Van Morrison is likely the father of the child born to Gigi Lee, his business manager who he actually knew very well, despite claims to the contrary. 

Late last week Belfast-born Van Morrison claimed that his website had been hacked and someone had falsely published a story that he was the father of a newborn baby boy, George Ivan Morrison. Morrison’s lawyers have now stated that he did know Gigi Lee, contrary to earlier statements.

A well-placed Irish source has told IrishCentral.com that they believed from the start that Van Morrison was the father of the child.

“His wife’s family fears the worst," the source said. “He had Christmas dinner with Michelle Rocha (his wife) and his elderly mother in Belfast and this never came up. Now all hell has broken loose."

Now it turns out, according to the Daily Mail, that Gigi Lee, a 42-year-old Dallas native, is his tour manager and a director of 14 of his companies and that friends have seen them together on numerous occasions.   In an email she sent to her closest friend, Carla Higdon, on June 15 last year, she stated: “You are going to be an auntie – I am having a little Van.”

Higdon says she met Van Morrison at a party in London at the home of Rolling Stones musician Ronnie Wood in London some years ago and developed a crush. Rosy Hall, Jerry Hall’s sister, was a friend, and introduced her to the rock party scene.

“She sounded very excited. I had no idea Van was married. In fact, I didn’t know he had a wife until this week, when the story broke about how he was claiming it wasn’t his baby.

“I don’t know if Gigi knew he had a wife, but she never mentioned it to me.” At one point Gigi is said to have revealed: “I’m having a little Van.”

Back in Texas, Gigi broke up with her boyfriend, a roadie for Fleetwood Mac and Lenny Kravitz, because of her affection for Van Morrison.

“He was very good to her,” said Higdon. “But what he didn’t realize was that she had developed a crush on Van. There was no question about it from the way she talked.

“I’ve only ever spoken to Van once. He called the house where she was living and I picked it up and he said, “Gigi, It’s Van!” and I said, 'Hold on.'

“She would tell [her boyfriend] she was going to Ireland to hook up with a friend Marina, but that was a code word for Van.

"She was constantly traveling to London or wherever he was. She said the only reason she was keeping a place here [in Dallas] was because of her brother (who is ill). She loves him, but she also loves Van. She said, 'If it wasn’t for my brother, I’d be out of here.'"

The boyfriend finally became aware of the relationship four years ago. “He saw CDs autographed by Van Morrison lying around,” Higdon said, “and one day he asked me, 'What’s the truth?'“

Gage’s boyfriend confirmed to The Mail on Sunday that he broke off their relationship about four years ago because he believed that she was Van Morrison’s mistress.

Higdon told the Daily Mail she went with Lee when she had a sonogram and it was labeled with her name and Van’s and she stated, “Oh, he looks just like his daddy.”

She is also deeply involved in Van Morrison’s business life.

The Daily Mail revealed she is listed under a Texas address in Companies House documents in London, appearing both as secretary and director of Morrison’s businesses.

Her occupation is listed as “real estate management” and the 14 companies cover Morrison’s business activities in film, music and concert tours.

Scott Foundas, a journalist with U.S.-based LA Weekly, told the Daily Mail yesterday that he had met “Gigi with Van Morrison on several occasions.”

He said: “the most recent was a few months ago when I attended Van’s concert in Chicago. She was heavily pregnant at the time. It never occurred to me to ask whether Van was the father.

“You don’t go round asking people who the father of their baby is. They don’t go in for any public displays of affection. Two days ago, Phil Lobel [Morrison’s publicist] sent me an email saying, 'Gigi had her baby.'”

"Gigi is a very striking woman. She’s about 5ft 10in – a little bit taller than Van – and slim with long, blonde hair. You can tell that she cares about her appearance. She’s always very well dressed, but nothing too showy or flamboyant.

“Gigi's title is something like executive tour manager. Together with Phil Lobel, she’s definitely the person to go to for anything to do with Van. She takes care of everything.

“She always stands in the wings of the stage and watches Van whenever he performs. I’ve seen several of Van’s concerts and she always watches from the wings. I saw her again with Van on a TV show.

“I cannot imagine why this PR executive would claim he doesn’t know Gigi. That doesn’t seem right at all.”