Ray Charles is a jazz visionary. Biography of Ray Charles

Biography of Ray Charles

Real name: Ray Charles Robinson
Date of Birth: September 23, 1930 in the USA, Albany, Georgia
Tools: Piano, saxophone, vocals, keyboards.
Genre: Jazz, soul, rhythm and blues.

Ray Charles's contribution to modern music cannot be overestimated: without Ray Charles, perhaps such performers as Stevie Wonder, Joe Cocker, Manfred Mann, Eric Clapton and many others would not have appeared, considering the blind pianist their spiritual father. In 1994, at the MIDEM festival in Monaco, Ray Charles was awarded a special prize for his contribution to contemporary music.

Ray - a personality from those drummers of musical work who were always bored with being content with what they had, who needed discoveries and constant movement forward. One of the main founders of soul, he successfully expanded the boundaries of rhythm and blues of the 50s with gospel vocals, modern jazz, blues and country. I would like to describe his fate in terms from our half-forgotten Soviet past: a leader, a Stakhanovite and a multi-machine operator. His musical achievements cannot be assessed otherwise: the author of more than 70 studio and concert albums, a composer with 50 years of experience, a charming singer, an excellent pianist, arranger and bandleader. And although the most interesting pages of his creative biography were written a long time ago and since the late 60s he rarely managed to capture the public’s imagination, he has remained in excellent performing form for decades, continues to record annually and perform extensively.

Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia, into an extremely poor family. He never knew his father; his mother raised him and his brother alone. Poverty was soon supplemented by an incurable disease: glaucoma robbed the boy of his sight year after year, and by the age of seven he was completely blind. Shortly before this, little Ray had to endure a terrible shock when his brother drowned before his eyes. He learned to read and write, and then write down notes, using the Braille method. The boy was able to develop his undoubted musical abilities at St. Augustine's school for blind and deaf children. Here he studied the art of composition and mastered musical instruments; the piano, of course, immediately became his favorite. He was only 15 years old when his mother died, leaving him in the care of his estranged father's first wife. Without finishing school, the guy wandered around Florida for several years in search of any job. And having saved a small amount, he crossed the United States and settled in Seattle, where he managed to get a job as an accompanist in local clubs and cafes.

By the end of the 40s, Ray Charles was already collaborating with small record companies and recording smooth compositions, a mixture of pop style and rhythm and blues, which most closely resembled Nat "King" Cole. He accompanied himself on the piano and sang, imitating the manner of Charles Brown. In 1951, his song "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" gained some fame and appeared in the top ten of the R&B chart. However, Charles's early recordings did little to attract attention. Repeatedly and quite rightly criticized, they sounded colder, more mediocre and much less emotional than the works of his best period, which formed the golden fund of modern music. Although there was no reason to doubt the skill and performing technique of their author.

In the early 50s, the sound of his music changed; he moved from mostly imitative recordings to independent original creativity. The change in playing style and composition was influenced by touring with Lowell Fulson, participation in the backing band of rhythm and blues star Ruth Brown, but primarily by studio work in New Orleans with Guitar Slim Slim). Ray played piano and arranged his famous rhythm and blues hit "The Things That I Used to Do." Slim, this crazy-passionate performer, made an indelible impression on Charles.

Since 1952, the Atlantic Records label began to deal with the musician’s creative affairs, and Only now is Charles finding his true voice. Summarizing the experience of past years and using the best practices, he creates his most popular and iconic hit “I Got a Woman”. In this composition 1955 2010, Ray for the first time felt his unmistakable plaintive vocal style, close to gospel, which was perfectly set off by elastic, upbeat horn arrangements.

The soul style as such did not yet exist in the 50s. Meanwhile, all the work done by the musician during these years was precisely aimed at creating a more refined variety of rhythm and blues, in which all the richness of emotional nuances would be preserved. A number of the most successful songs Ray Charles recorded in the 50s were precisely this sophisticated version of R&B, which would soon be called soul. His biggest hits at the time were “This Little Girl of Mine”, “Greenbacks”, “Drown in My Own Tears”, “Hallelujah I Love Her So”, “Mary Ann”, “Lonely Avenue” and “The Right Time” . Black listeners predominated among the musician’s fans, and all of the listed compositions appeared in the Top 10 rating of “black” singles. It took pop music fans many years to appreciate the originality of Charles' sound and skill. The real breakthrough came in 1959, when the artist presented the single “What’d I Say (Part I),” which combined a church atmosphere, successfully conveyed by touching vocals, and the spirit of rock and roll, delivered with the help of an electric piano. Long recognized as a classic, the song “What’d I Say” has been included in the repertoire of an endless number of bands and artists singing in venues ranging from stadiums to restaurants. It was the first single of Charles' career to reach number six on the national pop chart. And one of the last releases under the auspices of Atlantic, which the artist said goodbye to in the late 50s, moving to the ABC label.

Now he was no longer a novice boy, but a famous performer and mature author who could dictate his terms to the ABC company. One of them—the right to control the artistic level of his recordings—he especially valued. This immediately affected the quality of new publications. If until the early 60s there was not a single truly popular album in the musician’s discography, then already in 1960 the picture changed dramatically. Eight records, released between 1960 and 1963, climbed into the Top 20 of the pop chart, at a time when rhythm and blues albums rarely managed to attract mainstream attention. The excellent long-plays “Genius + Soul = Jazz” and “Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul” do the almost impossible, conquering the 4th and 2nd lines of the national chart.

Things are just as great with the hits. Left at his disposal, Charles knows how to achieve the desired result and, having only slightly polished his rhythm and blues sound, in which he has achieved perfection, he produces a series of hit singles that bring him enormous popularity. The peaks of his career are the famous hits “Georgia On My Mind”, “Hit the Road Jack”, “You Don’t Know Me”. They turned Charles into a world star.

In 1962, he surprised both his newfound fans and the old guard by deciding to delve into country music and the music of the American West in general. And he went deeper so successfully that he released another number one hit, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” which sold a million copies, and then a wonderful album, “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music,” which ended up being a top hit that same year. -parade. Luxurious arrangements for these compositions were created with the participation of a big band, string orchestra and choir. For those who were closely acquainted with the entire creative laboratory of the musician (though there were fewer of them then than we would like), there was nothing surprising in this “renegade” of Ray Charles. Restless in his pursuit and open to experimentation, he has always been an eclectic artist, and during his collaboration with Atlantic Records, for example, he repeatedly recorded with famous jazz musicians David Newman, Milt Jackson and others.

If we once again allow ourselves to use Soviet terminology, then Charles can safely be called a sixties man. It was in the 60s that his composing talent flourished; he proved himself to be an exceptionally attractive vocalist and competent arranger. He has the first-class hit singles “Busted”, “You Are My Sunshine”, “Take These Chains From My Heart”, “Crying Time”, “Love Me With All Your Heart”, “Together Again”. Like many of his colleagues, he often recorded cover versions of other artists, among whom the Beatles were especially popular. His covers of "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" had some success, reaching Top 30 in the US.

The beginning of the 60s also marked the culmination of his relationship with the managers of the Grammy ceremony: seven times in four years he became a laureate of the award. The single “Georgia on My Mind” was awarded for best pop vocal and best pop-rock track, and Charles’ vocal performance on the album “Genius of Ray Charles” was also awarded. And in the category “Best R&B Recording” the artist won four years in a row with the songs “Let the Good Times Roll”, “Hit the Road Jack”, “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Busted”.

The rapid development of events slowed down somewhat in 1965, when the musician was arrested for possession of heroin. This could have happened much earlier and at any moment, because his heroin experience totaled almost 20 years. He spent almost a year in prison, but returned in surprisingly good shape and immediately got down to business. In the second half of the 60s, the musician was less interested in rock and soul, and pop melodies and jazz styles took priority. He especially loved the string arrangements, creating a bridge to the lounge. There were few albums that equally combined commercial and creative success. Among the best are the 1966 disc “Crying Time” (Top 20 US) and the finalist of the top five jazz recordings “A Portrait of Ray”. Rock musicians, as has been the custom for a long time, closely followed the creative ups and downs of Ray Charles and willingly used his findings. Joe Cocker and Steve Winwood, for example, never hid the powerful influence the artist had on shaping their tastes and playing style. The musician's signature phrasing found its successor and modernizer in the person of another charismatic character - Van Morrison.

During the first twenty years of his professional career, Ray Charles reached such heights that seemed to insure him against any vicissitudes of fate. It’s somehow even indecent to criticize him. Charles is the legendary embodiment of American music, and the American Dream for that matter. His artistry has not faded over the years; his characteristic touching vocals have retained all their overtones. But the fact remains: as a composer over the past thirty years he has had practically nothing to boast about. Millions of his fans would react with delight to his return to the soul of the mid-50s and 60s. But for some reason, Charles no longer felt the same passion for soul music that inspired him to create his best songs. The passion for jazz, country and, of course, pop standards won out. He continued to record almost as actively, but did not arouse the same interest among the public. The track “Living for the City,” winner of the 1975 Grammy for best male vocal in the genre of rhythm and blues, was made, as always, very high quality, but did not captivate the audience.

The singer mastered the country style quite successfully; his 1985 long-play “Friendship” even topped the country chart. A reminder of the true extent of Ray Charles's talent was his participation in the album "We Are The World" (1985) as part of the USA for Africa program. The same periodic successes accompanied him in his jazz excursions, where the album “Ray Charles” (1988) was the most successful. The musician did well in his film debut, playing a small role in the famous film “The Blues Brothers”. Finally, his services to the arts were recognized by his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In different parts of the world, Ray Charles had devoted fans who filled thousands of halls, and in live shows he appeared fully armed. Even into his 60s, he remained an amazing vocalist. What the organizers of the Grammy ceremony could not help but admit, who in 1990 awarded the musician for the best duet (track “I’ll Be Good to You”), and in 1993 - for best male vocal in the R&B genre (track “Song for You”, cover of a song by Leon Russell). Delivered in Charles's inimitable style, "Song for You" was featured on the 1993 LP My World, one of the few '90s releases recorded with real inspiration and passion.

With the advent of the CD era, the collected works of Ray Charles were systematically remastered and reissued in different thematic and chronological collections, compilations of concert recordings, rare and unreleased materials appeared - dozens of discs and box sets. In the mid-90s, the musician reminded Americans of himself in another way, one of the most effective: he recorded vocals for several commercials for diet Pepsi. His discography during these years was rarely replenished with new releases. In 1998, Ray Charles released a good blues recording, “Dedicated to You,” and in 2000, he returned to jazz and prepared an interesting tribute to Steve Turre, “In the Spur of the Moment.”

In May 2002, the Roman Colosseum received its first listeners - after a 2000-year hiatus (yes!). The host of the show, which was held in defense of world peace, was none other than Ray Charles. He performed his classic hit “Georgia on My Mind” ". In May 2003, Charles played his 10,000th concert in Los Angeles. That is, over the last 50 years of his life, he appeared on stage an average of 200 times a year.. This would have continued further, but my health had let me down. After hip surgery, the musician spent many months regaining his shape. He had to cancel a number of performances but giving up work completely was beyond his strength. Therefore, the musician continued to prepare a new album, this time a selection of duets with Elton John, Norah Jones, Johnny Mathis and other vocalists. This last album, released after Ray's death in 2004, just went and took almost all the 2005 Grammys in their respective categories.

“The Father of Soul”, who went through the instructive school of life, Ray Charles has sincere fatherly feelings for people who are somehow deprived by fate. In 1987, he allocated a million dollars to create a fund to help the deaf and opened a special clinic for patients with hearing impairment. He not only participated in the fight for civil rights, but also actively financed the activities of Martin Luther King Jr. And in 2003, he sponsored a million dollars to the University of New Orleans to develop a special course dedicated to the culture, music, linguistics and cooking of black Americans and their contribution to the life of modern America. It would only be logical if one of the main characters of this course would be Ray Charles Robinson himself.

“Ray, you will forever be in our hearts!”

Ray Charles discography:

• 1956 The Great Ray Charles (Atlantic)
• 1956 The Genius After Hours (Rhino)
• 1957 Ray Charles (Atlantic)
• 1958 Ray Charles at Newport (Atlantic)
• 1958 Yes, Indeed!! (Atlantic)
• 1958 Soul Brothers (Atlantic)
• 1959 What'd I Say (Atlantic)
• 1959 Ray Charles (Xtra)
• 1959 The Fabulous Ray Charles (Hollywood)
• 1959 Ray Charles (Hollywood)
• 1959 The Genius of Ray Charles (Atlantic)
• 1960 Ray Charles in Person (Atlantic)
• 1960 Genius + Soul = Jazz (DCC)
• 1960 Basin Street Blues (ABC)
• 1960 Ray Charles Sextet (Atlantic)
• 1961 Dedicated to You (ABC/Paramount)
• 1961 Ray Charles & Betty Carter (ABC/Paramount)
• 1961 The Genius Sings the Blues (Atlantic)
• 1961 The Do the Twist with Ray Charles! (Atlantic)
• 1961 Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music (Rhino)
• 1961 Soul Meeting (Atlantic)
• 1962 Hit the Road Jack (HMV)
• 1962 The Original Ray Charles London
• 1962 Modern Sounds in Country & Western, Vol. 2 (Rhino)
• 1963 Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul (ABC)
• 1963 I Can't Stop Loving You (HMV)
• 1964 Sweet & Sour Tears (Rhino)
• 1964 Have a Smile with Me (ABC/Paramount)
• 1964 Ballad of Ray Charles (HMV)
• 1965 Live in Concert (ABC)
• 1965 Country & Western Meets Rhythm & Blues (ABC/Paramount)
• 1965 Ballad Style of Ray Charles (HMV)
• 1965 Swinging Style (HMV)
• 1965 Baby Its Cold Outside (HMV)
• 1965 Take These Chains (HMV)
• 1965 Ray Charles Sings (HMV)
• 1965 Cincinnati Kid (MGM)
• 1966 Crying Time (ABC/Paramount)
• 1966 Ray's Moods (ABC/Paramount)
• 1966 Busted (HMV)
• 1967 A Man & His Soul (ABC/Paramount)
• 1967 Ray Charles Invites You to Listen (ABC)
• 1968 Memories of a Middle Aged Man (Atlantic)
• 1969 I'm All Yours-Baby! (ABC/Tangerine)
• 1969 Doing His Thing (ABC/Tangerine)
• 196? Le Grand (Atlantic)
• 1970 My Kind of Jazz (Tangerine)
• 1970 Love Country Style (ABC/Tangerine)
• 1970 Ray Charles (Everest)
• 1971 Volcanic Action of My Soul (ABC/Tangerine)
• 1972 A Message from the People (ABC/Tangerine)
• 1972 Through the Eyes of Love (ABC/Tangerine)
• 1972 Presents the Raelettes (Tangerine)
• 1972 The Original Ray Charles Boulevard
• 1973 Ray Charles Live (Atlantic)
• 1973 Jazz Number II (Tangerine)
• 1973 Genius in Concert L.A. (Bluesway)
• 1974 Come Live with Me (Crossover)
• 1975 Renaissance (Crossover)
• 1975 My Kind of Jazz, Vol. 3 (Crossover)
• 1975 World of Ray Charles, Vol. 2 (Decca)
• 1975 Live in Japan (Crossover)
• 1975 Ray Charles (Up Front)
• 1976 Porgy & Bess (RCA Victor)
• 1977 True to Life (Atlantic)
• 1978 Love & Peace (Atco)
• 1978 Blues (Ember)
• 1978 The Fabulous Ray Charles (Musidisc)
• 1979 Ain't It So (Atlantic)
• 1979 King of the Blues (Ampro)
• 197? Incomparable (Strand)
• 1980 Brother Ray Is at It Again (Atlantic)
• 1980 I Can't Stop Loving You (Pickwick)
• 1982 A Life in Music (Atlantic)
• 1982 I Give You My Love (IMS)
• 1983 Wish You Were Here Tonight (Columbia)
• 1984 Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? (Columbia)
• 1984 Friendship (Columbia)
• 1984 Jammin' the Blues (Astan)
• 1984 C C Rider (Premier)
• 1984 Ray Charles Blues (Astan)
• 1985 The Spirit of Christmas (Rhino)
• 1986 From the Pages of My Mind (Columbia)
• 1987 The Right Time (Atlantic)
• 1988 Just Between Us (Columbia)
• 1988 I Can't Stop Loving You (Colorado)
• 1988 The Love Songs (Deja Vu)
• 1989 18 Golden Hits (SPA)
• 1989 Blues Is My Middle Name Object
• 1990 Would You Believe? (Warner)
• 1993 My World (Warner)
• 1995 It's a Blues (Thing Monad)
• 1996 Strong Love Affair (Warner)
• 1996 Berlin, 1962 (Pablo)
• 1996 Berlin 1962 (Fantasy)
• 1998 In Concert (Rhino)
• 1998 Dedicated to You (Rhino)
• 2000 Sittin' on Top of the World (Pilz)
• 2000 Les Incontournables
• 2004 Genius Loves Company

American Ray Charles is a pianist, vocalist and songwriter in the styles of jazz, blues, rock and roll and country, weaving these styles into a single whole. Charles's genius put him on a par with the best musicians of the 20th century and turned him into one of the symbols of American culture. Rolling Stone magazine named him tenth on its “Immortal List” and second on its list of the 100 best vocalists of all time.

Childhood and youth

Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930, to Aretha and Bailey Robinson. But soon the parents separated, and Aretha and her sons moved from Georgia to South Florida, to the tiny village of Greenville. There she raised her sons, trying to get out of hopeless poverty. When Ray was five years old, his younger brother George drowned. The elder brother could not save him.

After this tragedy, Ray began to lose his sight and by the age of seven he was blind. He had to learn to live with this, and the boy was sent to boarding school. There Ray developed his musical abilities. He sang in a choir and learned to play the piano, organ, saxophone, trombone and clarinet. After the death of his parents, the blind young man had to make his way in life on his own. At seventeen, Ray Robinson formed the MacSon Trio. In 1949, his song became a hit for the first time.

Music

In the 50s, the musician’s official pseudonym was born. The surname was dropped to avoid confusion with boxer Ray Robinson. Ray Charles is looking for his own style, achieving a unique sound for his compositions. Experiments with the voice, including wheezing, screaming and other sounds in songs that enhance the emotional coloring of the words.

In 1955, his soul single "I Got a Woman" climbed to the top of the R&B charts. During this time, Ray sang gospel songs and blues ballads. He performed traditional “black” music, revealing its beauty to everyone.

The first iconic song written entirely by Ray, What'd I Say, became a rock and roll classic. Ray collaborated with major orchestras, jazzmen, and experimented with country music. The result was that he was awarded a Grammy. The vocalist's powerful and voluminous expressive voice impressed music critics and ordinary listeners.

By the early 60s, the singer was earning so much money that he was able not only to undergo a full medical examination from eminent doctors, but also to purchase a luxurious mansion in the Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills. However, Ray was unable to regain at least partial vision.

Having received creative freedom, the singer expanded his collaboration with other musicians. Ray performed the song Hit The Road Jack as a duet with Margie Hendricks. The new sound brought the composition to the top of popularity for two weeks. The fame was so great that it reached Russia: Soviet jazz bands included it in their repertoire.

During the same period, Ray's signature album, Georgia On My Mind, was recorded. Initially, the author of the song, Hog Carmichael, dedicated it to a girl with that name. But the performer made the song a hit, and residents of the state of Georgia, impressed by his vocals, declared it their anthem.

After the 70s, the musician performed a lot and paid more and more attention to country compositions. In the last decades of his life, Ray Charles included the sound of electronic instruments in his melodies. He wove into a single whole the music of different peoples who became the population of the United States by the 20th century. The classic song "America the Beautiful" was reborn with Ray's performance and gospel/R&B arrangement.

Personal life

The musician loved women, and nine of them became the mothers of his children. But Ray entered into an official union with only two women: with Eileen Williams (July 31, 1951) and Della Beatrice Howard Robinson (April 5, 1955). The first marriage broke up a year later, the second union lasted 22 years, the couple raised three sons: David, Ray Charles and Reverend Robinson.

In addition to them, Ray admitted nine more illegitimate children. Before completing his life's journey, the father gave each child a million dollars. The musician's last companion was Norma Pinella.

Death

For the last two years of his life, Ray Charles battled cancer. He had a hard time recovering from surgery. However, even after losing the ability to walk, the musician went daily to his own recording studio RPM, where he worked on the album Genius Loves Company. He died on June 10, 2004 at home. He is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

In the fall in Los Angeles, a concert in memory of Ray Charles brought together twenty thousand spectators and famous musicians in one hall, who performed his songs, which became iconic.

The singer’s biography is reflected in the film “Ray,” which was released in October of the same year. The plot was based on the autobiography “Brother Ray,” written in 1978. The production team consulted with Charles during the production process. He starred in the title role and was awarded an Oscar for it. Sometimes photographs of the actor in this role are confused with photographs of the musician.

The second posthumous album included new works with modern pop and soul stars. To record the third posthumous album, advances in computer sound processing were used. The restored vocal recordings of the singer were combined with melodies performed by the Count Basie orchestra.

Modern technologies allow the singer to communicate with the listener even a decade after his death. Concord Records continues to work with Ray's old recordings, returning his compositions to fans in a new sound.

Discography

• 1956 - The Great Ray Charles
• 1960 - Basin Street Blues
• 1961 - Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music
• 1962 - Hit the Road Jack
• 1963 - Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul
• 1965 - Country & Western Meets Rhythm & Blues
• 1972 - A Message from the People
• 2000 - Sittin" on Top of the World
• 2004 - Genius Loves Company
• 2005 - Genius & Friends
• 2005 - Genius Remixed
• 2006 - Ray Sings, Basie Swings
• 2009 - Genius The Ultimate Ray Charles
• 2010 - Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters
• 2012 - Extraordinary Ray Charles

Iconic American composer and performer, one of the most famous musicians of the 20th century. Ray Charles- author of more than seventy studio albums, winner of 17 awards " Grammy" Died on July 10, 2004.

Biography of Ray Charles / ray Charles

Ray Charles was born on September 23, 1930 in the small town of Albany, Georgia, into a very poor family. Father of the future musician, Bailey Robinson, soon abandoned his family, leaving Ray and his younger brother George in the care of his mother Aretas and her mother-in-law. In the future, Bailey did not take much part in the lives of his children. The musician's mother died in 1945, his father two years later.

At the age of five, Ray Charles witnessed the death of George: the boy drowned in a tub. Ray tried to help him, but couldn’t get him out. Soon after, Ray Charles began to lose his sight and by the age of seven he was completely blind. Presumably, the shock experienced became the cause of the illness; according to another version, it was a consequence of glaucoma.

The creative path of Ray Charles / ray Charles

Very early on, Ray Charles began to show interest in music. As a student at a school for the deaf and blind in St. Augustine, Florida, he not only mastered Braille, but also learned to play the piano, trombone, clarinet, organ and saxophone.

At the age of 17, Ray Charles left Seattle, where he founded his first band. Quite quickly he began recording in the studio and collaborating with a famous R&B artist Lowell Fulson. Ray Charles's first successful composition was the song " Confession Blues", created in 1949.

The full name of the musician is Raymond Charles Robinson(Raymond Charles Robinson). He shortened his name to avoid direct associations with the famous American boxer Ray Robinson, whose peak of popularity occurred at the beginning of the musical career of Ray Charles.

In 1953, the musician released the successful singles “ Messaround" And " It Should Have Been Me", and also accompanied the famous bluesman Guitar Slim in the composition " The Things That I Used To Do", which sold millions of copies.

The single "I Got a Woman", recorded in 1955, was the first of Ray Charles's career to reach number one on the charts.

The musician’s next super-hit was the song “ What'd I say" It is believed that Ray Charles I composed it directly at the concert, filling the time allotted under the contract. By the end of the 50s, the musician had already gained considerable popularity, and in 1959 he received his first Grammy for the blues song “ Let the Good Times Roll».

In the following years, Ray Charles created many hits, including “ Unchain My Heart», « You Are My Sunshine», « Hit The Road Jack" His influence on music is difficult to overestimate: in his work, the musician went beyond blues and gospel, and his “ I Got a Woman"is considered the first composition in the soul style. Ray Charles's famous album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music", released in 1962, became a country hit, which was absolutely incredible for a black musician at that time. Sometimes Ray Charles attracted entire orchestras to his recordings.

Throughout his career, the musician toured a lot. He visited Russia twice with concerts - in 1994 and 2000. Ray Charles' last performance took place on April 30, 2004 in Los Angeles.

For a long time the musician suffered from illness. In all likelihood, it was liver cancer that began to appear in 2002. Despite the fact that in recent months he could not walk and practically did not speak, he continued to work in the studio.

On June 10, 2004, Ray Charles died at his home in Beverly Hills, and two months later his final album, " Genius Loves Company».

Personal life of Ray Charles / ray Charles

The musician was officially married twice. First marriage with Eileen Williams lasted only a year, from 1951 to 1952. From his second marriage with Della Beatrice Howard Robinson Ray Charles has three children, their union lasted from 1955 to 1977. The musician had nine more children from eight different women.

Ray Charles began using drugs at the age of 16 and more than once this addiction jeopardized his career and personal life. He was found to be in possession of drugs several times, but managed to avoid jail time. In 1965, the musician was arrested for possession of marijuana and heroin, and only after that was he able to finally quit drugs.

Shortly after the death of Ray Charles, the biographical film “Ray” was released, telling about the life of the musician from 1930 to 1966. Jamie Foxx, the leading actor in this film, won an Academy Award for this work.

Discography of Ray Charles / ray Charles

1956 The Great Ray Charles (Atlantic)
1956 The Genius After Hours (Rhino)
1957 Ray Charles (Atlantic)
1958 Ray Charles at Newport (Atlantic)
1958 Yes, Indeed!!! (Atlantic)
1958 Soul Brothers (Atlantic)
1959 What'd I Say (Atlantic)
1959 Ray Charles (Xtra)
1959 The Fabulous Ray Charles (Hollywood)
1959 Ray Charles (Hollywood)
1959 The Genius of Ray Charles (Atlantic)
1960 Ray Charles in Person (Atlantic)
1960 Genius + Soul = Jazz (DCC)
1960 Basin Street Blues (ABC)
1960 Ray Charles Sextet (Atlantic)
1961 Dedicated to You (ABC/Paramount)
1961 Ray Charles & Betty Carter (ABC/Paramount)
1961 The Genius Sings the Blues (Atlantic)
1961 The Do the Twist with Ray Charles! (Atlantic)
1961 Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music (Rhino)
1961 Soul Meeting (Atlantic)
1962 Hit the Road Jack (HMV)
1962 The Original ray Charles London
1962 Modern Sounds in Country & Western, Vol. 2 (Rhino)
1963 Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul (ABC)
1963 I Can't Stop Loving You (HMV)
1964 Sweet & Sour Tears (Rhino)
1964 Have a Smile with Me (ABC/Paramount)
1964 Ballad of Ray Charles (HMV)
1965 Live in Concert (ABC)
1965 Country & Western Meets Rhythm & Blues (ABC/Paramount)
1965 Ballad Style of Ray Charles (HMV)
1965 Swinging Style (HMV)
1965 Baby Its Cold Outside (HMV)
1965 Take These Chains (HMV)
1965 Ray Charles Sings (HMV)
1965 Cincinnati Kid (MGM)
1966 Crying Time (ABC/Paramount)
1966 Ray's Moods (ABC/Paramount)
1966 Busted (HMV)
1967 A Man & His Soul (ABC/Paramount)
1967 Ray Charles Invites You to Listen (ABC)
1968 Memories of a Middle Aged Man (Atlantic)
1969 I'm All Yours-Baby! (ABC/Tangerine)
1969 Doing His Thing (ABC/Tangerine)
196? Le Grand (Atlantic)
1970 My Kind of Jazz (Tangerine)
1970 Love Country Style (ABC/Tangerine)
1970 Ray Charles (Everest)
1971 Volcanic Action of My Soul (ABC/Tangerine)
1972 A Message from the People (ABC/Tangerine)
1972 Through the Eyes of Love (ABC/Tangerine)
1972 Presents the Raelettes (Tangerine)
1972 The Original ray Charles Boulevard
1973 Ray Charles Live (Atlantic)
1973 Jazz Number II (Tangerine)
1973 Genius in Concert L.A. (Bluesway)
1974 Come Live with Me (Crossover)
1975 Renaissance (Crossover)
1975 My Kind of Jazz, Vol. 3 (Crossover)
1975 World of Ray Charles, Vol. 2 (Decca)
1975 Live in Japan (Crossover)
1975 Ray Charles (Up Front)
1976 Porgy & Bess (RCA Victor)
1977 True to Life (Atlantic)
1978 Love & Peace (Atco)
1978 Blues (Ember)
1978 The Fabulous Ray Charles (Musidisc)
1979 Ain't It So (Atlantic)
1979 King of the Blues (Ampro)
197? Incomparable (Strand)
1980 Brother Ray Is at It Again (Atlantic)
1980 I Can't Stop Loving You (Pickwick)
1982 A Life in Music (Atlantic)
1982 I Give You My Love (IMS)
1983 Wish You Were Here Tonight (Columbia)
1984 Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? (Columbia)
1984 Friendship (Columbia)
1984 Jammin" the Blues (Astan)
1984 °C Rider (Premier)
1984 Ray Charles Blues (Astan)
1985 The Spirit of Christmas (Rhino)
1986 From the Pages of My Mind (Columbia)
1987 The Right Time (Atlantic)
1988 Just Between Us (Columbia)
1988 I Can't Stop Loving You (Colorado)
1988 The Love Songs (Deja Vu)
1989 18 Golden Hits (SPA)
1989 Blues Is My Middle Name Object
1990 Would You Believe? (Warner)
1993 My World (Warner)
1995 It's a Blues (Thing Monad)
1996 Strong Love Affair (Warner)
1996 Berlin, 1962 (Pablo)
1996 Berlin 1962 (Fantasy)
1998 In Concert (Rhino)
1998 Dedicated to You (Rhino)
2000 Sittin" on Top of the World (Pilz)
2000 Les Incontournables
2002 Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again
2004 ray OST
2004 Genius Loves Company
2005 Genius & Friends
2005 Genius Remixed
2006 Ray Sings, Basie Swings
2009 Genius The Ultimate ray Charles
2010 Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters
2012 Extraordinary Ray Charles

That is why our today's hero has remained the standard for many, many musicians on our planet for many years in a row, as well as the number one star for all connoisseurs of quality music.

Early years, childhood and family of Ray Charles

At the age of five, another serious shock occurred in the life of little Ray Charles. While swimming in a tub, his younger brother George drowned. The child died right before the eyes of the future musician. Five-year-old Ray tried to help his brother, but was unable to pull him out of the deep tub.

This event shocked our today’s hero so much that very soon he began to experience vision problems. By the age of seven, Ray Charles was completely blind. Subsequently, the version about the psychological nature of the musician’s blindness was the most popular among all his fans.

However, many years later, American doctors who examined the musician put forward the version that the loss of vision occurred as a result of glaucoma.

Returning to the topic of the outstanding master’s childhood, we note that the turmoil in the musician’s life did not end there. Already in 1945, the singer lost his mother, thus remaining in the care of his elderly grandmother.

Perhaps it was a series of life blows that laid the foundations for the famous musical style of Ray Charles. After all, his music always contained a lot of melancholy and very little joy...

Musical career of singer Ray Charles

Ray Charles. One of the most popular songs.

It was from this moment that his passion for music began. After all, there was essentially nothing else in his life.

At the age of seventeen, our today's hero moved to the large and vibrant Seattle, which at that time was considered the American capital of instrumental music. Here such trends as soul, blues and jazz were especially popular. That’s why Ray Charles chose Washington State to continue his musical career.

In Seattle, our today's hero founded his first musical ensemble and soon it became quite popular in the northern United States. Famous performer Lowell Fulson invited him to work together. Subsequently, representatives of well-known record companies also began to approach Ray Charles with offers of long-term cooperation.

Thus, in 1949, our today’s hero recorded his first full-scale hit, “Confession Blues,” which very soon began to be heard even on federal radio stations in America. From that moment on, Ray Charles began to frequently tour various cities in the United States, giving small concerts and recording performances for national television.

Ray Charles - Confession Blues

In 1953, the talented black singer recorded the singles “It Should Have Been Me” and “Mess Around,” which three years later formed the basis of his first solo album, “The Great Ray Charles.”

Throughout his career, our today's hero has released more than a hundred (!) albums, as well as official recordings of concert performances. The geography of his tours stretches from the USA to Japan and from Germany to Russia. Many of his compositions - such as “Hit The Road Jack”, “You Are My Sunshine”, “Unchain My Heart” - became immortal hits. That is why the influence of Ray Charles on world music is very difficult to overestimate. As recognized figures in the scene note, it was the music of Ray Charles that laid the foundations for such trends as modern jazz, blues and even rock and R&B.

Ray Charles' awards include his own star on the Walk of Fame, as well as 17 Grammy Awards, the Order of Arts and Letters, the National Medal of Arts and several other awards. Currently, the name of the great musician is listed simultaneously in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in the Jazz Hall of Fame. Several streets in the United States and even an entire post office are named after Ray Charles.

The last years of Ray Charles' life

On June 10, 2004, the outstanding master of music died at his home in Beverly Hills. Two months after his death, his final album, Genius Loves Company, was officially released in the United States. At the farewell concert, the musician’s songs were performed by BB King, Elton John, Van Morrison and many other outstanding musicians who considered themselves friends and followers of Ray Charles.

Personal life of Ray Charles

The musician spent the last years of his life with a woman named Norma Pinella