Ray Charles – Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts
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Ray Charles Biography
American singer, songwriter, and pianist Ray Charles Robinson Sr. He is regarded as one of the most recognisable and influential vocalists of all time, and his contemporaries frequently referred to him as “The Genius.” He favored the moniker “Brother Ray” when referring to friends and other musicians. Charles lost his sight as a toddler, possibly from glaucoma.
In Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1930, Ray Charles Robinson was conceived. Charles began to lose his vision at the age of four or five and was completely blind by the time he was seven, most likely due to glaucoma. Aretha Robinson, who was ignorant, destitute, and grieving the loss of her younger son, used her connections in the neighborhood to find a school that would take a blind African-American student. Despite his early objections, Charles went to school from 1937 until 1945 at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine.
At school, Charles continued to hone his musical talent and learned how to perform Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven’s classical piano compositions. In order to use braille music, which is a challenging process that needs learning the left hand motions by reading braille with the right hand and the right hand movements by reading braille with the left hand, then merging the two parts, his teacher Mrs. Lawrence taught him how to do it.
Charles was 14 when his mother passed away in the spring of 1945. He was shocked by her passing; he later referred to the passing of his mother and brother as “the two big tragedies” of his life. Charles made the decision to skip school following the funeral.
By fusing blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel music traditions into the music he recorded for Atlantic Records in the 1950s, Charles helped to establish the soul music genre. With his crossover success on ABC Records, particularly with his two Modern Sounds albums, he helped to integrate country music, rhythm and blues, and pop music during the 1960s. Charles was one of the first black performers to receive artistic control from a major record label while he was with ABC.
The first of Charles’ three career No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, “Georgia On My Mind,” was released in 1960. His first album to reach the top of the Billboard 200 was Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, released in 1962. With 44 hits on the US R&B singles chart, 11 singles on the Hot 100 singles list, and 2 singles on the Hot Country singles charts, Charles had multiple singles that reached the Top 40 on various Billboard charts.
Charles listed Nat King Cole as his main inspiration, while Louis Jordan and Charles Brown also had an impact on his music. He was Quincy Jones’s lifelong friend and occasionally occasional business partner. Ray Charles downplayed Frank Sinatra’s claim that he was “the only true genius in show business.” Billy Joel said, “This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley”.
Charles was awarded the Polar Music Prize, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to music. In 1986, he was one of the first individuals to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He received 10 of his records into the Grammy Hall of Fame, 18 Grammy Awards (including 5 posthumously), and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987. Charles was placed No. 2 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and No. 10 on the publication’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He received inductions into both the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2022.
Ray Charles Discography
| The Genius After Hours | |
| Soul Meeting (with Milt Jackson) | |
| Ray Charles in Person (live) | |
| he Genius of Ray Charles | |
| What’d I Say | |
| Ray Charles at Newport (live) | |
| Yes Indeed! | |
| Soul Brothers (with Milt Jackson) | |
| The Great Ray Charles | |
| Ray Charles |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Many #1 Songs Did Ray Charles Have?
Ray Charles had a total of 12 number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These include “Georgia on My Mind” (1960), “Hit the Road Jack” (1961), and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (1962).
What Was Ray Charles Best Selling Album?
Ray Charles’ best selling album was “Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music”. The album was released in 1962 and featured a mix of country, pop, and R&B songs. It peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 chart and received critical acclaim. In 2003, the album was ranked number 169 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” list.
What Is Ray Charles Most Famous Song?
“Georgia on My Mind” is Ray Charles’ most famous song. The soulful ballad was written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell, and it has been recorded by many artists over the years. Charles’ version, which he recorded in 1960, is widely considered to be the definitive version of the song. “Georgia on My Mind” has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, and it was named the state song of Georgia in 1979.
What Was Ray Charles’S Biggest Hit?
“Georgia on My Mind” was one of Ray Charles’s biggest hits. It was originally written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell, and it was first recorded by Ray Charles in 1960. The song has been covered by many other artists over the years, including Willie Nelson, Michael Bublé, and Gladys Knight.
Most Searched For Ray Charles Songs
| I’ve got a woman | |
| Sinner’s prayer | |
| Hit the road jack | |
| Georgia On my mind | |
| I believe to my soul | |
| Mess Around | |
| Fever |