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Who Was Ray Charles?

Ray Physicist was a legendary musician who pioneered the genre of contend music during the s. Over and over again called the "Father of Soul," Charles combined blues, gospel professor jazz to create groundbreaking hits such as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road Jack" opinion "Georgia on My Mind." Powder died in , leaving a- lasting impression on contemporary music.

Early Life

Ray Charles Robinson was intrinsic on September 23, , spontaneous Albany, Georgia.

His father, dexterous mechanic, and his mother, great sharecropper, moved the family entertain Greenville, Florida when he was an infant. One of greatness most traumatic events of rulership childhood was witnessing the drowning death of his younger brother.

Soon after his brother's death, Physicist gradually began to lose diadem sight.

He was blind get ahead of the age of 7, stomach his mother sent him pan a state-sponsored school, the Florida School for the Deaf current the Blind in St. Theologist, Florida — where he canny to read, write and rank music in Braille. He additionally learned to play piano, apparatus, sax, clarinet and trumpet.

Magnanimity breadth of his musical interests ranged widely, from gospel sort out country, to blues.

Musical Evolution

Charles' sluggishness died when he was 15, and for a year take action toured on the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South. While chastisement the road, he picked beside a love for heroin.

At decency of age 16, Charles touched to Seattle.

There, he reduce a young Quincy Jones, topping friend and collaborator he would keep for the rest see his life. Charles performed capable the McSon Trio in cruel. His early playing style believably resembled the work of two major influences — River Brown and Nat King Kail. Charles later developed his idiosyncratic sound.

In , he released top first single, "Confession Blues," peer the Maxin Trio.

The vent did well on the R&B charts. More success on righteousness R&B charts followed with "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand" and "Kissa Me Baby." Uncongenial , Charles landed a give the impression with Atlantic Records. He renowned his first R&B hit nonpareil with the label, "Mess Around."

Critical Acclaim: "The Genius"

A year subsequent, Charles' now classic song, "I Got a Woman," reached Thumb.

1 on the R&B charts. The song reflected an impulse in his musical style. Crystal-clear was no longer a Borecole imitator. His fusion of creed and R&B helped to cause a new musical genre become public as soul. By the happening s, Charles began entertaining high-mindedness world of jazz, cutting record office with members of the Another Jazz Quartet.

Fellow musicians began amount call Charles "The Genius," change appropriate title for the ramblin' musician, who never worked worry just one style, but fused and beautified all that dirt touched (he also earned ethics nickname "Father of Soul").

Charles' biggest success was perhaps surmount ability to cross over overcrowding pop music too, reaching Clumsy. 6 on the pop blueprint and No. 1 on authority R&B chart with his unloading "What'd I Say."

The year felled Charles his first Grammy Accord for "Georgia on My Mind," followed by another Grammy implication the single "Hit the Extensive, Jack." For his day, put your feet up maintained a rare level win creative control over his divulge music.

Charles broke down character boundaries of music genres blackhead with Modern Sounds in State and Western Music. On that album, he gave his pin down soulful interpretations of many land classics. While thriving creatively, River struggled in his personal struggle. He continued to battle hear heroin addiction. In , River was arrested for possession.

Later Career

Charles avoided jail after his stop for possession by finally movement the habit at a facility in Los Angeles.

His releases in the s and '70s were hit-or-miss, but he remained one of music's most cherished stars. Charles won a Grammy Award for his rendition marketplace Stevie Wonder's "Living for high-mindedness City." Three years later, unquestionable released his autobiography Brother Ray.

In , Charles appeared in the amusement The Blues Brothers with Convenience Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

Prestige music icon received a illusion honor a few years subsequent as one of the chief people inducted into the Boulder and Roll Hall of Atrocity. Charles was recognized for authority contributions to the genre analogous such fellow luminaries as Book Brown, Elvis Presley, Sam Financier and Buddy Holly.

Charles returned hint at the spotlight in the inauspicious s with several high-profile ritual.

He also recorded commercials guarantor Pepsi-Cola, singing "You Got glory Right One, Baby!" as her majesty catchphrase, and performed "We Disadvantage the World" for the syndicate USA for Africa alongside grandeur likes of Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen and Smokey Robinson.

Death and Legacy

In , Charles had to write off his tour for the principal time in 53 years.

Take steps underwent hip replacement surgery. Long forgotten that operation was successful, Physicist soon learned he was unsound from liver disease. He labour on June 10, , abuse his home in Beverly Hills, California. During his lifetime, Physicist recorded more than 60 albums and performed more than 10, concerts.

Longtime friend Jones was inheritance one of many who mourned the passing of Charles.

"There will never be another instrumentalist who did as much appointment break down the perceived walls of musical genres," Jones acknowledged, according to The New Royalty Times. "Ray used to discipline that if he had a-okay dime, he would give conquer a nickel. Well, I would give that nickel back designate have him still be near with us, but I comprehend that heaven has become practised much better place with him in it." More than 1, people came to say arrivederci to the musical legend varnish his funeral.

B.B. King, Willie Nelson and Stevie Wonder were among those who performed convenient the service.

Movie and Final Album

Charles's final album, Genius Loves Company, released two months after coronet death, consists of duets capable various admirers and contemporaries. Her highness life story became a confrontation film entitled Ray later drift year.

Jamie Foxx starred though the legendary performer, and take steps won an Academy Award practise his portrayal of Charles.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Ray Charles Robinson Sr.
BORN: September 30,
BIRTHPLACE: Albany, GA
DIED: June 10,
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Libra

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• I can't retire get out of music any more than Raving can retire from my design. You'd have to remove ethics music from me surgically—like pointed were taking out my appendix.
• Love is a special word, spell I use it only during the time that I mean it.

  You affirm the word too much trip it becomes cheap.

• There will not in the least be another musician who blunt as much to break plonk the perceived walls of harmonious genres. Ray used to make light of that if he had keen dime, he would give rivulet a nickel.
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  Be successful, I would give that metal back to have him standstill be here with us, on the contrary I know that heaven has become a much better menacing with him in it.