Biography of Ray Charles. Ray Charles: biography, best songs, interesting facts, listen to Blind Jazzman

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

www.raycharles.com

Ray Charles(full name Ray Charles Robinson, English Ray Charles Robinson; 23 September ( 19300923 ) - June 10) - American blind musician, author of more than 70 studio albums, one of the world's most famous performers of music in the styles of soul, jazz and rhythm and blues. He was awarded 17 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Rock and Roll, Jazz, Country and Blues Halls of Fame, the Georgia Hall of Fame, and his recordings were included in the Library of Congress.

Biography

Childhood and youth

Ray Charles was born in the small town of Albany, Georgia, father - Bailey Robinson, mother - Aretha Robinson. Ray's family was very poor - as he himself said, “Even among other blacks... we were on the bottom rung of the ladder, looking up at the rest. There is nothing below us - only the earth." Ray's family moved to the small community of Greenville, South Florida, when he was just a few months old. His father did not play a significant role in Ray's life, and some time after his birth, he abandoned their family altogether, leaving Ray and his younger brother George in the care of Aretha and her mother-in-law, Mary Jay Robinson. When Ray was five years old, his brother George, who was a year younger, began drowning in a tub that stood outside. Ray, who witnessed this incident, tried to help him, but could not do anything, since his brother was too heavy for him. George drowned, and Ray, presumably from the shock he suffered, gradually began to go blind and became completely blind at the age of seven.

As Ray himself stated, the cause of his blindness remained unknown, but there is evidence that it is a consequence of glaucoma. There are rumors that in the 80s, having already become famous, Ray submitted an anonymous advertisement looking for a donor willing to donate one eye to the musician. However, doctors considered this operation pointless and risky, and it did not take place.

Ray's musical talent first began to manifest itself at the age of 3 - this was facilitated by the owner of a nearby pharmacy, who played the piano. He attended a school for the deaf and blind in St. Augustine, Florida. There Ray learned Braille and playing several musical instruments - piano, organ, saxophone, trombone and clarinet. At school, Ray's musical talent manifested itself - he sang in the Baptist choir. In 1945, the mother died, and two years later, the father died.

The beginning of a musical career

After graduating from high school, Ray participated in many musical projects, mainly in the styles of jazz and country. In his work, he drew inspiration from famous jazzmen - Count Basie, Art Tatum and Artie Shaw. The first group in which he took an active part was called “The Florida Playboys”. In 1947, seventeen-year-old Ray, having saved $600, went to Seattle. There he founded the MacSon Trio (sometimes called Maxim) with guitarist Gossady McGee. He soon began recording, initially under Swingtime Records. His first three recordings were "Guitar Blues", "Walkin" and Talkin" and "Wonderin" and Wonderin". He collaborated with renowned R&B singer Lowell Fulson and his band, accompanying them on piano. His first hit was released - “Confession Blues” (). His next popular song is “Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand” (). After that, he moved to the Atlantic records () label, as he understood that Swingtime Records would never give him the creative freedom he desired. His name was soon shortened to Ray Charles to avoid confusion with boxer Ray "Sugar" Robinson. On July 31, 1951, he married Eileen Williams, but a year later their marriage broke up. It is noteworthy that of Ray's 12 children, only 3 were born in marriage. In 1955, Ray remarried, this time to Della Beatrice Robinson (née Howard). This marriage lasted until 1977.

At the Atlantic studio, under the strict guidance of famous producers Ahmed Ertegun and Jerry Wexler, Ray begins an active search for “his own” unique sound. In 1953, Ray released the hit single "Mess Around". In the same year, he arranged and accompanied on piano the famous bluesman Guitar Slim, the composition “The Things That I Used To Do”, which they recorded, sold more than a million copies. The single “It Should Have Been Me,” which belonged entirely to Ray, was just as successful. Ray reached the next peak of his career in 1955, when the single “I Got a Woman” was released. This single rose to number one on the R&B charts. This single is considered by most experts to be the first recording in the soul style. At this time, Ray's repertoire consisted half of gospel songs with secular lyrics, half of blues ballads. With his creativity, Ray helped increase the popularity of R&B and gospel music among a wide audience, attracting new listeners - not only blacks, but also whites. Ray was one of the first musicians to popularize traditionally “black” music and make this music truly widespread among the masses.

The main features of Ray's early work can be heard on the record "Ray Charles in Person". This album was recorded by radio station WOAK in 1956, not as usual, in the studio, but performed live in front of black listeners. The album included for the first time perhaps the most iconic song written directly by Ray - “What’d I Say”. It is believed that Ray composed it during one of his performances to fill the time required by his contract. The song instantly became a super hit and had a huge impact on the development of rock and roll. For example, Paul McCartney admitted that “What’d I say” became one of the biggest impulses in his life.

After some time, during the Newport Festival, Ray gained wide popularity. The album “Ray Charles at Newport” was also recorded there, which included such hits as “What’d I Say” and “The Night Time (Is The Right Time)”.

Ray gradually began to expand beyond the blues/gospel mix, recording songs with large orchestras, jazz musicians (Milt Jackson), and recording his first country song, "I'm Movin On" (featuring Hank Snow). Ray received his first Grammy Award in 1959 for the classic blues song “Let the Good Times Roll.” Incredibly expressive, powerful and energetic vocals captivated both specialists and ordinary listeners.

Mature years (1960-1980)

Ray then moved to ABC Records, concluding an exorbitant contract for those times, becoming one of the highest paid musicians at that time. Soon he moved to Beverly Hills, where he became the owner of the largest mansion in the area. There, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, the musician lived until his death. At ABC, Ray gained greater creative freedom and began to expand his approach to music, but did not participate in experimental projects, but began recording pop songs, moving closer to the mainstream. Big bands and string orchestras began to be used for arrangements, with a large choir singing back-up. Such recordings contrasted greatly with the chamber sound of the Atlantic era. Ray also begins to periodically record so-called “pop and jazz standards”, such as “Cry”, “Over the Rainbow”, “Cry me a river”, “Makin' Whoopy” and others. Charles’s repertoire was simply amazing in its volume and variety. At this time, such hits as “Unchain My Heart”, “You Are My Sunshine" were released. “Hit The Road Jack", one of his most famous songs, written by Percy Mayfield, occupied the first lines of the R&B and Pop charts for several weeks at the same time, and also brought its performer a Grammy Award. At the same time, Ray’s “calling card”, “Georgia On My Mind", a symbol of the ABC period, was published. In the original, Hoag Carmichael dedicated this song to a girl named Georgia (April 24 1979) was declared the anthem of the state of Georgia, and Ray Charles performed it in the statehouse.In 1962, he surprised his now much wider audience by releasing the famous album "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music", in which hits such as "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "You Don't Know Me" were included. With his album, Ray entered the mainstream of country music, which was unimaginable for a black musician at the time. Ray spent his entire life campaigning against racism and racial segregation - he even canceled a concert in Augusta, Georgia, protesting against racial segregation - during his concert it was assumed that black and white spectators had to sit separately. Some sources erroneously indicate that for 20 years he was prohibited from performing in Georgia, but in fact there was no such ban - Ray simply did not go there. The very next day after the assassination of J.F. Kennedy, Ray released the single “Busted” - this is how Ray commemorated the end of his anti-racist politics. He also actively supported and financed the activities of Martin Luther King.

Death

Ray's health was undermined by hip surgery, from which he could not recover for a long time - despite the illness, he continued to work on the album “Genius Loves Company”. Ray died at the age of 73, at his home in Beverly Hills, California. The cause of his death was a long and serious illness, apparently liver cancer, which began to manifest itself back in 2002. According to the memoirs of David Ritz, in recent months Ray could no longer walk and almost did not speak, but every day he came to his own RPM studio and did his job. “I won’t live forever,” Ray Charles once said during an interview. - “I have enough intelligence to understand this. It’s not a matter of how long I will live, the only question is how beautiful my life will be.” Ray is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery, in Inglewood, California.

Two months after his death, his last album, Genius Loves Company, was released. This album includes songs performed by Ray together with other musicians. Among them are such names as BB King, Van Morrison, James Taylor, Michael McDonald, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones and Johnny Mathis. This album received 8 prestigious Grammy awards. Five of them were awarded to Ray himself - “Best Pop Vocal Album”, “Album of the Year”, “Record of the Year”, “Best Pop Collaboration” (the song “Here we go again” with Norah Jones) and “Best Gospel Performance”. . Stevie Wonder, BB King and Willie Nelson came to the church for the memorial ceremony. After the mass, the coffin was opened so that thousands of fans could say goodbye to Ray to the sounds of the song “Over the Rainbow”, chosen for this by himself. In the fall of 2004, a large concert in memory of Ray Charles was held in a 20,000-seat hall in Los Angeles. Many famous musicians paid their tribute to the singer, performing his most iconic songs. The concert ended with a recording of Ray’s performance on the big screen showing the song “America the Beautiful,” which received a standing ovation from the audience. In 2005, another posthumous album of the musician, “Genius & Friends”, was released, which included previously unreleased duets with modern pop and soul stars (Chris Isaak, Mary J. Blige, Ruben Studdard, George Michael, John Legend and others). All musicians were personally selected by Mr. Charles.

The third posthumous album was released in 2006 and was called “Ray Sings, Basie Swings”, which was a recorded accompaniment of the legendary Count Basie Orchestra specially invited to the studio for this purpose, overlaid on Ray’s carefully restored vocals using computer technology. The album includes Charles's biggest hits and some new cover versions. “This is a great event. When 21st century technology and immortal soul are woven together, the result is one that lasts for centuries,” said Quincy Jones, Ray Charles’s close friend and collaborator, about this album. And David Ritz, Ray Charles' biographer, called it "Probably Ray's most important recording of all time." Interestingly, Charles and Basie never actually played together, although they once performed in the same hall back to back.

In September 2010, Concord Records, where Ray has recorded in recent years and which is actively promoting the musician’s rich heritage, officially announced the release of a new Ray Charles album. The new disc is called “Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters” and consists of 10 brand new tracks that have never been released before. These are mostly demo recordings from the 70s and 80s, unfinished for one reason or another and put on the shelf. As with “Ray Sings, Basie Swings” and “Genius & Friends,” Charles’ vocals are carefully cleared of background noise, restored and overlaid with freshly recorded accompaniment from musicians specially invited to the studio. The album was released on October 26, 2010.

Voice

Ray Charles has one of the most recognizable voices in world music. “Ray Charles has the most unique voice in pop music. He did these improvisational things, like little chuckles or grunts. … (Ray) took the squeals, the screams, the growls, the moans, and made music out of them” (Billy Joel). Here are the words of musicologist Henry Pleasants:

Biographical film "Ray"

The biographical film “Ray” was made about the life of Ray Charles, which was released shortly after his death - October 19, 2004. The director of the film is Taylor Hackford. Charles himself was played by Jamie Foxx. The film's budget was $40 million. Taylor Hackford also participated in the creation of the film as a producer and screenwriter. The film depicts the period from to 1966. Jamie Foxx received an Oscar in the Best Actor category for this role. The film is based on Ray's 1978 autobiography, Brother Ray (one of Ray's nicknames).

Awards

During one of his awards, Ray was described as "one of the most respected singers of his generation... a pioneer who broke down the barriers between secular and spiritual styles, between white and black pop music." He 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.” In August 2005, the United States Congress renamed the West Adams Station post office in Los Angeles the Ray Charles Station. In 1976, he became one of the first musicians to be inducted into the Georgia Hall of Fame. In 1981, he received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1986, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, was awarded the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and in 2004, he was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame. During his career, Ray won 17 Grammy Awards (5 posthumously), not counting the Lifetime Achievement Award he received in 1987. Full list of Grammys received by Ray:

• 1959 - Best R&B Performance for "Let the Good Times Roll"
• 1960 - Best Vocal Performance (Single Recording or Track, Men) - for "Georgia On My Mind".
• 1960 - Best Pop Performance (Solo) - for "Georgia On My Mind".
• 1960 - Best Vocal Album (Male, Vocal Performance) - for “The Genius of Ray Charles.”
• 1961 - Best R&B Recording - for "Hit The Road Jack".
• 1962 - Best R&B Recording - for "I Can't Stop Loving You."
• 1963 - Best R&B Recording - for "Busted"
• 1966 - Best R&B Recording - for "Crying Time".
• 1966 - Best R&B Performance (Solo, Vocal) - for "Crying Time".
• 1975 - Best R&B Performance (Vocal, Male) - for "Living For the City."
• 1990 - Best R&B Performance (Duo or Group, Vocal) - for "I'll be Good To You" (with Chaka Khan).
• 1993 - Best R&B Performance (Vocal, Male) - for "A Song For You".
• 2004 - Record of the Year - “Here We Go Again” (with Norah Jones)
• 2004 - Album of the Year - Genius Loves Company
• 2004 - Best Pop Collaboration - "Here We Go Again" (with Norah Jones)
• 2004 - Best Pop Album of the Year - Genius Loves Company
• 2004 - Best Gospel Recording - "Heaven Help Us All" (with Gladys Knight)

Ray Charles is the only artist to have won a Grammy for five consecutive decades.

Discography

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 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
• 2009 Genius The Ultimate Ray Charles
• 2010 Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters
• 2012 Extraordinary Ray Charles

Filmography

• Swingin' Along (1961)
• Ballad in Blue (1964)
• The Big T.N.T. Show (1966) (documentary)
• Limit Up (1989)
• Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (1990) (documentary)

Notes

1. Van Morrison"100 Greatest Artists of All Time. #10: Ray Charles" (English). rollingstone.com. Archived
2. Billy Joel"100 Greatest Singers of All Time. #2: Ray Charles" (English). rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
3. "A Tribute to Ray Charles", Rolling Stoners issue 952/953, July 8-22, 2004
4. Eamon Graham OBITUARY: Ray Charles (1930-2004) (English) . Bohème Magazine. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
5. Rebecca Leung The Genius Of Ray Charles (English). cbsnews.com (February 18, 2009).

Ray Charles, a musician who performed compositions in the style of jazz, rhythm and blues and soul, became one of the most famous American musicians. The result of his creative activity was the release of more than seventy albums, multiple Grammy awards (13 times), and membership in the Hall of Fame of individual musical genres (rock and roll, jazz, country, blues).

The United States contains the hits of Ray Charles, and the famous words spoken by Frank Sinatra call him the only genius in show business.

Ray's childhood

Born Ray Charles Robinson, he saw the world in Albany in 1930. The town was small, and the financial and social situation of Ray's family was unfavorable. A few months after his birth, the whole family had to change their place of residence: they now called the small gray area of ​​Greenville (South Florida) their home.

His father's role in the musician's life was short and insignificant, since he left when the boy and his brother George were very young. He was raised by his mother Aretha and grandmother Mary Jane Robinson.

Tragic incident

The biography of Ray Charles contains one notorious fact related to the death of his brother. This happened when the future musician was only five years old, and George was four. Having plunged headlong into a deep tub of water that stood on the street, George was unable to get out and began to choke. Seeing his brother drowning, Ray tried to save him, but he did not have enough strength to pull the child out.

The resulting shock had a profound effect on Ray. He himself assumed that it was for this reason that his vision began to deteriorate until it disappeared completely. Complete blindness occurred when he was seven years old. Later, glaucoma and its consequences were considered the probable cause of blindness.

There are rumors claiming that the musician, having achieved fame, tried to find a donor for a one-eye transplant. However, the operation was never carried out due to the opinion of doctors who considered this step pointless and risky.

Ray Charles: music training

The formation of the musician’s future career was directly influenced by a pharmacist who played the piano and lived not far from Ray’s house. The first manifestations of the boy's musical talent were already noticeable when he was three years old.

Therefore, after completely losing his sight, his mother made sure that Ray entered a specialized boarding school. It was located in St. Augustine, and here Ray Charles studied organ, piano, trombone, saxophone and clarinet. Thanks to his success in music, the boy was enrolled in the Baptist choir.

1945 was the year of Ray's mother's death, his father died two years later.

Musical career: first steps

The further biography of Ray Charles (the period after completing his studies at the boarding school) is replete with the names of numerous musical projects in which he took part. They often performed country or jazz. The greatest influence on the formation of Ray's style and manner of performance was exerted by such famous jazzmen as Count Basie, Art Tatum, and Artie Shaw.

The first group of which the musician became a full member was called The Florida Playboys.

A trip to Seattle in 1947 was a very significant event for seventeen-year-old Ray. With $600 saved up and the support of guitarist Gossady McGee, he founds and develops the MacSon Trio. To record his first compositions, Ray collaborated with the group of the famous performer Lowell Fulson. Ray's task was to accompany the musicians on the piano. Two years later, Ray Charles's first rhythm and blues song was released. Then several more compositions were released, which later became hits.

Musician's activities in the 50s

The new decade was marked for Ray Charles Robinson by a change of label and a shortening of his name. This measure was necessary, since a boxer with a similar name was popular at that time.

Ray's first marriage lasted only a year. Beginning in July 1951, the life together of the musician and Eileen Williams did not stand the test of time. The next time Ray joined the barque three years later, he married Della Beatrice Robinson (nee Howard). They lived together until 1977.

The biography of Ray Charles in the mid-50s is full of successful songs, written independently or in collaboration with other musicians. It is during this period that a recognizable and original unique sound is formed.

Ray Charles's songs sold millions of copies, bringing popularity to the musician himself and the styles in which he worked. Ray's repertoire included secular gospel songs and blues ballads. The popularity of gospel and R&B owes much to the work of this musician, whose activities attracted a large number of new fans. There were representatives of both black and white audiences. Ray Charles, as one of the first performers in the style of rhythm and blues, is credited with the impressive spread of “black” music.

The end of the fifties brought Ray universal popularity, participation in the Newport Festival, recording a large number of hits, as well as his first Grammy Award.

Biography of Ray Charles: 60s

After receiving worldwide recognition, Ray moved to a huge mansion in Beverly Hills. As one of the few top-earning artists, he began to use his creative freedom to expand his approach to music. As a result, his works became closer to pop and mainstream styles. Despite the fact that the new compositions were strikingly different from what he had done before, Ray's music was consistently successful. The breadth and variety of the musician's repertoire has reached amazing volumes.

The song "Georgia On My Mind", which became the anthem of Ray Charles' home state, was published in the early 60s. A significant event followed: the release of the album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. The hits included in it belong to the country genre, which, combined with Ray’s racial identity, became a kind of revolution.

The musician's anti-racist sentiment

Coming from the lowest social class, Ray Charles was a lifelong activist for racial equality. An excellent example of his attitude to this issue can be seen in the cancellation of a concert in Augusta in 1961 due to the fact that black and white spectators were planned to be seated separately. In addition, Ray contributed (including financially) to King's activities and openly expressed disapproval of the policies of J.F. Kennedy.

Some sources mention a twenty-year ban for Ray from entering Georgia, but in reality he simply did not plan to go there.

Ray Charles and his "monkey on his back"

This is how the musician allegorically called his addiction to heroin. After discovering what it was at age 16, he spent the next two decades dependent on the drug.

In 1961, during a search of Ray's hotel room, illegal drugs were found, but there was no trial because the procedure was violated (there was no warrant). In subsequent years, the musician was repeatedly found using drugs, and in 1965 in Boston he was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and heroin.

Life with a clean slate

The decisive step, after which Ray Charles said a decisive “no” to drugs, was long-term treatment in a clinic in Los Angeles. This measure saved him from being in prison; the court limited himself to assigning a rather lenient punishment: one year of probation. After completing a rehabilitation course, Ray Charles did not return to using, finding inspiration and solace exclusively in music and performances.

“Ray,” a film about Ray Charles, covers the theme of the musician’s drug addiction in great detail.

Mainstream and Ray's later years

Freed from drugs, the musician acquires a new style, approaching the mainstream. A feature of this period is the absence of their own compositions in favor of fantastic performances of songs by other musicians.

With the advent of the 80s, Ray Charles expanded his range of activities: participation in the filming of the film “The Blues Brothers”, in a popular television show, as well as in Pepsi advertising.

The musician accepts invitations from the organizers of charity events, works with popular young performers and performs at the inauguration. Ray Charles's activity, full of public events, ended in 2004 in Los Angeles, when his last performance took place.

In the last years of his life, the musician suffered from liver cancer and severe consequences of surgery performed on his hip. Despite this, he showed up at his RPM studio every day to do his job. In one of his interviews, he noted that it doesn’t matter how long life is, what matters is how beautiful it is.

After Ray Charles died in 2004, his memory was honored with the release of a posthumous album. He has received eight Grammy awards. Later, another collection would be released, including joint compositions by Ray Charles and other performers.

As part of the memorial ceremony, many musicians and thousands of loyal fans said goodbye to Ray.

Ray Charles (full real name Raymond Charles Robinson) is an outstanding musician who has become a true legend for all connoisseurs of blues, jazz and soul music. His compositions captivate and fascinate, his amazing voice cannot be forgotten.

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

Ray Charles was born on September 23, 1930 in Albany, located in central Georgia. His family was very poor, and therefore from a very early age the great musician was accustomed to lack of money and constant deprivation. Ray's father, Bailey Robinson, abandoned the family, leaving his two sons in the care of their mother and grandmother. After this, the unlucky father practically did not take part in the lives of his children, appearing in their house once a year at most.

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

Our today's hero began to show interest in musical studies at an early age. While studying at a specialized school in the city of St. Augustine, the talented guy not only quickly mastered the Braille alphabet, but also learned to play the trombone, saxophone, piano, organ and some other instruments perfectly.

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

In the last years of his life, the artist was very ill. In 2002, he began to show symptoms characteristic of liver cancer. At some point, the great musician lost the ability to walk. He managed to speak with great difficulty. However, even despite this, until the last days of his life, Ray Charles regularly worked in the studio, recording new tunes and performing keyboard parts for fresh compositions.

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

Despite the fact that the musician was married only twice, he had many mistresses in his life. Thus, it is known for certain that the mothers of his twelve children (!) are nine (!) different women. Shortly before his death, our today's hero gave each of them one million dollars as a last gift.

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

Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American pop singer and pianist who became famous for performing compositions in many musical styles. He is considered the most significant person in the music industry in the post-war years.

Childhood

Ray Charles was born on September 23 in the small town of Albany, located in the state of Georgia, into a very poor black family. As the singer himself later said, they could not even be compared with just poor families:

“I was born into an incredibly poor family, exactly as poor as one can imagine, the very bottom of the stairs, below there is only bare and damp earth...”

His father took virtually no part in raising the children, so all worries fell on the shoulders of his mother, aunt Aretha and mother-in-law Mary Jay Robinson. Later, when Ray was 2 years old, his father left the family completely and disappeared. The future singer did not know where he was and with whom he lived.

At the age of five, Ray suffered a misfortune. He witnessed his brother begin to drown in a large bathtub. Since he was much larger and healthier than himself, the boy could not save him on his own, and there was simply no one to call for help. Women at that time were in the city to earn money. As a result, brother George died, and Ray withdrew into himself for a long time. The severe shock and shock of not being able to save his own brother drove the child to a serious illness, as a result of which he began to go blind. Even the doctors were unable to help. Two years later, Ray completely lost his sight.

Since the blind child could not attend a regular high school, his mother sent him to a boarding school in St. Augustine, where the boy was forced to learn Braille and adapt to an unusual condition, which, alas, could not be changed. At the same age, his musical talent began to manifest itself. With the help of the owner of the pharmacy, which was located not far from the house, Ray began to learn to play the piano and sing. At school, he asked to join clubs where they taught how to play other musical instruments. He ended up learning to play the clarinet, trombone, saxophone and organ in just one year.

The beginning of a musical career

After graduating from boarding school, Ray decided not to go to university, because he perfectly understood that it would be impossible to do this due to both financial and physiological circumstances. However, his desire to be a musician did not disappear. On the contrary, the guy dreamed of becoming a professional singer and earning money in order to be able to take care of his loved ones.

In 1947, after several years of saving money through part-time construction jobs, Ray finally decides to move to Seattle, since in his hometown music had always been the last priority for the poor and hungry residents. There, in Seattle, he meets aspiring guitarist Gossady McGee, who would later become one of Ray Charles's best friends, as well as the founder of a group called the MacSon Trio. And since the group’s songs in jazz and country styles almost immediately gain their listeners, the recording studio Swingtime Records becomes interested in the group, which invites two talented guys to start writing compositions under their label. “Walkin" and Talkin"", "Guitar Blues" and "Wonderin" and Wonderin"" are released.

Being “under the wing” of a record company, young and talented musicians soon began to realize that songwriting was becoming more and more a mechanical process for them, and not at all a creative process. And if earlier company representatives took on every new single of their group, then they begin to dictate their rights and set boundaries. Ray did not like this approach to creativity most of all, so in 1952 he terminated the contract and entered into a new one. Now with the record company Atlantic Records. There he not only releases his best songs, but with their help he also finds a new, ideal sound for himself, which later becomes his calling card.

In the 1960s, Ray Charles and his incomparable songs filled with vital energy were already known almost all over the world. At the same time, the singer again changed the recording studio and began collaborating with ABC Records, which at that time produced the most talented, famous and highly paid performers. Ray moves to Beverly Hills, where he begins to actively write songs. At this time, such singles as “Unchain My Heart”, “Georgia On My Mind”, “Cry”, “Makin" Whoopee”, “Busted”, “I Can’t Stop Loving” were born and became popular from the very first minutes. You" and "You Don't Know Me".

Drug addiction

Throughout his life, Ray Charles was addicted to drugs. He did not hide this fact and himself admitted that he first tried marijuana when he was still a 16-year-old teenager.

In 1961, the police found several bags of marijuana and cocaine in the singer's hotel room. A criminal case is initiated, but the lawyers manage to obtain only a suspended sentence for Ray, since at that time the star was already undergoing treatment for drug addiction in a Los Angeles clinic.

Four years later, Ray Charles is found to be in possession of drugs again. This time packs of heroin. However, the singer is again acquitted, after which he completely gives up drugs and begins to act as an active supporter of a healthy life.

Personal life

Ray Charles gained fame all over the world not only thanks to his excellent vocal abilities, but also his love for the female sex. The singer had 12 children, most of whom were born out of wedlock. If we talk about his official spouses, then they were only three women: Eileen Williams (lived together for a year, no children), Della Beatrice Howard Robinson (20 years of marriage and three children) and Norma Pinella (lived with Ray in a civil marriage until his death).