Mark Greene, the lead vocalist of the beloved R&B group The Moments, has passed away.
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The news of the singer’s death was confirmed by Greene’s close friend and former bandmate, Eban Brown, on May 20.
“I would like to send Heartfelt Condolences to the family of Mark Greene,” Brown’s message began, per Soul Tracks. “Mark was a great man and an awesome singer. He was the original voice of The Moments’ classic hit “Not On The Outside,” which reached No. 13 on the Billboard Charts Hot 100 in 1968,” he continued.
“I had the pleasure of performing with Mark when I joined Ray, Goodman & Brown. He was with us for a brief period. Al Goodman thought it would be a great thing to have him join the group, following the untimely passing of Harry Ray. I pray for the comfort of his loved ones! RIP MARK!” Brown concluded.
The cause of death and exact date of Greene’s passing have not been disclosed.
Mark Greene Played Key Role in Developing The Moments’ Signature Sound
According to Soul Tracks, Washington, D.C. native Greene co-founded the Moments in the mid-1960s alongside Eric Olfus Sr., John Morgan, and Richard Gross. The group caught the attention of Hall of Fame songwriter Ed Townsend and later signed with Stang Records, the label established by Sylvia Robinson, famed for her hit “Pillow Talk.”
Greene played a key role in shaping the group’s early sound, including their 1968 breakout hit “Not on the Outside,” which became their first top 20 R&B hit.
However, the Stang label owned the name The Moments, and after the group’s success, all the members except Morgan were replaced by Al Goodman and Billy Brown. Goodman and Brown later became core members of the vocal group Ray, Goodman & Brown in the following decade.
Greene, Olfus, and Gross were signed to Volt Records as The Leaders but had a brief run before Greene decided to go solo. Greene went on to release albums like Love Is More Than Spoken and The Mark Greene Project. He also joined Ray, Goodman & Brown for a short time after Harry Ray passed away in 1992.
In the 2000s, Greene revived “The Moments” by acquiring the rights to the name and reestablishing the group. Performing and recording as “The Moments featuring Mark Greene,” the group continued performing shows into 2025.