Norman Greenbaum was born in Malden, Massachusetts in 1942. He wrote and recorded "Spirit in the Sky" in 1969, a song that became an immediate hit with its blend of folk, blues, and gospel elements.
After "Spirit in the Sky," Greenbaum released several albums including "Norman Greenbaum" in 1970, "Back Home Again" in 1971, and later records like "Canned Music" and "Hot Grits." Other songs in his catalog include "Skyline," "Take You," "Canned Ham," and "Crazy Over You."
Greenbaum worked primarily as a solo artist, though he sometimes collaborated with session musicians. He eventually stepped back from public life, but "Spirit in the Sky" has been covered by many artists and remains widely recognized.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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