Ray Charles story. Ray Charles: biography, best songs, interesting facts, listen. Ray Charles: learning music

Ray Charles Robinson (born September 23, 1930) is an American singer, musician, composer, one of the world's most famous performers of soul, country, jazz and rhythm and blues music. Frank Sinatra called him "the only true genius in show business", and singer Billy Joel stated: "It may sound blasphemous, but I believe that Ray Charles was more important than. … Who the hell has ever mixed so many styles together to make it work?!”

His real name was Ray Charles Robinson. One of the producers of Swingtime Records advised to shorten the name, who saw a rising star in the guy. At that time, the surname "Robinson" on the starry Olympus of the United States was firmly occupied by boxing champion Ray Robinson (Ray "Sugar" Robinson), and in order to avoid confusion, it was decided to create the stage name "Ray Charles". However, the voice, talent and passion for music that Ray was obsessed with would have lifted him to the heights of glory under any name.

There were no musicians in the Robinson family, let alone famous ones. Ray's parents (born in Albany, Georgia) were reputed to be the poorest residents of the black community in the tiny town of Greenville, Florida, where the family soon moved. “We were at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at the others…below us was just the ground,” Charles recalled. The boy was 5 years old when his younger brother George began to drown in a tub of water before his eyes (their mother worked as a laundress). No matter how hard Ray tried, he could not save his brother - he was too heavy for him. This scene then haunted the musician all his life. A year later, Ray suddenly began to lose his sight, and by the age of 7 he was completely blind. The boy was saved by his mother, whom he idolized ... and music. Aretha Robinson was a strong woman - she did not lament, but acted: knowing that her son was about to go blind, she taught him the most necessary skills for the blind, while Ray could still see. And sent to a boarding school for deaf and blind children. So he learned to read words and notes at the same time - according to the Braille system. Here the guy mastered a bunch of instruments - trumpet, clarinet, organ, saxophone and piano. True, Ray became addicted to the latter much earlier: as a three-year-old boy, he endlessly ran to a nearby pharmacy, the owner of which played the piano, and tried to imitate boogie-woogie.

Looking ahead, I’ll say that the cause of Ray Charles’s blindness has not been fully established: one of the alleged diagnoses is glaucoma. It was rumored that many years later, in the 1980s, having become a wealthy man, the musician filed an anonymous ad looking for a donor who was ready to donate one eye to him. However, the operation never took place - the doctors considered it a senseless risk. Ray himself was rather ironic about his own blindness: he always shaved in front of a mirror, wore sunglasses, acted in films, drove a car, even piloted an airplane! But he never gave autographs - after all, the singer could not see what exactly was slipped on him for a signature (!); Yes, and with journalists communicated extremely reluctantly. When one day Ray was asked if he felt unhappy due to blindness, the musician was surprised: “Why? When you are blind, you probably lose about 1/99 of what life gives you. I know it's very important to see your children or admire the beauty of the moon. Okay, one percent down. But that won't stop my life, will it?" Ray's friends claimed they had never met a more independent person than this blind musician.

From childhood, reading notes with his fingers and playing by ear, Charles trained his memory so much that he easily composed arrangements without even touching the instrument. His teachers in music are Frederic Chopin, Jean Sibelius, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Art Tatum and Artie Shaw.

While still a student, Ray was known as the first musician of the school, where he performed more than once with solo concerts and as part of the group The Florida Playboys. By the age of 17, having lost both parents, the guy decided to try his luck in a big city: putting the accumulated $ 600 in his pocket, Ray went to the other end of the continent - to Seattle.

Ray Charles 2: Darkness Turned Into LightFirst, together with guitarist Gossady McGee, he founded the MacSon Trio, and after a while began to record. His first hit "Confession Blues" (1949) and the popular song "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" (1951) were both recorded on Swingtime Records. Then Charles signed a contract with the Atlantic record company: here he had much more creative freedom and experienced producers - Ahmed Ertegun and Jerry Wexler. It was under their leadership that Ray Charles began to move from a talented imitator of the styles of famous musicians to finding his own creative individuality. Single "Mess Around" (1953), a million-selling record with the composition "The Things That I Used To Do" (recorded with bluesman Guitar Slim) and, finally, considered the first recording in the style of soul and released on the first line of the hit parade the single “I Got a Woman” (1955) became milestones on the path of the future music legend of the 20th century. Working during these years mainly with gospels, with secular texts and blues ballads, Ray Charles creates a new fusion, electrifying the leisurely melancholic rhythms of religious hymns with energetic bits of rhythm and blues. "Black" rock and roll owes a lot to this musician, who managed to captivate a huge audience of white listeners with traditional African music.

It is said that "What`d I Say" - a landmark song of the soul style, which absorbed rock, r&b, jazz and country, Ray composed during one of the performances: it was necessary to fill the time that he was obliged to play back under the contract. It is difficult to say how many musicians, singers and composers "What'd I Say" then "started", bringing new works to life. Subsequently, it was this incomprehensible flair and Ray's ability to penetrate the essence of any style, the incredible freedom with which he mixed and fused styles and genres, ignoring their boundaries, that determined his creative credo.

Charles was now moving in new directions: he recorded songs with the participation of large symphony orchestras, famous jazz musicians; turned to the country style and, having recorded the album “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music”, he achieved something incredible for those times for a black musician - he entered the “turnover” of this typically “white” style of music. The move to ABC Records not only elevated Ray to the category of one of the highest paid musicians in the world at the time, but also greatly expanded creative freedom and opportunities. Surprise! Instead of indulging in innovative experiments, the musician began to record pop songs close to the mainstream. Big bands, string quartets, big backing choirs - Ray Charles' new arrangements were a stark contrast to the chamber works of the Atlantic era. Having moved to the largest mansion in Beverly Hills, the musician now periodically records the so-called "pop and jazz standards": "Cry", "Over the Rainbow", "Cry me a river", "Makin' Whoopy" and others. At the same time his hits "Unchain My Heart", "You Are My Sunshine", "Hit The Road Jack" are also released.

However, another song did become the symbol of the ABC period. "Georgia On My Mind" (a composition by the Broadway classic Hodge Carmichael, originally dedicated to a girl named Georgia) was proclaimed the Georgia state anthem on April 24, 1979, and Ray Charles performed it at the State House. 19 years before this event, the musician canceled his concert in the state - in protest against racial segregation (according to the then laws, blacks and white spectators had to sit separately during his concert). For many years, Charles opposed racism, supported and financed the activities of Martin Luther King.

In contrast to the rapidly rising musical career, Ray's personal life was very turbulent. He tried drugs at the age of 17. From then until his arrest for possession of heroin and marijuana in 1965 in Boston, the musician carried “this monkey on my back” (as he called his addiction to the potion). Ray underwent treatment at a Los Angeles clinic - and this saved him from a real term in prison, which was replaced with a year of probation. He never returned to drugs, replacing them with the Ray Charles Cocktail - strong coffee with sugar and gin. “Sometimes I felt terrible, but as soon as I went on stage and the band started playing, I don’t know why, but it was like aspirin - it hurts you, you take it and you don’t feel pain anymore,” Ray recalled.

Relations with women were also difficult. Two official marriages and 12 children from 9 women - short but capacious statistics. By the way, the musician bequeathed 1 million dollars to each of his children.

“Frank Sinatra, and before him Bing Crosby, were masters of the word. Ray Charles is a master of sound." And rock and roll legend Billy Joel calls Charles "the owner of the most unique voice in pop music ... He took squeals, screams, growls, moans and made music out of them."

Projects, concerts, performances around the world, recording new albums - Ray continued to work until his death from liver cancer in 2004. Thousands of fans said goodbye to the musician in the church, under the arches of which sounded "Over the Rainbow" - a song chosen by Ray Charles himself.

And two months later, his last album, Genius Loves Company, was released, which included songs performed together with many outstanding musicians. In 2005 - another album - "Genius & Friends", in 2006 - "Ray Sings, Basie Swings", etc. Ray Charles is "a pioneer who swept away the barriers between secular and spiritual styles, between white and black pop music"; singer, awarded 17 Grammy awards and the official title of "Los Angeles Treasure"; the musician, whose star is installed on Hollywood Boulevard of Fame, and bronze busts - in all halls of fame (rock and roll, jazz, blues and country), continues the main work of his life - however, from other worlds.

His music touched everyone. American conductor and trumpeter Quincy Jones called it "pain turned into joy, darkness turned into light." Ray Charles himself said simply:

“Music has been in the world for a very long time and will be after me. I was just trying to leave my mark, to do something good in music.”

A cult 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". Passed away July 10, 2004.

Biography of Ray Charles / ray Charles

Ray Charles Born September 23, 1930 in the small town of Albany, Georgia, in a very poor family. Father of the future musician Bailey Robinson, soon abandoned the 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 he couldn't get him out. Shortly thereafter, Ray Charles began to lose his sight and was completely blind by the age of seven. Presumably, the shock experienced caused the disease, according to another version, this was the result of glaucoma.

The creative path of Ray Charles / ray Charles

Very early, 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 moved to Seattle, where he founded his first band. Pretty soon he started recording in the studio and collaborating with a famous R&B artist. Lowell Fulson. The first successful composition of Ray Charles was the song " Confession Blues", established in 1949.

Full name of the musician - Raymond Charles Robinson(Raymond Charles Robinson). He shortened his name to avoid direct association with the famous American boxer. Ray Robinson, whose peak of popularity came at the beginning of the musical career of Ray Charles.

In 1953, the musician released the successful singles " messagearound" 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 a million copies.

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

The next super-hit of the musician was the song " What'd I Say". It is considered that Ray Charles composed it directly at the concert, filling the contracted time. 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". It is difficult to overestimate his influence on music: in his work, the musician went beyond blues and gospel, and his " I Got a Woman"is considered the first composition in the style of soul. Ray Charles' famous album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music”, released in 1962, became a country hit, which was absolutely incredible for a black musician in these years. Sometimes, Ray Charles used entire orchestras to record.

Throughout his career, the musician has toured extensively. Twice he visited Russia 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 hardly spoke, 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 last album, " Genius Love 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 to 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. Several times he was found to have drugs, but he managed to avoid imprisonment. In 1965, the musician was arrested for possession of marijuana and heroin, and only after that he was able to finally quit drugs.

Shortly after the death of Ray Charles, the biographical film Ray was released, telling about the life of a musician from 1930 to 1966. Jamie Foxx, the lead actor in this film, won an Oscar 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 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

Ray Charles never wanted to be famous. In his opinion, fame is like a headache. But he always wanted to be great. And he became one. Frank Sinatra spoke of Charles as a genius. Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Mig Jagger and other popular artists considered him a teacher whose songs defined their musical career.

Ray has recorded 70 studio albums, numerous gold records and won 17 Grammy awards. He himself was surprised at the number of people who gathered at his concerts far beyond America. And it was true. Blind African American, the father of soul, a brilliant pianist, composer and arranger, everyone came to listen. What is his secret? In talent, multiplied by sincerity and passion for music.

short biography

The life of Raymond Charles Robinson has been a series of losses and victories since childhood. He was born on September 23, 1930 in the southern United States in the town of Albany, Georgia. A couple of months after his birth, the family moved to Greenville, Florida. It was here that the childhood of the future singer passed.The family lived in poverty. The upbringing of her son fell on the shoulders of her mother, a fragile and petite woman. The father disappeared at work, and later completely left the family.

As you know, trouble does not come alone. At the age of 5, Ray began to go blind. Glaucoma developed, as a result of which the boy completely lost his sight after two years. Simultaneously with a terrible disease, another tragedy occurs. In front of Ray, his younger brother is drowning. Until the end of his life, he regretted that he could not save him.

To stop seeing the world is scary. But not for Ray. Mom prepared the boy for the future life. She told me how to move around the house, how to do household chores. He washed dishes, chopped wood and did absolutely everything that a sighted person would. Neighbors condemned my mother for such an upbringing, and Ray was grateful.

There was a cafe near their Greenville home where boogie-woogie was often played. Barely hearing a familiar melody, the boy dropped everything and ran to a cafe where he was taught to play the piano.

After losing his sight, his mother sent her son to St. Augustine's School for the Deaf and Blind. Here Ray continued his musical education in Braille. He comprehended the intricacies of playing the clarinet, saxophone and other instruments, and sang in the Baptist choir. Here, for the first time, he encountered racism in a harsh form: insults and fights from white students.

Ray lost his mother at the age of 15. He couldn't cry, so great was the grief. After that, Charles decides to leave school and go to his mother's friend in Jacksonville. A little later, he wanted independence. So he ended up in Orlando, where hunger, poverty, playing in various cafes and drugs awaited him, dependence on which lasted 17 years.

Ray began performing with The Florida Playboys, which consisted mostly of white performers. One of the members of the cast liked the performance of the young African American, and he was offered to replace the pianist.

The dream of his own group haunted the future father of soul. It's time to take new heights, as his mother bequeathed to him. He ruled out large cities right away - the probability of remaining a nobody is too high. Ray asked a friend to look at the map of the city, which is located on the other side of the country, if you draw a straight line from Orlando. Seattle lay ahead.

In Seattle, he begins to record his own songs, sticking to the R&B direction. One of the popular compositions of that time is "Baby, let me hold your hand", which received recognition. Everyone said he sang like Nat "King" Cole. Ray did not deny this, he honed his skills, sang, enjoying his favorite pastime. According to critics, his early songs sounded cold and less emotional. Everything changed in the 50s, when Ray made another important decision in life - to be himself. So soul began to appear.

Ray Charles literally combined white and black musical cultures into one. Soul included jazz, rhythm and blues, and spiritual Negro chanting spirituals. Ray changed his voice. No imitation, only his own baritone, seasoned with various moans, screams and other sounds. This made his work exceptional, memorable, alive and real.

Under the Atlantic Records label, Ray Charles recorded one of the most famous songs - "I Got a Woman". Mournful vocals, combined with an arrangement for wind instruments, gave the composition an emotionality that still touches the living.

The pinnacle of Ray Charles's success is associated with the release of the What'd I Say album. It combined gospel, jazz and blues. Despite the popularity of the song of the same name, it was not allowed on the radio. It was considered too sexy because of Ray's characteristic vocals. prevented many performers from including the composition in their repertoire in the future.

Later, Charles moves to the record company ABC, where he begins to earn big fees. This is the time of the hits "Georgia On My Mind" and "Hit the Road Jack". The popularity of the singer and composer is growing, he tours and continues to plunge into the world of music as deeply as possible, giving out new hits.

The decline in career occurs in the mid-60s. He's connected to an arrest for possession of heroin. Medical rehabilitation helped to avoid a prison term. He was given a year of probation. The drugs were over.

The genius of the musical world died at the age of 73 on June 10, 2004, at his home in Beverly Hills, California. Exacerbated liver disease. After his death, several more albums were released, which received 5 Grammys. The talent of Ray Charles cannot be overestimated, one can only enjoy and marvel at the endless energy.

Interesting Facts:

Being blind, Ray rode a bicycle and a motorcycle.
He always shaved in front of a mirror.
Ray was married twice, although the number of women with whom he was infatuated was not limited to the number "two". In total, he had 12 children from 9 different women. Subsequently, the heirs gave him 20 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

In 2004, Ray gave $1 million to each child.
Charles helped Martin Luther King in the fight against racism. He sponsored the activities of the pastor, sending him money from concerts. Ray did not dare to preach, he was afraid not to restrain himself and "break wood."
The single "Georgia on My Mind" became the official anthem of the state of Georgia, the birthplace of the father of soul.
The song "What" d I Say "is pure improvisation. At one of the concerts, Ray had 10-12 minutes left to work out. He asked the women who sang along to him to simply repeat the phrases after him - a characteristic feature of church chants. So he was born new hit.After the concert, people came up to him and asked where they could buy a record.
His most famous hit in America was the composition "I Can" t Stop Loving You ". She held the leading position for 5 weeks.
Ray Charles became one of several black artists to reach number one on the country's music charts.
After becoming famous, he dropped Robinson from his name to avoid confusion with boxer Ray Robinson.
Underwent hip replacement surgery in the fall of 2003.
Before each concert, he took a glass of gin with coffee, which gave him courage and enthusiasm.
In the early 60s, he almost died on a flight from Louisiana to Oklahoma City. Ice completely covered the plane's windshield, causing the pilot to fly at random. After several circles in the air, through a small area on the glass, we managed to see the space around and land the plane.
In the early 90s, he participated in the Diet Pepsi advertising campaign.

Ray did not like to communicate with journalists and was reluctant to give autographs due to the fact that he did not see what exactly he would have to leave a signature on.
His example and resounding success became an inspiration for other blind musicians: Ronnie Milsap and Terry Gibbs.
Charles's recordings are included in the US Library of Congress.
In his hometown of Albany, Ray Charles Plaza was opened in 2007 with a round rotating plinth that houses a bronze sculpture of a famous piano player.
One of Ray's hobbies was chess.
He was the first to combine rhythm and blues with black church chanting.
Featured on US postage stamps, a series dedicated to musical idols.
Ray Charles received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 16, 1981.
In a Rolling Stone magazine poll, Ray was ranked second as the greatest singer of his era. The survey was conducted in 2008.

He spoke at the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1985. This caused a flurry of discontent and is associated with a difference in political beliefs. Ray was considered a Democrat while Reagan was considered a Republican. According to the musician's agent, he was just making money. The performance fee was $100,000.
He also performed at Bill Clinton's first inauguration in 1993.
At one of the concerts in Southern France, a young man climbed onto the stage and began to perform "Mess around". What did Ray do? He began to accompany the fan.

Best songs

They sang many songs. To listen to them all, it will take more than one day. But his fans highlight several compositions that have received the status of immortals.

"I Got A Woman". Co-written with Renald Richard in 1954 based on a popular Negro church song. It was enough to change the text, add jazz and blues rhythms, so that the composition gained worldwide fame.

Georgia on My Mind thanks to Ray, it saw the light in 1960, although it was written 30 years earlier. In 1961, the musician received a Grammy for her.

"Hit The Road Jack" built on a dialogue between a man and a woman who is trying to kick him out. Written by Percy Mayfield in 1960, it was Charles who made a great arrangement that gained fame. By the way, the female part was performed by Margie Hendrix, Ray's common-law wife.

Hit The Road Jack (listen)

"You Don't Know Me" filled with love lyrics. The song tells about those who, despite strong love, prefer to remain in the shadow of a loved one.

"What'd I Say"- an accidentally born blues piece of music that conquered millions of people. It is believed that it was this composition that became the progenitor of soul.

What'd I Say (listen)

"I Can't Stop Loving You" the whole country sang in 1962. The song features touching vocals, thanks to which it occupied the top of the charts in the United States.

"Mess Around". The contagious rhythms of this song were heard by the audience in 1953. This is one of Ray's first hits.

"Hallelujah I Love Her So", performed by Ray in 1956 in a manner characteristic of that time. It was covered by many performers, as well as other compositions of the father of soul.

Hallelujah I Love Her So (listen)

"America the Beautiful"- another touching single that makes you want to cry. Ray covered the 1895 version and did it flawlessly and masterfully.

"Let the Good Times Roll"- the first song for which he received a Grammy.

The best films about Ray Charles and with his participation

The bright life of the idol of millions, filled with tragedy and greatness, formed the basis of the film "Ray". The tape was released in 2004. Charles died a few months before the premiere. He knew that an autobiographical film would be made about him and even asked for a Braille script. The film, shot by Taylor Hackford, received high marks from film critics. The musical genius was played by Jamie Foxx. For this role, he received an Oscar.

Ray Charles himself also tried his hand at acting. He starred in episodes of the following films:

The Blues Brothers (1980) as owner of Ray's Music Exchange;
Raise the Stakes (1989) as Julius;
Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice (1994);
"Indestructible Spy" (1996) as a bus driver;
"The Adventures of Super Dave" (2000) as himself.

It was both comedy and drama tapes.

You can also see Ray in television series:

in the American medical drama "St. Elsware" (1987), Ray appears in one of the episodes in the role of Arthur Tibbits;
"Who's the Boss here?" - Another television series in which Ray Charles played. At the same time, the name of the series echoes one of his hits - "Hit the Road, Chad";
in the series "Nanny" (1997 - 1998) he was involved in 4 episodes in the role of Sammy.

The emotional compositions of Ray Charles sounded not only from radios. His songs have been widely used as musical accompaniment to films, the number of which is impressive. Here are just a few of the pictures:

"Deadpool" (2016) - "Hit The Road Jack";
"Intern" (2015) - "Deed I Do";
"The Third Extra 2" (2015) - "Mess Around";
"James White" (2015) - "Don" t Let The Sun Catch You Crying ";
"Save Mr. Banks" (2013) - "One Mint Julep";
"Servant" (2011) - "Hallelujah I Love Her So";
"Promise does not mean marriage" (2009) - "I Got A Woman", "Sweet Sixteen Bars";
"Not Caught - Not a Thief" (2006) - "Gold Digger";
"Love and Other Troubles" (2006) - "Hit the Road, Jack";
"Carrier" (2002) - "I Got Love";
"Steel Giant" (1999) - "Genius After Hours";
"Dogma" (1999) - "Alabamy Bound";
"Sleepless in Seattle" (1993) - "Over The Rainbow";
"Groundhog Day" (1993) - "You Don" t Know Me ";
"Rocky 5" (1990) - "Winter Wonderland";
"When Harry Met Sally" (1989) - "Winter Wonderland";
"Elvis: How It Was" (1970) - "What" d I Say?

Ray Charles about himself, life and music

Ray considered himself a lucky man. It is difficult to disagree with this, given his origin and blindness. He considered his mother to be the most important person in his life. She raised him strictly and at times harshly. But it was her words that sounded in his head at the turning points when it was necessary to take the next step in his musical career.

Being blind, according to the musician, is not easy. There is an opinion that he even tried to regain his sight by posting an ad looking for a donor. But the doctors considered the operation too risky.

He respected all kinds of arts, but music was universal for Ray. Everyone understands it. So Charles explained his success around the world. He has always played for people. It did not matter to him how many people were present in the hall: 500 or 5000. The main thing is complete dedication and sincerity so that the audience believes in you.

Making music for Ray Charles was like breathing. It flowed through his veins like blood, filling life with meaning. The famous singer did not recognize rap. He considered this direction "a disgusting phenomenon." After all, music should teach something, give something to a person. What did rap do? Nothing, according to Charles. Modern performers did not inspire him: they all look the same. He liked the music of Charlie Parker, it had a sound.

The musician treated death philosophically. He believed that it was better to live a short, but filled with happiness and meaning life. Charles knew how to make fun of himself, to ridicule the difficult moments of his life. It charges with energy and positive even through the TV screen. What is his open wide smile, filled with sincerity and happiness. His eyes were always hidden behind dark sunglasses, but his smile never gave any reason to doubt that Ray Charles was an amazing person.

He was not afraid to experiment, he was not afraid to be alive and natural in public, he lived for music. It is not surprising that great changes in the musical environment are associated with his appearance. We owe to Ray Charles the emotional and sensual soul, the groovy rhythms of jazz and rhythm and blues. You can talk about his work for hours, but as soon as you hear the first chords of his songs, see Ray's body language while playing the piano, you forget about everything and start dancing involuntarily.

Video: Listen to Ray Charles

This outstanding singer, pianist and composer was called Brother Ray and Genius, but his real name was Ray Charles Robinson, under which he was born on September 23, 1930. In early childhood, the boy was struck by glaucoma, and by the age of seven he had completely lost his sight. Ray studied at the Florida School for Deaf and Blind Children: there he mastered reading Braille, and was also actively involved in music. For several years, the guy began to play well on various instruments, such as classical piano, organ, trumpet, alto saxophone and clarinet, and in addition began to compose his own compositions. At the age of 16, Ray was already a professional musician and performed with various Florida bands. In 1948, he moved to Seattle, where he first founded the jazz-blues project "The Maxim Trio", and then began a solo career, taking the stage name Ray Charles. For several years the artist worked for "Swingtime Records", trying to copy the style of Nat "King" Cole and Charles Brown. His first records were not particularly successful, but in 1951 the single "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" broke into the rhythm and blues charts and attracted the attention of major recording companies.

The case ended with Atlantic Records buying the contract from Swingtime for $2,500. With more freedom of action, Ray began to develop his own style and after a while found the right form. Taking the gospel "Jesus Is All The World To Me" as a basis, Charles overdubbed it with mundane lyrics, added a little danceiness and got his first significant hit "I Got A Woman" (later this song would be called the first real soul record). From that moment on, the musician's popularity began to grow steadily, and in 1958 he confirmed the title of a rising star, performing triumphantly at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival.

During the 50s, Charles recorded a lot of great songs (among them "This Little Girl Of Mine", "Drown In My Own Tears", "Hallelujah I Love Her So", "Lonely Avenue", "The Right Time"), but his most successful work of the "Atlantic" period was the composition "What" d I Say ", which landed in the Top 10 in both the rhythm and blues and pop charts. In 1959, another number-one single was released," Georgia On My Mind". Originally written for the girl Georgia, this composition later became the official anthem of the state with the same name. By the way, Ray Charles did not limit himself to the song genre and could release discs with jazz instrumentals like "The Great Ray Charles" in parallel with albums with vocals. ". In the early 60s, the musician moved to ABC Paramount Records, where he was promised an additional degree of creative freedom and was given the opportunity to create his own sub-label "Tangerine Records". One of the first works in the new place was an album with the transparent title "Genius + Soul = Jazz". The record took fourth place on the "Billboard" , and a few months later, Ray released his most famous track "Hit The Road Jack". Another well-known pop hit "Unchain My Heart" was released in 1962, after which the musician unexpectedly (and very successfully) turned towards country music with the album "Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music".

The disc went to the very top of the Billboard, stayed on the charts for three months and brought Charles a Grammy for the song "I Can't Stop Loving You". The sequel "Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music Volume Two" was also a success (No. 2 ), and two other albums of the early 60s hit the top ten, but in 1965 Ray's career was suspended due to his arrest on charges of possession of heroin. the musician was gone for a year.Having finished with unpleasant procedures, the artist returned to creativity, however, the peak of his popularity had already passed, and his career went downhill.In the late 60s, Charles made two successful Beatle covers, "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby", but his own material left a lot to be desired, Ray gravitated more and more towards light orchestral pop, sometimes intruding into the territory of jazz and country, and fans could now hear his signature soul only at concerts.

And yet, the early achievements of the artist were not forgotten: in 1976, the name of Charles was entered in the "Songwriters" Hall Of Fame, in 1979 - in the "Georgia Music Hall Of Fame", and in 1986 he became one of the first musicians inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and his popularity has been maintained in several other ways, such as appearing in the film "The Blues Brothers", performing his version of "America The Beautiful" at the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, or appearing in an advertisement for "The Diet In 1973, Ray parted ways with ABC Records and began releasing discs on his own company, Crossover Records, and the processing of Wonder's "Living For The City" recorded in 1975 brought him another Grammy. A little later, they resumed the artist's relationship with Atlantic Records, but by the end of the decade, the label became more interested in rockers, and there was little attention for soulsters. Most of the 80s the artist spent under the roof of Columbia, with the country album being the only relatively major achievement of this period " friends hip" (No. 75). Also in 1986, Ray founded a personal foundation aimed at supporting young people with hearing impairments.

In the early 90s, Charles continued to release new discs for Warner Bros, but he remained more in demand at concerts. His last studio work was the album of duets "Genius Loves Company", recorded with the participation of B.B. King, Van Morrison, Norah Jones, James Taylor, Elton John, Diana Krall and a number of other famous personalities. Although the record returned him to the top of the "Billboard", the Genius himself did not see his triumph - two months before the release on June 10, 2004, he died in his home in Beverly Hills. In 2005 and 2006, two more posthumous albums were released: again a duet of "Genius & Friends" and "Ray Sings, Basie Swings" with recordings from the mid-70s, where Ray Charles sang accompanied by the Count Basie Orchestra.

Last update 24.03.15

The Ray Charles archive contains over seventy albums.

Ray Charles Robinson is a blind jazz musician whose prolific output is the envy of many contemporary pop stars. More than seventy albums to his credit speak for themselves.

You might say that perhaps this is one of those cases where quantity is trying to make up for a lack of quality. But have you heard of a musician like Frank Sinatra? Personally, he spoke of Ray Robinson as the only genius in the world of show business. His song What'd I say was ranked fifth in the list of the best songs of all time. Do you know her? Yes, they probably heard, but they didn’t even know who performed it, not to mention what it was called. It is perceived as one of the most killer rock and roll standards!

In the modern world, he is one of the key figures in the development of world show business. And although the symbolic lists of the best musicians of the twentieth century are usually quite superficial, he gets into them with an enviable frequency.

So, haven't you heard? Nothing, we'll fix it now.

I myself first got acquainted with the biography of this outstanding artist when I watched the film "Ray". This is an excellent biopic that describes a significant part of the life of a popular musician quite accurately and dispassionately.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about the film. How honest was he? Do not know. But after watching, there is no impression of Ray Charles as some kind of sanctimonious saint or show business offspring mired in vices.

In short, fun, cool, with a touch of deep longing and rock and roll enthusiasm. I recommend viewing! And for fans of Ray, this film is a must-see.

So let's try to consider what kind of person he was.

So let's start in order:

Born, raised, died… not all at once. Albany, Georgia is the birthplace of Ray Charles. Charles's family was not just poor. She was unusually poor, even by black standards. As the musician himself later said: "Below us was only the earth."

When he was only a few months old, the family moved to South Florida, to the village of Greenville. Leaving Ray and his younger brother George, the father left the family and went wherever his eyes looked.

When Ray was five years old, an incident occurred that is described in some detail in the film. His younger brother accidentally fell into a tub of water and couldn't get out. Ray tried to help him get out of there, but he did not have enough strength. And his younger brother died.

There are suggestions that it was because of the shock that Ray suffered and began to gradually lose his sight until he was completely blind at the age of seven. See Ray said that no one knows why he went blind. Perhaps this was a consequence of the disease. When the musician became famous, he tried to acquire sight. He even advertised that at least someone would donate one eye to him, but the doctors refused to perform the operation, considering it too risky and pointless.

As a child, he began attending a school for the blind, where he learned Braille. In addition, from the age of three he began to learn to play the piano, and his musical talent also began to manifest itself in the Baptist choir. But when he was only fifteen years old, his mother died, and a couple of years later his father also died.

How it all began

When Ray graduated from school, he became involved in many musical projects. Then he mainly played in the style of jazz and country. As befits young musicians, he drew his inspiration from other well-known jazz musicians, such as Artie Shaw. His first group was called The Florida Playboys.

When he was seventeen, he collected six hundred dollars and went to Seattle, where he soon met guitarist Gossady McGee, with whom he began to play and founded a band. They first recorded for Swingtime Records. He also collaborated with Fullson when he released his first hit. It's called Confession Blues. Then he released the famous Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand and moved under the Atlantic records label. He just needed a greater degree of creative freedom.

Ray's first wife was Eileen Williams, whom he married on July 31, 1951. Their marriage lasted only a year, after which they divorced. He later married Della Beatrice, this happened in 1956, and this marriage lasted longer, until the 77th year. By the way, not a word is said about his first wife in the film, but the leitmotif is the story of his life with his second wife.

In total, Ray had twelve children, but he gave birth to only three (in the biblical sense) in marriage. But let's leave the old dirty linen of the deceased and return to his bright and pure creativity.

On the new Atlantic label, he was encouraged to seek his own unique sound. Which he did with all the passion he was capable of. In the fifty-third year, he recorded his famous single Mess Around. Then, together with guitarist Guitar Slin, he recorded the single The Things That I Used To Do.

When did he write the song I Got a Woman in 1955 , she reached number one on the charts. It is believed that this is the first record in the style of soul. Ray mostly played music that was half gospel and blues ballads the rest. It turns out that Ray Charles was one of those who popularized native black music among the population.

Composition history What'd I Say

In the record Ray Charles in Person you can hear the very characteristic features that were inherent in the early work of Ray Charles. This album was recorded rather unusually for those years. It was not a studio recording, but a live performance. Then he also played What'd I Say, which became one of his most recognizable compositions. They say it was just an improvisation during a rehearsal before the concert. But it was she who at one time had a huge impact on the world of rock and roll.

Charles himself told the story of the creation of this song as follows: he was just playing the last song from his program called The Night Time. It was in a nightclub in Milwaukee. When he finished the game, the club administrator confronted him with the fact that he had to lose another 12 minutes. And then he decided to improvise. And played all twelve minutes. The audience was delighted, although then the recording studio refused to release it, explaining their refusal by saying that it was too long.

Then the WOAK radio station recorded it and included it in the author's album. The song became an instant hit. When Atlantic Records eventually gave up, the song was split into two parts. Then many more of the now popular performers made cover versions of it. As Paul McCartney said, this composition gave him a huge impetus for creativity.

Style Development

Soon, Ray Charles continued to develop his style, going beyond gospel music combined with the blues, and began to record with major orchestras. Then he wrote his first country song. For the blues composition Let the Good Time Roll, he receives a Grammy. In it, he demonstrated a rare voice in its strength and expression.

When Ray moved to ABC Records, he signed such a fantastic contract that made him one of the highest paid musicians of his time. He moved to Beverly Hills, where he bought the largest mansion in the area. There he lived until his death, before which at that time there were still many, many years.

His work for ABC was distinctive. On the one hand, he got even more freedom, and on the other hand, he stopped participating in experimental projects and began to write music closer to the mainstream. He had a choir to sing along, accompanied by a big band and string orchestras.

This created a strikingly different sound. At the Atlantic, he wrote almost chamber music, and at the ABC he began to produce orchestral jazz standards. At the same time, the musician's repertoire simply staggered the imagination with its diversity and volume. Then he writes his famous Hit The Road Jack. More precisely, it is written by Percy Mailfield, before recording, the singer from the backing vocals told Ray that she was pregnant from him. The musician was far from delighted, and this mixture of rage and anguish, sounding in the song that we now know, was somehow ... very much natural.

And here is an excerpt from the movie:

Georgia on My Mind has been recorded by many musicians. Among them were Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong, and Ray Charles. It was his calling card from the ABC era. Its author, Hog Carmichael, dedicated it to a girl named Georgia, but a little later she became the anthem of the state of Georgia. But the girl was still there before, so let the right associations arise for you!

But anyway, Ray performed Georgia on My Mind in the State House. And, in fact, entered the circulation of country music. For a black musician, it was just an unimaginable success. And in general, Ray has always spoken out against racism. Once he even canceled a concert in the same Georgia, since black and white listeners had to sit separately. This deeply angered him.

drugs

This idyll continued until the year 65, until he was arrested for possession of marijuana and heroin. The musician has been addicted to these two “happy drugs” for more than twenty years, that is, almost his entire adult life. Drugs were found on him before, but so far, Ray managed to get out, and he was not arrested. The first time the police did not have a search warrant, and the case was not continued, the second time he agreed to drug treatment, and the third time he had to go to jail.

He himself did not perceive himself as a drug addict. It was only later, during his term, that he had to give up drugs, and until then he perceived them like aspirin. That is, in real life, he understood how terrible his situation was, and when he went on stage, he began to perceive them as aspirin. That is, you feel bad - and you start taking medicine to remove the pain.

This “drug addicted” part of his life is shown very clearly in the film “Ray”

But what happened next, it's just interesting. For example, having tied up with drugs, he did not write anything else outstanding. But he did fantastic covers. But he no longer had his masterpieces. Coincidence? Unlikely. The fact is that these drugs, when used, replace some of the natural hormones secreted by the brain, and when the patient stops taking the “drugs”, he justifiably loses inspiration and simply falls into depression.

In addition, after cleansing his lifestyle, Ray Charles changed his musical style. It has become even closer to the mainstream. So after the seventies, they began to perceive it far from being so unambiguous. Personally, I remember the story of bodybuilders: everyone condemns their passion for steroids and other experiments on their own organisms, and on the other hand, only steroid jocks are printed on posters. Se la vie.

He began to record a lot of passing material, so his work during this period began to seem more monotonous. His most notable song of the time was America the Beautiful. Then this song was included in The Message for People, which became the musician's first politically charged album.

In those years, he played no longer on the classical piano, but on the piano, which made the sound of his albums in the seventies especially stand out against the background of other years.

Around the same time, Ray began to actively experiment with synthesizers. He often and extensively imitated other instruments with them, and his keyboard solo took on a whole new flavor. It became more like an electric guitar solo. This was especially evident in the way he handled the pitch wheel, which in the nineties he began to do just perfectly.

mature years

Usually, in adulthood, the musician's audience begins to shift somewhat ... more precisely, it does not shift, it remains in its generation, only the age of the listeners changes - they age. But Ray Charles managed to get a youth audience. This became especially evident after the Friendship album.

He also spoke at Reagan's inauguration, which served as a pretext for evil tongues: they began to assure that Ray cast a shadow on his reputation. The fact is that Ray was a Democrat, but Reagan was a Republican. Therefore, Ray agreed to perform only for a staggering fee of one hundred thousand dollars. Then his agent commented on it this way: "For that kind of money, we would agree to speak at a meeting of the Ku Klux Klan."

In the early nineties, Ray Charles began to perform in many musical projects, including classical gospel with the London Orchestra as part of a charity event.

All of Charles' albums until the last became popular. On April 30, 2004, he gave a concert for the last time. But his records were released even after his death.