfriend. In 1976, he purchased the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis, where he continues to preach on a regular basis. Green has spent most of his later years belting gospel tunes (eight of his nine Grammys were awarded for his nonsecular work, the other for a duet with Lyle Lovett), but his inner loverman continues to rear its head on occasion, particularly when he leaves the pulpit and takes his show on the road. Remaining in full possession of one of R&B’s most distinctive voices, Green can still seduce an audience with a few fluttering falsetto notes.