Winter Haven Musician Is a Living History Book
Green was ordained at the age of 13 by Daniel E. Bright in the Pilgrim Rest Freewill Baptist Church in Lakeland.
"It is still there today, yes indeed," Green said. "I am from Lakeland. Came there by way of West Palm Beach and then Mulberry."
After attending Rochelle High School, Green was the first black drum major for Lakeland High School.
"That's when they didn't let black folks in white schools," he said. "I broke the barrier. That's when downtown Lakeland had white on one side and color on the other.
"That's why I went down to West Palm Beach, because they were so racist in this area," he said.
Green's musical adventure didn't begin in high school. He was born into a house of musicians, and began at the age of 3. His grandmother Adlene Taylor was a musician and the first black gospel DJ for Polk County, Green said.
"It was WWAB in 1956 when they first opened, and she was the first gospel group they ever had. They were the ‘Friendly Gospel Singers,' all ladies," he said.
Green's father was the late Alphonso Green. He was an instructor in Polk County as well as an international recording artist.
"That's how he and his chauffeur got killed. They were going to a concert," Green said.
Green said he's been in church his entire life and the musicians in his life were basically church musicians.
Although he currently has a ministry of music throughout numerous churches in Polk County, Green has quite a smorgasbord of spots around the globe where he has performed.
"He has performed in the United States and outside the U.S.," his wife, Emmaline Doles Green, said.
"I've been to England, Israel, the Bahamas, Italy, Switzerland; Germany did a thing for the troops there" Rev. Green said. "I was playing for the Drifters, and George and Gwenn McCrae. I was classmates with George in West Palm.
"I've been on stage with the Spinners, Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, The Coasters, Shirley Caesar, Dorothy Norwood, Fred Hammond, John P. Kee, The O'Neal Twins, James Cleveland, and the Rev. Milton Bighams.
James Cleveland Singers Albums - News
As a songwriter, Green said the whole world sings some of his songs. "James Cleveland recorded one of my songs, 'Give it to Me,'" he said. "My favorite performer is James Brown he was the first one to give me my start, and gave me my first monies to go
Ripper did two great albums and there's some great music on there.” Still, fans won't hear any of the Owens-era material on Judas Priest's current tour, which comes to Cleveland on Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena. However, diehards can look forward to
361-9302. First Baptist Church of Greater Washington Park, 2818 Third St., will present the mass choir in concert at 3 pm Nov. 20. There will be a special tribute to the Rev. James Cleveland. Free, and the public is invited. 284-2600.
Mahalia Jackson's Grammy award, song sheets from Thomas Dorsey and other memorabilia give visitors a look at some of gospel music's legends (Albertina Walker, the Staple Singers, James Cleveland and the Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland honored Aretha Franklin with a tribute concert at the Hall. Among the performers were Dennis Edwards of The Temptations, former Fugees singer Lauryn Hill, soul hitmaker Jerry Butler, Ronald Isley,
