On This Day, August 31, 1945 …

George Ivan Morrison aka the legendary singer Van Morrison was born in Belfast, Ireland.

Morrison started his career in the mid-1960s as leader of the band Them, which broke up in 1966. He went on to have a hugely successful solo career: He released his debut solo album, Blowin’ Your Mind, in 1967, featuring the track “Brown Eyed Girl,” which was a top 10 hit and went on to become his signature tune.

In 1968 Morrison released the critically acclaimed album Astral Weeks, which some consider the best album of all time. That was followed by Moondance, which was his first million-selling record, with the title track and “Into The Mystic” becoming Morrison classics.

Morrison has released over 40 albums and continues to tour to this day. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. He was also made a knight in 2016.