Van Morrison aka Sir George Ivan Morrison OBE is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. Also known as "Van the Man", he is recognized for his musical achievements as well as his services to charitable causes and tourism in his native place. Morrison grew up listening to artistes such as Ray Charles, Sonny Terry and Jelly Roll Morton, thanks to his father’s varied record collection that exposed him to various musical genres. He started his music career as a teenager in the 1950s, playing a variety of instruments like harmonica, guitar, saxophone, and the keyboards in Irish bands, covering the popular hits of that time. Morrison came into the limelight in the mid-1960s as the lead vocalist of the R&B band ‘Them’ with whom he recorded the classic "Gloria". He then went on to perform as a solo artiste and gained further fame with the release of his 1967 hit single "Brown Eyed Girl". The Irish singer strengthened his reputation even more in the 1970s when he released a series of hit albums and gave stunning live performances. Today, he continues to sing and perform and often collaborates with other well-known artistes and bands like The Chieftains and Georgie Fame. In recognition of his works, Morrison has received several awards including a Brit Award and two Grammy Awards.