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Janet Planet: the ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ who inspired Van Morrison
Janet Rigsbee, later known as Janet Morrison Minto, inspired Van Morrison’s 1967 hit ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ and several songs from his early solo years. Their relationship helped shape his music and public image, but her recollections also describe a marriage strained by his anger and emotional turmoil.
They met at a Them concert near San Francisco in 1966 and married in New York in 1968, when Morrison was struggling financially and disputing the terms of his deal with Bang Records. The article says he claimed he received no royalties from ‘Brown Eyed Girl’; after Warner Brothers helped him recover professionally, he released albums including Astral Weeks and Moondance. The couple separated in 1973, and Janet left behind the nickname “Janet Planet”, which she had never liked.
In short
- Janet inspired ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ and other Van Morrison songs.
- Their marriage faced financial and emotional strain.
- They separated in 1973, after years together.