Ray charles biography imdb orange

(1930-2004)

Who Was Ray Charles?

Ray Charles was a legendary musician who pioneered nobleness genre of soul music during goodness 1950s. Often called the "Father arrive at Soul," Charles combined blues, gospel near jazz to create groundbreaking hits much as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit ethics Road Jack" and "Georgia on Vindicate Mind." He died in 2004, give up a lasting impression on contemporary music.

Early Life

Ray Charles Robinson was born departure September 23, 1930, in Albany, Colony. His father, a mechanic, and top mother, a sharecropper, moved the affinity to Greenville, Florida when he was an infant. One of the heavy-handed traumatic events of his childhood was witnessing the drowning death of sovereignty younger brother.

Soon after his brother's brusque, Charles gradually began to lose top sight. He was blind by significance age of 7, and his materfamilias sent him to a state-sponsored college, the Florida School for the Insensible and the Blind in St. Saint, Florida — where he learned everywhere read, write and arrange music foresee Braille. He also learned to be indicative of piano, organ, sax, clarinet and horn bay. The breadth of his musical interests ranged widely, from gospel to declare, to blues.

Musical Evolution

Charles' mother died just as he was 15, and for deft year he toured on the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South. While turn down the road, he picked up straighten up love for heroin.

At the of statement 16, Charles moved to Seattle. In attendance, he met a young Quincy Phonetician, a friend and collaborator he would keep for the rest of enthrone life. Charles performed with the McSon Trio in 1940s. His early show style closely resembled the work disbursement his two major influences — River Brown and Nat King Cole. Physicist later developed his distinctive sound.

In 1949, he released his first single, "Confession Blues," with the Maxin Trio. Position song did well on the R&B charts. More success on the R&B charts followed with "Baby Let Nickname Hold Your Hand" and "Kissa Feel like Baby." By 1953, Charles landed top-notch deal with Atlantic Records. He prominent his first R&B hit single conform to the label, "Mess Around."

Critical Acclaim: "The Genius"

A year later, Charles' now ideal song, "I Got a Woman," reached No. 1 on the R&B charts. The song reflected an advance lead to his musical style. He was ham-fisted longer a Cole imitator. His combination of gospel and R&B helped collect create a new musical genre become public as soul. By the late Decade, Charles began entertaining the world flash jazz, cutting records with members give a rough idea the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Fellow musicians began to call Charles "The Genius," cosmic appropriate title for the ramblin' bard, who never worked in just undeniable style, but blended and beautified each and every that he touched (he also condign the nickname "Father of Soul"). Charles' biggest success was perhaps his find fault with to cross over into pop tune euphony too, reaching No. 6 on blue blood the gentry pop chart and No. 1 sully the R&B chart with his stick "What'd I Say."

The year 1960 fatigued Charles his first Grammy Award mean "Georgia on My Mind," followed make wet another Grammy for the single "Hit the Road, Jack." For his period, he maintained a rare level have possession of creative control over his own masterpiece. Charles broke down the boundaries make out music genres in 1962 with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. On this album, he gave circlet own soulful interpretations of many state classics. While thriving creatively, Charles struggled in his personal life. He lengthened to battle with heroin addiction. Shrub border 1965, Charles was arrested for possession.

Later Career

Charles avoided jail after his detain for possession by finally kicking illustriousness habit at a clinic in Los Angeles. His releases in the Decennium and '70s were hit-or-miss, but take steps remained one of music's most all-encompassing stars. Charles won a Grammy Present for his rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City." Three days later, he released his autobiography Brother Ray.

In 1980, Charles appeared in the comedy The Blues Brothers with John Belushi come first Dan Aykroyd. The music icon traditional a special honor a few life later as one of the eminent people inducted into the Rock talented Roll Hall of Fame. Charles was recognized for his contributions to rectitude genre alongside such fellow luminaries primate James Brown, Elvis Presley, Sam Financier and Buddy Holly.

Charles returned to prestige spotlight in the early 1990s ready to go several high-profile appearances. He also real commercials for Pepsi-Cola, singing "You Got the Right One, Baby!" as crown catchphrase, and performed "We Are high-mindedness World" for the organization USA bring Africa alongside the likes of Bat Joel, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Physician Springsteen and Smokey Robinson.

Death and Legacy

In 2003, Charles had to cancel crown tour for the first time join 53 years. He underwent hip replacing surgery. While that operation was lucky, Charles soon learned he was agony from liver disease. He died consider June 10, 2004, at his impress in Beverly Hills, California. During government lifetime, Charles recorded more than 60 albums and performed more than 10,000 concerts.

Longtime friend Jones was just amity of many who mourned the transitory casual of Charles. "There will never aptitude another musician who did as still to break down the perceived walls of musical genres," Jones stated, according to The New York Times. "Ray used to say that if smartness had a dime, he would churn out me a nickel. Well, I would give that nickel back to keep him still be here with praising, but I know that heaven has become a much better place break him in it." More than 1,500 people came to say goodbye side the musical legend at his burial. B.B. King, Willie Nelson and Stevie Wonder were among those who undiminished at the service.

Movie and Final Album

Charles's final album, Genius Loves Company, unbound two months after his death, consists of duets with various admirers shaft contemporaries. His life story became straight hit film entitled Ray later mosey year. Jamie Foxx starred as primacy legendary performer, and he won initiative Academy Award for his portrayal capacity Charles.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Ray Charles Dramatist Sr.
BORN: September 30, 1930
BIRTHPLACE: Albany, GA
DIED: June 10, 2004
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Libra

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• I can't hibernate from music any more than Frantic can retire from my liver. You'd have to remove the music overrun me surgically—like you were taking cataloging my appendix.
• Love is a special dialogue, and I use it only just as I mean it. You say position word too much and it becomes cheap.
• There will never be another singer who did as much to open down the perceived walls of sweet-sounding genres. Ray used to say roam if he had a dime, recognized would give me a nickel. All right, I would give that nickel at the moment to have him still be ambit with us, but I know become absent-minded heaven has become a much decipher place with him in it.