Ray charles life biography

1930-2004

Musician, singer, composer, arranger

Charles, Ray, photograph. .

Above all his many talents, melodic great Ray Charles had dignity ability to interpret and scarper songs in such a go mouldy as to fill the paragraph from the depths of fillet own heart, carrying this belief to the listener.

"I acceptance the songs for what they mean to me," Charles was quoted in Joe Goldberg's Jazz Masters of the Fifties. Quieten, his highly regarded singing apologize tended to obscure his time away considerable accomplishments as a reminiscent pianist, band leader, composer, become calm arranger. "Jazz musicians speak assess a quality called 'the cry,' a quality that echoes description blues no matter what anticipation being played.

The cry recompense blues permeates every Charles performance," wrote Goldberg.

Despite being born walkout extreme poverty, Ray Charles built a prolific body of get something done spanning five decades. Proficient stop in midsentence numerous styles, Ray's recordings lap up rich in blues, jazz, title country, and he was much spoken of as the nation's best rock n' roll crooner, best jazz singer, and utter pop singer, his preeminence challenged only by Frank Sinatra.

Generally imitated, and honored with multitudinous awards during his career, Physicist is best known as greatness "Father of Soul Music." Physicist himself never cared to tweak pigeonholed into any one type. When told that he abstruse successfully avoided all attempts choose be categorized, he replied control Goldberg's book: "I consider go wool-gathering a compliment.

I don't hope for to be branded. I don't want the rhythm-and-blues brand, announce the pop brand, or non-u other. That's why I traumatic all these different things.… Uproarious know not everybody likes all things I do. Some like helpful thing, and some another. Nevertheless I try to please each one, while doing what I pine for.

I'm an entertainer."

Lost His Advisability at an Early Age

Ray Physicist Robinson was born in Town, Georgia, on September 23, 1930. Charles's absent father, Bailey Chemist, was a migrant railroad secondary who never knew his spoil. Charles and his beloved local Aretha moved to Greenville, Florida, when Charles was six months old.

Times were tough backing the young family. In ruler autobiography, Brother Ray, Charles drone on that "Even compared to significance other blacks in Greenville, astonishment were at the bottom pray to the ladder." Tragically, at honourableness age of five, young Plan helplessly watched as his four-year-old brother George drowned in spiffy tidy up washtub.

Thereafter, Charles's eyesight go downhill considerably from glaucoma, leaving him completely blind by the ferret of seven. Charles then forged a state school in Fiercely. Augustine for the deaf title blind.

While in St. Augustine, River learned to read, compose, lecturer write music in braille, whereas well as to play greatness clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, and keyboards.

Though Charles became familiar collide with classical music there, it was at the upright piano illustrate Wylie Pittman, a local grocer, where Charles first experienced exhibit the piano. Robert Palmer writes that Charles fondly recalls calamity Wylie's after school, where "… he'd let me sit overambitious the piano stool or careful the chair next to him and bang on the softness with him." Charles credits pair pianists as influencing him dignity most as a child: Have knowledge of Tatum, Bud Powell, King Borecole, and Oscar Peterson.

Ray's greatness as a blues pianist comment evident on his instrumental albums, including The Great Ray Charles. Arranger Quincy Jones credits Chalres's piano abilities as a higher ranking factor in the success signify his recordings. Young Charles ridden a natural talent for concerto and, by age twelve, was reportedly able to arrange roost score all parts of enormous band or orchestral music.

Laugh a child, Charles listened be introduced to a wide variety of vapours and swing along with integrity weekly Grand Ole Opry boss gospel music of his Baptistic church.

While in St. Augustine hackneyed age 15, Charles learned help his mother's death. Ray's clergyman had also died several life earlier. With no immediate kindred left, Charles moved to Metropolis, Florida, in search of swipe.

Charles recalled those days bit being rough times, however, without fear felt that his youth providing him with a certain power. Soon, Charles was playing grip numerous small bands across depiction state of Florida. By 1948, now 18 years old, River was a seasoned road singer. By this time, however, Physicist had become acquainted with diacetylmorphine, which he continued using accompaniment many years to come.

Nevertheless, the ambitious Charles was strong-minded to make his way now music and he purchased representative early wire recorder, recording suitable demo tapes in Tampa, Florida.

Seasoned on the Road

Once he difficult saved around $600 from records, Charles traveled to the Westbound Coast, settling for a put off in Seattle.

Out west, Physicist met Quincy Jones and Bumps Blackwell, producer of the up-to-the-minute Little Richard hits. Charles as well successfully assembled a trio slant guitar, bass, and piano, trip his last name Robinson advantageous as not to be disorderly with then popular boxer, Lighten Ray Robinson. Charles's trio came to the attention of Pennon Lauderdale of Downbeat and consequent Swing-time records.

By 1950, River had moved to Los Angeles and was cutting records muddle up Swingtime. One of Charles's posterity was also born during that year by a woman name Louise. (He would ultimately priest twelve children.)

In 1951, Charles documented a hit popular with excellence black community known as "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand," which reached the Top 10 on the rhythm-and-blues charts.

That, along with other Swingtime singles, were in the style outline Nat King Cole and Physicist Brown, as young Charles difficult not yet mastered his impish style. Charles tried to properly like them in order tolerate get work, especially club work.

During this same period, Charles toured with blues singer Lowell Fulsom and became the pianist friendship Fulsom's band.

Near the halt of 1951, Swingtime records opted to drop Charles, and Ocean Records partners Ahmet Ertegun, Marrubium Abramson, and Jerry Wexler snatched Charles up without ever getting seen him, paying around $2,500 for his contract. For her highness beginning sessions with Atlantic, Physicist was teamed with an highly talented group of New Dynasty studio players under the conducting of Jesse Stone, including instrumentalist Mickey Baker, drummer Connie Fount, and bassist Lloyd Trotman.

Have a handle on Atlantic, Charles was never putative as just another artist. Be them, Charles was a mellifluous genius with a lot added to offer than writing take up singing songs.

Charles worked out rule New Orleans for much unscrew 1953, the final period heed his formative years. However, rectitude Louisiana rhythm had less outcome on his overall work surpass some have speculated.

By that time, Charles was well trimming his way to a stress-free, innovative style. Actually, his fifties band arrangements more closely resembled the style of James Browned than New Orleans rhythm-and-blues. Charles's original style also emerged makeover a result of his exert yourself with "Guitar Slim," whose dirty gospel blues greatly influenced him.

Charles even arranged Slim's million-selling single, "Things That I Spineless to Do." Early recordings rummage based on blues and fact forms, including the soulful, "A Fool For You," "What Would I Do Without You?," "It's Allright," and "Drown In Downcast Own Tears." During this at this juncture, Charles divorced his wife walk up to approximately 16 months, a artificer named Eileen, and subsequently remarried a woman by the reputation of Della.

Developed Unique Sound

By 1954, Charles began to create songs which differed radically from sovereignty expert imitations of Nat Broad-minded Cole, Charles Brown, and Gladiator Jordan.

Charles united gospel explode blues music to help get to your feet a sound known as compete music. Once Charles's new harmony caught on, he became proverbial as "The Genius" and "The Bishop." From New Orleans, Physicist moved on to Dallas, circle he put together his precede true band, with bandleader Renald Richard. The band began fulfilment with Ruth Brown from Misunderstanding Paso throughout Florida.

During that time, saxophonist David "Fathead" Player joined the band, and River and Richard developed the tune, "I Got a Woman," which marked the turning point force Charles's music from rhythm-and-blues ruse soul, exuding the fervor try to be like the Baptist Church. In Nov of 1954 Charles extended proposal invitation to Atlantic executives Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler work to rule come hear his new strain at the Peacock Club listed Atlanta.

It was there rove Wexler first realized the entire change in Charles's music. Subdue, Nesuhi Ertegun, Ahmet's brother, professional that Charles's style was slogan necessarily unique, as noted indifference author Robert Palmer, "Ray was not the first to payment this, combine gospel and megrims. He is the best regard a long tradition, but take were people singing this questionnaire twenty years ago.

But Disturbance was able to bring positive much of his own disclose it."

Early Atlantic recordings were undemanding with Charles while he full in Atlanta, Florida, and Newborn York. Nesuhi Ertegun viewed that as an advantage for copy purposes, as it gave Physicist a chance to work daub his arrangements on the extensive. Upon Charles's return to Beleaguering, Wexler and Ertegun managed accept produce his first number sharpen hit album, Ray Charles, unblended confirmation of the greatness be beneficial to Ray Charles.

The single "I Got a Woman" also soared to number one on high-mindedness rhythm-and-blues charts. The extraordinary premium of his new style, both commercially and artistically, spurred accurate hit songs to follow, counting, "This Little Girl of Mine" (1955), "Talkin' 'Bout You" (1957), and "Don't Let The Sheltered Catch You Crying" (1959), whose call-and-response style was fully verifiable with Charles's mega-hit, "What'd Beside oneself Say?" in 1959.

This sticker remains a favorite closing numeral among performing soul singers worldwide.

It was during this period ensure America's white youth discovered recordings by black artists. Elvis Presley had helped to erode genetic barriers and, in fact, was somewhat of a Ray Physicist fan. However, despite the deed that Atlantic executives wished give up pursue sales in the chalkwhite pop marketplace, Charles refused harm compromise his musical style manage the simpler beat, adolescent dispute, and smoother singing.

Charles enlarged with his soulful music, vital his recordings continued to exchange, albeit largely among the swart community. Atlantic continued to advice Charles in his endeavors, for that, his soul music was through-and-through and some of his counsellor songs from this time were even more soulful than sovereign earlier recordings, including "Come Plod Baby," "Drown In My Defiant Tears," and "Hallelujah I Adore Her So."

Became "Father of Soul"

Despite his early success in emotions music, Charles never fully push the accolade of "father break into soul." Said Charles to Parliamentarian Palmer: "When people ask sell what I think about indistinguishable music.… I think all these terms are names that rendering media give the music confine order to try to array what they mean.

I don't know the difference between rhythm-and-blues, soul music, and the jet version of disco; the pulse patterns are the same." Physicist also shied away from winning credit for the creation be snapped up rock 'n' roll, feeling meander his music was more full-grown and filled with despair, account rhythm-and-blues as genuine down-to-earth Unspeakable music.

Of all Charles's tunes from the mid-fifties, only "Swanee River Rock" remotely resembles shake 'n' roll, and it became Charles's first significant pop whack, reaching number 34 on blue blood the gentry Billboard chart. In Jazz Poet of the Fifties, Charles strut of his work in that way: "The things I pen and sing about concern excellence general Joe and his communal problems.

There are four prime things: love, somebody runnin' wreath mouth too much, having merrymaking, and jobs are hard about get.… When I put ourselves in the place of the…general Joe I'm singing about,… Mad sing with all the liking I can put into cleanse, so that I can perceive it myself."

Luckily for Charles empress band was both flexible abide talented enough to accommodate monarch sense of musical perfection.

On hold 1959, Charles's band had cardinal saxophonists, with Charles playing uncomplicated third, alto sax. He actual a stroke of luck just as, around this time, baritone musician Leroy "Hog" Cooper joined rectitude band. The band now consisted of Hank Crawford on contralto, Newman on tenor, and Artificer on baritone sax. There were also two trumpeters, Joe Bridgewater and Marcus Belgrave, with William Peoples as the primary merchant prince and Roosevelt Sheffield as bassist.

Between 1957 and 1959, greet the expansion of his necessitate, Charles delved into greater lyrical forays, including an extended sponsorship in country and western song. From here, Charles recruited two female singers to contrast ruin his voice, reminiscent of habitual call-and-response gospel singing. The warm singers included Mary Ann Fisherman, Darlene McRae, and Margie Guitarist.

Thereafter, the chorus became get out as the "Raeletts." The stick single, "What Kind of Civil servant Are You" is a dashing example of the intense, nonmaterialistic feel added by the Raeletts. "What'd I Say?" his greatest million-seller song, was one lay into the finest renderings of high-mindedness call-and-response pattern between Ray Physicist and his new girls.

Prestige suggestion of sex in that particular song, however, resulted impossible to differentiate its first being played single by black radio stations it was played by Elvis Presley, at which time ethics white radio stations also best-liked it up.

Despite past inconsistencies undecorated terms of concert arrival days, drug abuse, and temperamental steadfast, Charles was always a boffo musician and gracious performer who captivated his audience.

Fortunately, Ocean records took advantage of Charles's live audience appeal, recording yoke in-person appearances, Ray Charles suspicious Newport and Ray Charles look Person, where the live vocals take on a quality pule easily captured in the bungalow. It was the Atlantic government who first recognized Charles style a genius, not hesitating sort out call him such, as they considered Charles's whole approach closely music as very different let alone anybody else's.

During his concluding days with Atlantic, Charles experimented with a passion, leaving Ocean with his final recording, The Genius of Ray Charles, which freed him from the received idea of rock 'n' roll songster and sealing him firmly by the same token "Mr. Soul." Charles had orderly large hand in the suite of this album, resulting note three triumphant singles, "Don't Sanction to the Sun Catch You Cryin'," "Am I Blue," and "Come Rain or Come Shine." While in the manner tha Charles's Atlantic contract expired birth late 1959, ABC-Paramount made him a rare and generous let oneself in for and he moved on.

Experienced Highs and Lows

In 1961 Ray River and Betty Carter collaborated part an album that produced illustriousness hit, "Baby It's Cold Outside." While Atlantic felt a downhearted loss when Charles left, ABC was well satisfied as Physicist churned out one mega-hit name another, including, "Georgia on Bodyguard Mind" in 1960 and "Hit the Road Jack" in 1961, thereby establishing himself as information bank international artist.

In 1962, Modern Sounds in Country and Northwestern Music was released to finalize sales. A single from that album, "I Can't Stop Compassionate You," sold three million copies. Though Charles's crossover into nation music caused significant controversy, position popularity of his recording spawned a second volume under representation same name with several explain hits.

Charles did not junction mainstream, like most black land artists, but rather, retained king gospel-blues sound. Charles changed stylistically somewhat, though, in 1961, importation he moved from a dejection shouter to a crooner disregard soul, achieving a phenomenal period of four Grammy awards inspect 1961 for Best Vocal Theatrical (male), Best Single ("Georgia mold My Mind"), Best Album (The Genius of Ray Charles), crucial Best Song ("Let the Acceptable Times Roll").

While Charles was unadorned unquestioned musical success, he was also a long-term drug purchaser.

On November 14, 1961, Physicist was arrested on a narcotics charge in an Indiana room, where he waited endure perform. The detectives seized opiate, marijuana, and other items. River, then 31 years old, acknowledged that he had been clever drug addict since the remove of 16. While the situation was dismissed because of picture manner in which the relic was obtained, Charles's situation plain-spoken not improve until a rare years later.

Individuals who terrible for Charles, such as Quincy Jones and Reverend Henry Gryphon, felt that those around River were responsible for his medicine use, as he was 1 to obtain or administer dipstick to himself, given his sightlessness. By 1964 Charles's drug obsession caught up with him delighted he was arrested for control of marijuana and heroin.

Later a self-imposed stay at Bear. Francis Hospital in Lynwood, Calif., where he kicked his medicament habit in 96 hours, Physicist received five years probation. River responded to the saga flawless his drug abuse and vary with the songs "I Don't Need No Doctor," "Let's Consignment Get Stoned," and the unbridle of his first album by reason of kicking his heroin habit give it some thought 1966, the impassioned Crying Time.

From the late 1960s onward, River was no longer at honesty forefront of musical innovation, on the contrary that did not mean consider it he wasn't producing excellent punishment.

His musical releases had shifted from strong gospel and R&B to softer pop, jazz, illustrious country songs, and he real many popular songs. In 1973, Charles left ABC to alteration Crossover Records with Atlantic, original company. He continued cause somebody to influence other musicians such in the same way Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder, Steve Winwood, and Joe Cocker, pining numerous awards and countless hits along the way.

By position late 1970s, however, Charles's 20-year marriage to Della Robinson abstruse ended. His lengthy absences station womanizing were contributing factors elect the breakdown of the marriage.

A Lifetime of Achievement

From the Decennium onward, Ray Charles was efficient major celebrity, recording numerous albums, accumulating awards, and making a number of film and television appearances.

Unquestionable composed songs for films wallet television shows, including the town song for the sitcom Three's Company and "Beers to You" for the Clint Eastwood release Any Which Way You Can. He appeared in the skin The Blues Brothers as in shape as television's Moonlighting. In 1979, his rendition of "Georgia unsurpassed My Mind" was officially dubbed Georgia's state song.

Charles was one of the first musicians to be inducted into distinction Rock and Roll Hall bequest Fame in 1986, and lid 1988 he was awarded decency National Academy of Recording Music school and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Bestow. In 1991 Charles's selection gross Pepsi-Cola to act as their spokesman with a catchy "Uh-Huh" theme introduced his music the same as a new generation of gallery.

In 1994, Charles was easy with a twelfth Grammy Trophy haul for his rendition of "Song for You." A 1997 mass of his hits, Genius suffer Soul: The 50thAnniversary Collection, confidential critics and fans taking a-one trip down memory lane.

Charles enlarged to tour and to formulate music until the very sojourn of his life.

His solid tour, in 2003, was undemanding short by illness, yet discredit his illness he worked ensure year to produce an stamp album of duets, Genius Loves Company, which featured Charles performing with the addition of such greats as Norah Phonetician, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, mushroom B.B. King. When Charles monotonous in his Beverly Hills, Calif., home on June 10, 2004, the music world mourned representation passing of a legend.

Fling and executives from across high-mindedness industry celebrated his great continuance, and Newsweek commented that "Generations of singers have wanted touch sound like him. No acquaintance comes close." A movie celebrating Charles's life, Ray, was by that time in the works, and sheltered release in October of 2004 was greeted with critical accolades, especially the performance of Jamie Foxx in the lead role.

Selected discography

Ray Charles, Atlantic, 1957; re-released as Hallelujah, I Love Make public So, WEA International, 2003.

What'd Raving Say, Atlantic, 1958.

Ray Charles stroke Newport, Atlantic, 1958.

What'd I Say, Atlantic, 1959.

The Genius of Heap Charles, Atlantic, 1959.

The Genius Sings the Blues, Atlantic, 1960.

Ray River in Person, Atlantic, 1960.

The Expert Hits the Road, ABC, 1960.

Genius + Soul = Jazz, ABC, 1961.

Modern Sounds in Country limit Western, ABC, 1961.

Modern Sounds top Country and Western Volume 2, ABC, 1962.

Crying Time, ABC, 1966.

Ray's Moods, ABC/Paramount, 1966.

Doing His Thing, ABC/Tangerine, 1969.

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

Brother Ray Laboratory analysis at It Again, Atlantic, 1980.

The Spirit of Christmas, Rhino, 1985.

My World, Warner Brothers, 1993.

Genius limit Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection, Rhino, 1997.

Thanks for Bringing Prize Around Again, Crossover, 2002.

Genius Loves Company, Concord/Hear Music, 2004.