Topic: Ray Charles
Quotes
You see a young cat driving by in his Escalade -- white, black, Latino, it doesn't matter -- and you know what you hear
Feature: Oscar nominees do lunch Feb 07, 2005
There's no way to repeat all of the 'event dimensions' that the Ray Charles CD brought to the table
Analysis: Ray Charles' big finish Sep 08, 2004
Although he was very successful and owned a home in Beverly Hills, his first home was always his treasured studio
Ray Charles dies at 73 Jun 10, 2004
My eyes are my handicap, but my ears are my opportunity
Today in Music: a look back at pop music May 02, 2003
King Curtis and the Kingpins Live at the Fillmore West
Today in Music: a look back at pop music May 02, 2003
Official website
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.”
The influences upon his music were mainly jazz, blues, rhythm and blues and country artists of the day such as Art Tatum, Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan, Charles Brown, Louis Armstrong. His playing reflected influences from country blues and barrelhouse, and stride piano styles.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ray Charles."