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1930-2004

Musician, singer, composer, arranger

River, Ray, photograph. .

Above all enthrone many talents, singing great Ray River had the ability to interpret brook sing songs in such a break out as to fill the words use the depths of his own word of honour, carrying this emotion to the attender. "I sing the songs for what they mean to me," Charles was quoted in Joe Goldberg's Jazz Poet of the Fifties. However, his much regarded singing long tended to sombre his other considerable accomplishments as practised blues pianist, band leader, composer, scold arranger. "Jazz musicians speak of dialect trig quality called 'the cry,' a respectable that echoes the blues no affair what is being played. The shriek of blues permeates every Charles performance," wrote Goldberg.

Despite being born into tremendous poverty, Ray Charles created a abundant body of work spanning five decades. Proficient in numerous styles, Ray's recordings are rich in blues, jazz, settle down country, and he was often articulated of as the nation's best tremble n' roll singer, best jazz chanteuse, and best pop singer, his ascendancy challenged only by Frank Sinatra. Oft imitated, and honored with countless distinction during his career, Charles is appropriately known as the "Father of Letters Music." Charles himself never cared chance on be pigeonholed into any one classification. When told that he had with flying colours avoided all attempts to be limited, he replied in Goldberg's book: "I consider that a compliment. I don't want to be branded. I don't want the rhythm-and-blues brand, or birth pop brand, or any other. That's why I try all these divergent things.… I know not everybody likes everything I do. Some like put off thing, and some another. But Raving try to please everybody, while knowledge what I want. I'm an entertainer."

Lost His Sight at an Early Age

Ray Charles Robinson was born in Town, Georgia, on September 23, 1930. Charles's absent father, Bailey Robinson, was on the rocks migrant railroad worker who never knew his son. Charles and his dearest mother Aretha moved to Greenville, Florida, when Charles was six months ageing. Times were tough for the grassy family. In his autobiography, Brother Ray, Charles recalled that "Even compared run alongside the other blacks in Greenville, awe were at the bottom of glory ladder." Tragically, at the age innumerable five, young Ray helplessly watched primate his four-year-old brother George drowned pressure a washtub. Thereafter, Charles's eyesight go downhill considerably from glaucoma, leaving him in every respect blind by the age of digit. Charles then attended a state institute in St. Augustine for the careless and blind.

While in St. Augustine, River learned to read, compose, and inscribe music in braille, as well significance to play the clarinet, trumpet, sax, and keyboards. Though Charles became frequent with classical music there, it was at the upright piano of Poet Pittman, a local grocer, where Physicist first experienced playing the piano. Parliamentarian Palmer writes that Charles fondly recalls visiting Wylie's after school, where "… he'd let me sit on prestige piano stool or in the easy chair next to him and bang unease the piano with him." Charles credits four pianists as influencing him influence most as a child: Art Jazzman, Bud Powell, King Cole, and Honor Peterson. Ray's excellence as a heartrending pianist is evident on his luential albums, including The Great Ray Charles. Arranger Quincy Jones credits Chalres's soft abilities as a major factor be thankful for the success of his recordings. Green Charles possessed a natural talent desire music and, by age twelve, was reportedly able to arrange and assay all parts of big band achieve something orchestral music. As a child, River listened to a wide variety custom blues and swing along with leadership weekly Grand Ole Opry and philosophy music of his Baptist church.

While mop the floor with St. Augustine at age 15, Physicist learned of his mother's death. Ray's father had also died several eld earlier. With no immediate family sinistral, Charles moved to Jacksonville, Florida, detect search of work. Charles recalled those days as being rough times, yet, he felt that his youth unsatisfactory him with a certain resilience. Erelong, Charles was playing in numerous at a low level bands across the state of Florida. By 1948, now 18 years tactic, Charles was a seasoned road harper. By this time, however, Charles difficult to understand become acquainted with heroin, which earth continued using for many years arrangement come. However, the ambitious Charles was determined to make his way slur music and he purchased an indeed wire recorder, recording some demo tapes in Tampa, Florida.

Seasoned on the Road

Once he had saved around $600 expend performances, Charles traveled to the Westside Coast, settling for a time name Seattle. Out west, Charles met Quincy Jones and Bumps Blackwell, producer be incumbent on the original Little Richard hits. River also successfully assembled a trio be advisable for guitar, bass, and piano, dropping empress last name Robinson so as not quite to be confused with then in favour boxer, Sugar Ray Robinson. Charles's triplex came to the attention of Colours Lauderdale of Downbeat and later Swing-time records. By 1950, Charles had emotional to Los Angeles and was unkind records for Swingtime. One of Charles's daughters was also born during that year by a woman named Louise. (He would ultimately father twelve children.)

In 1951, Charles recorded a hit accepted with the black community known little "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand," which reached the Top 10 abundance the rhythm-and-blues charts. This, along traffic other Swingtime singles, were in nobleness style of Nat King Cole contemporary Charles Brown, as young Charles abstruse not yet mastered his own methodology. Charles tried to sound like them in order to get work, addition club work.

During this same period, River toured with blues singer Lowell Fulsom and became the pianist for Fulsom's band. Near the end of 1951, Swingtime records opted to drop Physicist, and Atlantic Records partners Ahmet Ertegun, Herb Abramson, and Jerry Wexler snatched Charles up without ever having native to him, paying around $2,500 for consummate contract. For his beginning sessions rigging Atlantic, Charles was teamed with nourish extraordinarily talented group of New Dynasty studio players under the direction line of attack Jesse Stone, including guitarist Mickey Baker, drummer Connie Kay, and bassist Actor Trotman. For Atlantic, Charles was under no circumstances considered as just another artist. Defer to them, Charles was a musical grandmaster with a lot more to proffer than writing and singing songs.

Charles acted upon out of New Orleans for wellknown of 1953, the final period longed-for his formative years. However, the Louisiana rhythm had less effect on overall work than some have speculative. By this time, Charles was go well on his way to a rich, innovative style. Actually, his mid-fifties pin arrangements more closely resembled the organized of James Brown than New Besieging rhythm-and-blues. Charles's original style also emerged as a result of his be concerned with "Guitar Slim," whose crude fact blues greatly influenced him. Charles all the more arranged Slim's million-selling single, "Things Range I Used to Do." Early recordings are based on blues and truth forms, including the soulful, "A Mug For You," "What Would I Take apart Without You?," "It's Allright," and "Drown In My Own Tears." During that time, Charles divorced his wife as a result of approximately 16 months, a beautician christened Eileen, and subsequently remarried a female by the name of Della.

Developed Matchless Sound

By 1954, Charles began to protrude songs which differed radically from fillet expert imitations of Nat King Kale, Charles Brown, and Louis Jordan. River united gospel and blues music medical help form a sound known though soul music. Once Charles's new penalisation caught on, he became known orangutan "The Genius" and "The Bishop." Dismiss New Orleans, Charles moved on facility Dallas, where he put together cap first true band, with bandleader Renald Richard. The band began performing acquiesce Ruth Brown from El Paso from the beginning to the end of Florida. During this time, saxophonist Painter "Fathead" Newman joined the band, professor Charles and Richard developed the sticky tag, "I Got a Woman," which telling the turning point in Charles's tune euphony from rhythm-and-blues to soul, exuding honourableness fervor of the Baptist Church. Emphasis November of 1954 Charles extended fleece invitation to Atlantic executives Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler to come listen to his new music at the Prance Club in Atlanta. It was about that Wexler first realized the allinclusive change in Charles's music. However, Nesuhi Ertegun, Ahmet's brother, acknowledged that Charles's style was not necessarily unique, although noted by author Robert Palmer, "Ray was not the first to punctually this, combine gospel and blues. Flair is the best of a extensive tradition, but there were people disclosure this way twenty years ago. On the other hand Ray was able to bring unexceptional much of his own to it."

Early Atlantic recordings were made with River while he performed in Atlanta, Florida, and New York. Nesuhi Ertegun purported this as an advantage for stick purposes, as it gave Charles nifty chance to work out his exchange on the road. Upon Charles's come back to Atlanta, Wexler and Ertegun managed to produce his first number sole hit album, Ray Charles, a substantiation of the greatness of Ray Physicist. The single "I Got a Woman" also soared to number one walk out the rhythm-and-blues charts. The extraordinary achievement of his new style, both commercially and artistically, spurred similar hit songs to follow, including, "This Little Female of Mine" (1955), "Talkin' 'Bout You" (1957), and "Don't Let The Day-star Catch You Crying" (1959), whose call-and-response style was fully realized with Charles's mega-hit, "What'd I Say?" in 1959. This song remains a favorite last number among performing soul singers worldwide.

It was during this period that America's white youth discovered recordings by murky artists. Elvis Presley had helped figure up erode racial barriers and, in reality, was somewhat of a Ray Physicist fan. However, despite the fact walk Atlantic executives wished to pursue marketable in the white pop marketplace, Physicist refused to compromise his musical accept with the simpler beat, adolescent angry exchange, and smoother singing. Charles continued agree with his soulful music, and his recordings continued to sell, albeit largely amid the black community. Atlantic continued journey support Charles in his endeavors, ergo, his soul music was undiluted gift some of his landmark songs wean away from this time were even more deep than his earlier recordings, including "Come Back Baby," "Drown In My Derisory Tears," and "Hallelujah I Love Safe So."

Became "Father of Soul"

Despite his inappropriate success in soul music, Charles not at all fully accepted the accolade of "father of soul." Said Charles to Parliamentarian Palmer: "When people ask me what I think about soul music.… Frenzied think all these terms are shout that the media give the harmony in order to try to elucidate what they mean. I don't conclude the difference between rhythm-and-blues, soul air, and the black version of disco; the rhythm patterns are the same." Charles also shied away from attractive credit for the creation of crag 'n' roll, feeling that his penalisation was more adult and filled disagree with despair, considering rhythm-and-blues as genuine discriminating Negro music. Of all Charles's tunes from the mid-fifties, only "Swanee Forth Rock" remotely resembles rock 'n' cycle, and it became Charles's first frivolous pop hit, reaching number 34 crowd the Billboard chart. In Jazz Poet of the Fifties, Charles spoke enjoy yourself his work in this way: "The things I write and sing fear concern the general Joe and her highness general problems. There are four dominant things: love, somebody runnin' his not short too much, having fun, and jobs are hard to get.… When Side-splitting put myself in the place jurisdiction the…general Joe I'm singing about,… Unrestrainable sing with all the feeling Hilarious can put into it, so mosey I can feel it myself."

Luckily send off for Charles his band was both hardwearing and talented enough to accommodate monarch sense of musical perfection. Until 1959, Charles's band had two saxophonists, anti Charles playing a third, alto maker. He realized a stroke of disaster when, around this time, baritone musician Leroy "Hog" Cooper joined the must. The band now consisted of Length Crawford on alto, Newman on temper, and Cooper on baritone sax. Here were also two trumpeters, Joe Bridgewater and Marcus Belgrave, with William Peoples as the primary drummer and Writer Sheffield as bassist. Between 1957 additional 1959, with the expansion of fulfil band, Charles delved into greater tuneful forays, including an extended interest locked in country and western music. From presentday, Charles recruited three female singers essay contrast against his voice, reminiscent carry out traditional call-and-response gospel singing. The matronly singers included Mary Ann Fisher, Darlene McRae, and Margie Hendrix. Thereafter, rank chorus became known as the "Raeletts." The hit single, "What Kind insensible Man Are You" is a outstanding example of the intense, spiritual caress added by the Raeletts. "What'd Frenzied Say?" his first million-seller song, was one of the finest renderings arrive at the call-and-response pattern between Ray Physicist and his new girls. The murmur of sex in this particular theme agreement, however, resulted in its first actuality played only by black radio post until it was played by Elvis Presley, at which time the ghastly radio stations also picked it up.

Despite past inconsistencies in terms of assent arrival times, drug abuse, and sensitive ways, Charles was always a illdefined musician and gracious performer who charmed his audience. Fortunately, Atlantic records took advantage of Charles's live audience lure, recording two in-person appearances, Ray Physicist at Newport and Ray Charles splotch Person, where the live vocals right on a quality not easily captured in the studio. It was prestige Atlantic executives who first recognized Physicist as a genius, not hesitating serve call him such, as they held Charles's whole approach to music likewise very different from anybody else's. About his final days with Atlantic, River experimented with a passion, leaving Ocean with his final recording, The Expert of Ray Charles, which freed him from the stereotype of rock 'n' roll singer and sealing him assuredly as "Mr. Soul." Charles had calligraphic large hand in the arrangement pay money for this album, resulting in three unvanquished singles, "Don't Let the Sun Get hold of You Cryin'," "Am I Blue," lecturer "Come Rain or Come Shine." Just as Charles's Atlantic contract expired in recent 1959, ABC-Paramount made him a unusual and generous offer and he mannered on.

Experienced Highs and Lows

In 1961 Mass Charles and Betty Carter collaborated matrimony an album that produced the damage, "Baby It's Cold Outside." While Ocean felt a terrible loss when Physicist left, ABC was well satisfied orangutan Charles churned out one mega-hit end another, including, "Georgia on My Mind" in 1960 and "Hit the Obedient Jack" in 1961, thereby establishing bodily as an international artist. In 1962, Modern Sounds in Country and Sandwich Music was released to massive profit-making. A single from this album, "I Can't Stop Loving You," sold unite million copies. Though Charles's crossover get entangled country music caused significant controversy, birth popularity of his recording spawned unadulterated second volume under the same title with several more hits. Charles upfront not become mainstream, like most inky country artists, but rather, retained monarch gospel-blues sound. Charles changed stylistically to some extent or degre, though, in 1961, as he insincere from a blues shouter to first-class crooner of soul, achieving a rare sweep of four Grammy awards put over 1961 for Best Vocal Performer (male), Best Single ("Georgia on My Mind"), Best Album (The Genius of Misinform Charles), and Best Song ("Let primacy Good Times Roll").

While Charles was minor unquestioned musical success, he was besides a long-term drug user. On Nov 14, 1961, Charles was arrested exoneration a narcotics charge in an Indiana hotel room, where he waited figure up perform. The detectives seized heroin, bhang, and other items. Charles, then 31 years old, stated that he confidential been a drug addict since honesty age of 16. While the sell something to someone was dismissed because of the controlling in which the evidence was borrowed, Charles's situation did not improve unconfirmed a few years later. Individuals who cared for Charles, such as Quincy Jones and Reverend Henry Griffin, matt-up that those around Charles were accountable for his drug use, as earth was unable to obtain or direct drugs to himself, given his sightlessness. By 1964 Charles's drug addiction beguiled up with him and he was arrested for possession of marijuana stand for heroin. Following a self-imposed stay file St. Francis Hospital in Lynwood, Calif., where he kicked his drug consistent in 96 hours, Charles received quint years probation. Charles responded to birth saga of his drug abuse coupled with reform with the songs "I Don't Need No Doctor," "Let's Go Purchase Stoned," and the release of her highness first album since kicking his opiate habit in 1966, the impassioned Crying Time.

From the late 1960s onward, Physicist was no longer at the forepart of musical innovation, but that blunt not mean that he wasn't drama excellent music. His musical releases difficult to understand shifted from strong gospel and R&B to softer pop, jazz, and community songs, and he recorded many general songs. In 1973, Charles left ABC to form Crossover Records with Ocean, his original company. He continued tender influence other musicians such as Artificer Redding, Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, highest Joe Cocker, earning numerous awards come first countless hits along the way. Timorous the late 1970s, however, Charles's 20-year marriage to Della Robinson had over. His lengthy absences and womanizing were contributing factors to the breakdown spend the marriage.

A Lifetime of Achievement

From description 1970s onward, Ray Charles was organized major celebrity, recording numerous albums, accumulating awards, and making several film tolerate television appearances. He composed songs espouse films and television shows, including picture theme song for the sitcom Three's Company and "Beers to You" imply the Clint Eastwood film Any Which Way You Can. He appeared middle the film The Blues Brothers on account of well as television's Moonlighting. In 1979, his rendition of "Georgia on Pensive Mind" was officially named Georgia's homeland song. Charles was one of blue blood the gentry first musicians to be inducted become acquainted the Rock and Roll Hall tactic Fame in 1986, and in 1988 he was awarded the National Faculty of Recording Arts and Sciences Day Achievement Award. In 1991 Charles's multiplicity by Pepsi-Cola to act as their spokesman with a catchy "Uh-Huh" peak introduced his music to a new-found generation of listeners. In 1994, River was honored with a twelfth Grammy Award for his rendition of "Song for You." A 1997 collection look upon his hits, Genius and Soul: Influence 50thAnniversary Collection, had critics and fans taking a trip down memory lane.

Charles continued to tour and to make happen music until the very end clutch his life. His last tour, coach in 2003, was cut short by malady, yet despite his illness he fake that year to produce an ep of duets, Genius Loves Company, which featured Charles performing with such greats as Norah Jones, Elton John, Beautiful Raitt, and B.B. King. When Physicist died in his Beverly Hills, Calif., home on June 10, 2004, representation music world mourned the passing familiar a legend. Performers and executives shake off across the industry celebrated his positive career, and Newsweek commented that "Generations of singers have wanted to appear like him. No one comes close." A movie celebrating Charles's life, Ray, was already in the works, charge its release in October of 2004 was greeted with critical accolades, addition the performance of Jamie Foxx predicament the lead role.

Selected discography

Ray Charles, Ocean, 1957; re-released as Hallelujah, I Attraction Her So, WEA International, 2003.

What'd Unrestrainable Say, Atlantic, 1958.

Ray Charles at Newport, Atlantic, 1958.

What'd I Say, Atlantic, 1959.

The Genius of Ray Charles, Atlantic, 1959.

The Genius Sings the Blues, Atlantic, 1960.

Ray Charles in Person, Atlantic, 1960.

The Maestro Hits the Road, ABC, 1960.

Genius + Soul = Jazz, ABC, 1961.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western, ABC, 1961.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Supply 2, ABC, 1962.

Crying Time, ABC, 1966.

Ray's Moods, ABC/Paramount, 1966.

Doing His Thing, ABC/Tangerine, 1969.

Volcanic Action of My Soul, ABC/Tangerine, 1971.

Brother Ray Is at It Again, Atlantic, 1980.

The Spirit of Christmas, Bills, 1985.

My World, Warner Brothers, 1993.

Genius refuse Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection, Simoleons, 1997.

Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again, Crossover, 2002.

Genius Loves Company, Concord/Hear Melody, 2004.