Albert Leornes Greene, known professionally as Al Green, is not only celebrated for his musical contributions but also for a personal life marked by significant challenges, a profound spiritual awakening, and complex family dynamics. From a traumatic incident that spurred a religious conversion to his experiences with marriage and fatherhood, Green's personal journey has deeply influenced his career trajectory and public image. His story offers a glimpse
into the man behind the music, revealing the forces that shaped his path.
A Traumatic Incident and Spiritual Awakening
A pivotal and traumatic event occurred in Al Green's life on October 18, 1974. His girlfriend, Mary Woodson, assaulted him at his Memphis home before dying by suicide. Woodson, who was already married with three children, became upset when Green refused to marry her. As he was preparing for bed in the bathroom, she doused him with a pot of boiling grits, causing second-degree burns on his back, stomach, and arms that required skin grafts. Shortly after this attack, Woodson fatally shot herself with Green's .38 handgun. Police later found an apparent suicide note in her purse, detailing her intentions and reasons.
This incident had a profound impact on Green. A few days prior, he had sent Woodson to convalesce at a friend's home after she had taken sleeping pills and slit her wrists. Green cited the grits incident as a "wake-up call" to change his life. Days after being released from Baptist Memorial Hospital Memphis, where he was treated for his burns, Green was reportedly held hostage at gunpoint by his cousin, who claimed he owed her money, though Green refused to press charges. These events catalyzed his spiritual journey, leading him to become an ordained pastor and establish the Full Gospel Tabernacle church in Memphis in 1976. He subsequently concentrated on pastoring and recording gospel music throughout the 1980s.
Marriages, Children, and Domestic Challenges
Al Green's personal life also included complex marital and family relationships. On June 15, 1977, he married his first wife, Shirley Green (née Kyles), in Memphis. Shirley, originally from Chicago, was one of his backing vocalists and an employee at his church. They had three daughters together. However, their marriage was tumultuous. Shirley first filed for divorce in 1978, citing cruelty and irreconcilable differences. She filed again in 1981, alleging that Green had subjected her to domestic violence throughout their marriage.
In a countercomplaint, Green accused Shirley of cruel and inhuman treatment. A sworn deposition in 1982, part of her divorce filing, revealed Shirley's testimony that in 1978, while five months pregnant, Green beat her with a boot for refusing to have sex, resulting in head wounds that required stitches. Although they reconciled after this incident, Shirley claimed they separated multiple times due to the beatings becoming "too frequent and too severe." Initially, Green denied the abuse but admitted under oath in 1982 to striking her. Their divorce was finalized in February 1983, with Green agreeing to pay $432,800 in alimony and child support. In 1995, Shirley was inspired by the story of Nicole Brown Simpson to publicly share her experiences of abuse to help other victims.
Green is a father to seven children: sons Chris Burse Sr., Al Green Jr., and Trevor, and daughters Alva Lei Green, Rubi Renee Green, Kora Kishé Green, and Kala. Alva, Rubi, and Kora are the children he had with his ex-wife Shirley. By the 1990s, Green was reportedly remarried. In September 2013, his sister Maxine Green was reported missing from her assisted living home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and as of April 2026, she remains missing. Green resides in Millington and continues to preach near Memphis, also being a member of the Prince Hall Masons at the thirty-third degree.
