ray charles biography

Drug addiction is a classic musician stereotype. So the young teen became pregnant by her foster father. In 2003, at the age of 73, Charles was forced to cancel a tour to recover from hip surgery. Blind, poor, tormented by his brother's death, and living in the Jim Crow South, "The Genius" had enough emotional baggage for an airplane. By the late 1970s, however, Charles's 20-year marriage to Della Robinson had ended. Ray Charles, original name Ray Charles Robinson, (born September 23, 1930, Albany, Georgia, U.S.—died June 10, 2004, Beverly Hills, California), American pianist, singer, composer, and bandleader, a leading entertainer billed as “the Genius.” For his beginning sessions with Atlantic, Charles was teamed with an extraordinarily talented group of New York studio players under the direction of Jesse Stone, including guitarist Mickey Baker, drummer Connie Kay, and bassist Lloyd Trotman. Ray Charles is considered one of the greatest artists of all time. In 2012, Charles' estate sued seven of his children, alleging that they were violating the agreement by sending copyright termination notices to music publishers. and its Licensors From New Orleans, Charles moved on to Dallas, where he put together his first true band, with bandleader Renald Richard. "I sing the songs for what they mean to me," Charles was quoted in Joe Goldberg's Jazz Masters of the Fifties. Around the same time young Ray witnessed George's drowning, his eyesight began to worsen. A 1997 collection of his hits, Genius and Soul: The 50th Charles himself never cared to be pigeonholed into any one category. His last tour, in 2003, was cut short by illness, yet despite his illness he worked that year to produce an album of duets, Genius Loves Company, which featured Charles performing with such greats as Norah Jones, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, and B.B. While in St. Augustine, Charles learned to read, compose, and write music in braille, as well as to play the clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, and keyboards. The iconic opening electric piano rift and Charles' passionate vocals broke the R&B star to mainstream pop success. As reported by Today, artists such as Willie Nelson, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, and many others paid tribute to Ray Charles following his passing. Of all Charles's tunes from the mid-fifties, only "Swanee River Rock" remotely resembles rock 'n' roll, and it became Charles's first significant pop hit, reaching number 34 on the Billboard chart. Ray Charles Robinson was born in Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1930. Genius and Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection, Rhino, 1997. Ray Charles's story of addiction is somewhat different than the average drug addict's. By this time, Charles was well on his way to a comfortable, innovative style. The Genius of Ray Charles, Atlantic, 1959. The suggestion of sex in this particular song, however, resulted in its first being played only by black radio stations until it was played by Elvis Presley, at which time the white radio stations also picked it up. Though Charles became familiar with classical music there, it was at the upright piano of Wylie Pittman, a local grocer, where Charles first experienced playing the piano. The group consisted of Dorothy Jones, Darlene McCrea, and Margie Hendrix, who would become one of the many women who would have an affair with Charles and have a child with him. He learned to read, write, and compose music in braille and learned to play the saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, and keyboards at the school. Elvis Presley had helped to erode racial barriers and, in fact, was somewhat of a Ray Charles fan. With Jamie Foxx, Regina King, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell. She has an estimated net worth of $15 million.Her husband Ray got the title “Genius” because of his unique singing talents in Jazz, Gospel and country songs. Charles' spokesman, Jerry Digney, said that the musician was looking to tour the following spring. Ray Charles performs Feb. 9, 2002, at the Universal Amphitheatre, which has since been renamed the Gibson Amphitheatre. He said he enjoyed the glow that came from matches he sparked at night. The band began performing with Ruth Brown from El Paso throughout Florida. Ray Charles was frequently alluded to as “The Genius”. The Smithsonian Institute details that from the mid-19th and early 20th century, many African Americans "living in insufficient conditions" like Charles went blind because of a lack of quality health care. Della Beatrice Howard Robinson is the ex-wife of popular American pop singer, music composer and songwriter Ray Charles, who is ranked as “100 greatest singers of all time “ by American pop culture magazine Rolling stone. Charles credits four pianists as influencing him the most as a child: Art Tatum, Bud Powell, King Cole, and Oscar Peterson. his first million-seller song, was one of the finest renderings of the call-and-response pattern between Ray Charles and his new girls. As stated in The Independent, Charles practically invented soul music, combining the "sensual and secular preoccupations of the blues and the galvanic fervor of gospel." White, Timothy, Rock Lives, Henry Holt, 1990. Ray Charles (Ray Charles Robinson, Albany, Georgia, September 23, 1930 - Beverly Hills, California, June 10, 2004), was an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, and band leader. (He would ultimately father twelve children.). Celebrity Net Worth reports that Charles was worth $75 million at the time of his death. The cry of blues permeates every Charles performance," wrote Goldberg. As a child, Charles listened to a wide variety of blues and swing along with the weekly Grand Ole Opry and gospel music of his Baptist church. One of Charles's daughters was also born during this year by a woman named Louise. According to MTV, Genius Loves Company was Charles' best-selling album of his career and was awarded a Grammy the following year. He appeared in the film The Blues Brothers as well as television's Moonlighting. Many other famous Black musicians during the 1920s and '30s suffered blindness, such as Blind Tom Wiggins and Blind Lemon Jefferson. 2 on the R&B chart, then called the Most-Played Juke Box Race Records. Terms of Use, Mary Eugenia Charles Biography - Learned Values from Family, Jumped into Politics, Elected to Lead, Formed Tough Government Policies. Most Popular #4652. During his eight years at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, Charles studied music. Aretha Williams died in 1945 when Ray was a teenager. As among companions and individual performers he favored being designated as Brother Ray. The liver also breaks down recreational and prescription drugs. Influenced by both the pop vocal stylings of crooners like Nat King Cole and the smooth West Coast Blues of Charles Brown, Charles started off … Even Black-owned stations did not like the fact that the song mixed secular lyrics with gospel-inspired music. Among friends and fellow musicians, he preferred being called “Brother Ray.” He was often referred to as “The Genius.” Take a look below for 30 more fun and interesting facts about Ray Charles. For 22 years, Della Beatrice Howard, also known as "Bea," was married to Ray Charles, and the couple had three sons. He is the best of a long tradition, but there were people singing this way twenty years ago. As a rock and roll, rhythm & blues, soul, blues, jazz, country and … Marjorie "Margie" Hendrix (or Hendricks) was born on March 13, 1935, in Register, Georgia, and, according to People Pill, she sang, played piano, and directed her church's choir as a teen before moving to New York to pursue a music career. However, despite the fact that Atlantic executives wished to pursue sales in the white pop marketplace, Charles refused to compromise his musical style with the simpler beat, adolescent lyrics, and smoother singing. Ray Charles Robinson was born in Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1930. There are four basic things: love, somebody runnin' his mouth too much, having fun, and jobs are hard to get.… When I put myself in the place of the…general Joe I'm singing about,… I sing with all the feeling I can put into it, so that I can feel it myself.". The classical music training Charles received fit well with his experience before the school. This is the tragic real-life story of Ray Charles. "What'd I Say?" Professionally, Charles had begun to take over the R&B charts with songs such as "I Got a Woman" and "A Fool for You." Ray Charles Full Biography and Profile Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. By 1948, now 18 years old, Charles was a seasoned road musician. His father’s name was Bailey Robinson and mother’s name was Aretha William. Brief BiographiesBiographies: Katie Burke (1953–) Biography - Personal to Galeazzo Ciano (1903–1944) Biography, Copyright © 2021 Web Solutions LLC. Charles and his beloved mother Aretha moved to Greenville, Florida, when Charles was six months old. According to KUSA, it was his first canceled tour in 53 years. However, the ambitious Charles was determined to make his way in music and he purchased an early wire recorder, recording some demo tapes in Tampa, Florida. Charles is one of the most important musicians of the 20th century. Ray Charles was a legendary musician who pioneered the genre of soul music during the 1950s. Ray Charles, www.raycharles.com (November 4, 2004). Born on September 23 #14. When the Chairman of the Board calls you "the only true genius in our business," there really isn't much more to be said. Brother Ray Is at It Again, Atlantic, 1980. His 1966 album, Crying Time, was made with his experiences fighting through drug addiction in mind. According to Ray Charles' biography, You Don't Know Me: Reflections of My Father, Ray Charles, written by his son, Ray Charles Robinson Jr., the family lived "at the bottom of the economic ladder," even compared to the rest of the neighborhood. Education: Attended St. Augustine School for the Deaf and Blind. Began touring with dance bands at age 15; recording artist, for Atlantic Records, 1952-59, ABC-Paramount, 1959-65, and his own labels, Tangerine Records 1965-73, and Crossover Records Co., 1973-2004. Despite being born into extreme poverty, Ray Charles created a prolific body of work spanning five decades. "Jazz musicians speak of a quality called 'the cry,' a quality that echoes the blues no matter what is being played. Times were tough for the young family. A brilliant, towering musical figure who through his singing and piano playing helped invent soul and R&B music. Directed by Taylor Hackford. Charles also shied away from taking credit for the creation of rock 'n' roll, feeling that his music was more adult and filled with despair, considering rhythm-and-blues as genuine down-to-earth Negro music. Early recordings are based on blues and gospel forms, including the soulful, "A Fool For You," "What Would I Do Without You?," "It's Allright," and "Drown In My Own Tears." Soon, his marijuana use turned into heroin use, and the teenage musician spent the next decade and a half addicted to the drug. Frequently imitated, and honored with countless awards during his career, Charles is best known as the "Father of Soul Music." Out west, Charles met Quincy Jones and Bumps Blackwell, producer of the original Little Richard hits. Ray Charles was the musician most responsible for developing soul music. Born Ray Charles Robinson on September 23, 1930, in Albany, GA; died June 10, 2004, in Beverly Hills, CA; son of Bailey and Aretha Robinson; married twice, to Eileen and Della; children: twelve children. Proficient in numerous styles, Ray's recordings are rich in blues, jazz, and country, and he was often spoken of as the nation's best rock n' roll singer, best jazz singer, and best pop singer, his preeminence challenged only by Frank Sinatra. Ray Charles was born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. Completely blind by the age of seven, Charles … Seeing that the Robinson family grew up in poor in the segregated South, the best medical treatment was not available for Ray. Ray Charles Biography, News, Videos, Movie Reviews, Quotes | Ray Charles (born Ray Charles Robinson, 23.9.1930 - 10.6.2004)Ray Charles was an American singer, composer and pianist. At an early age of 5, Ray Charles began losing his vision. According to Recovery Ranch, promoters for the venues he played gave Charles marijuana to help his performance anxiety. Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930, to Bailey Robinson and Aretha Williams. Ray Charles Wiki Biography Ray Charles Robinson was born into a working-class family in the city of Albany, Georgia, on 23 September 1930, but became one of the most prominent and influential musicians of the 20th century and had a major influence on the musical world. The group soon signed with Atlantic Records, and in 1958, Hendrix and McCrea left their group and became the Raelettes, Charles' backup singers. Performers and executives from across the industry celebrated his great career, and Newsweek commented that "Generations of singers have wanted to sound like him. Ray talks about his early childhood, despite an absent father, as fulfilling and joyful. Luckily for Charles his band was both flexible and talented enough to accommodate his sense of musical perfection. Franklin called him "the voice of a lifetime." He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm & blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He blended gospel, rhythm and blues, and jazz to create a new form of music called soul. In 1979, his rendition of "Georgia on My Mind" was officially named Georgia's state song. Slate reports that when Charles was working on his autobiography, he said, "Just like smack never got in the way of my working, same goes for booze and reefer. Ray's excellence as a blues pianist is evident on his instrumental albums, including The Great Ray Charles. By 1964 Charles's drug addiction caught up with him and he was arrested for possession of marijuana and heroin. Tragically, at the age of five, young Ray helplessly watched as his four-year-old brother George drowned in a washtub. Born In 1930 . in 1959. Ray Charles (born Ray Charles Robinson) (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American musician. Charles united gospel and blues music to help form a sound known as soul music. His father, Bailey Robinson, worked as a railroad mechanic and handyman; his mother, Aretha Robinson, worked in a sawmill and sometimes washed other people's clothes to make extra money. Charles' drug addiction, affairs, and career became too much, and the pair divorced in 1977. Charles was born in Albany, Georgia and was raised in Greenville, Florida. 2. Ray Charles Biography, Wiki. First Name Ray #3. I don't want to be branded. The band now consisted of Hank Crawford on alto, Newman on tenor, and Cooper on baritone sax. On June 10, 2004, Ray Charles passed away in his Beverly Hills home at the age of 73. However, the Louisiana rhythm had less effect on his overall work than some have speculated. Ray Charles Robinson was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and composer. By 1954, Charles began to create songs which differed radically from his expert imitations of Nat King Cole, Charles Brown, and Louis Jordan. According to History Links, Charles' father only appeared a few times throughout Ray's early life and eventually left the family all together, leaving Aretha to care for Ray and his younger brother, George. According to his son, Charles said "there was nothing between him and the bottom but dirt.". Ray Charles Biography . Soul Singer #8. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Volume 2, ABC, 1962. Blindness, as described in the article, was used in the marketing of these musicians to portray the suffering, weary blues singer beaten down by life. Whatever it was, Ray Charles revolutionized American music and was catapulted to legendary status by the time he died in Beverly Hills at age 73. According to Live About, Aretha Williams would never let her son use his blindness as an excuse. 1. A year later, Charles' voice was sampled by Kanye West for the hit song, "Gold Digger," featuring Foxx. In 1966, after being released from rehab and swearing off drugs, Charles put his new life into his music, recording songs about his experiences such as "Let's Go Get Stoned" and "I Don't Need No Doctor." Charles later faced another drug arrest, but according to Super Lawyers, he avoided jail time by entering rehab. He was so big and she [Aretha] was so small that people often confused them for father and daughter.". While the case was dismissed because of the manner in which the evidence was obtained, Charles's situation did not improve until a few years later. Unfortunately, his blindness was not the only hardship Charles had to face during his life. His father left the family shortly after that. After the Raelettes, Margie moved to Los Angeles to pursue a solo career. Therefore, Della Beatrice Howard Robinson Age is 89 Year Old as of 2018. Selected Awards: 16th International Jazz Critics Poll, named #1 male singer, 1968; NAACP, Image Award, 1983; Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 1986; Kennedy Center Honors recipient, 1986; 12 Grammy awards, including Lifetime Achievement Award, 1987; National Medal of Arts, 1993; Ebony magazine, Lifetime Achievement Award, 1994. Charles tried to sound like them in order to get work, especially club work. Between 1957 and 1959, with the expansion of his band, Charles delved into greater musical forays, including an extended interest in country and western music. Charles accomplished all this during and after his lifetime despite losing his eyesight very early in his childhood. This song remains a favorite closing number among performing soul singers worldwide. During his final days with Atlantic, Charles experimented with a passion, leaving Atlantic with his final recording, The Genius of Ray Charles, which freed him from the stereotype of rock 'n' roll singer and sealing him firmly as "Mr. One of the most traumatic events of his childhood was witnessing the drowning death of his younger brother. In his autobiography, Brother Ray, Charles recalled that "Even compared to the other blacks in Greenville, we were at the bottom of the ladder." By this time, however, Charles had become acquainted with heroin, which he continued using for many years to come. In 1973, Charles left ABC to form Crossover Records with Atlantic, his original company. The young Ray, however, suffered a life-altering loss at age five. She looked for a way to help her son and found it with the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine. Ray, at this point in his life and career, had already been married to a woman named Eileen Williams (a union which lasted only a year) and had already fathered a child with another woman. Ray Charles was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and composer. Find Ray Charles on Amazon.com. Some like one thing, and some another. First Name Ray. By the age of seven, he was completely blind. Frank Sinatra once called Ray Charles "the only true genius in show business." The combination of many sexual partners and excessive drug and alcohol use throughout his life led to Charles' body suffering greatly in his later years. The New York Times reported that Ray Charles was among many musicians whose work was lost in the inferno. Charles recalled those days as being rough times, however, he felt that his youth provided him with a certain resilience. The female singers included Mary Ann Fisher, Darlene McRae, and Margie Hendrix. A single from this album, "I Can't Stop Loving You," sold three million copies. Charles's trio came to the attention of Jack Lauderdale of Downbeat and later Swing-time records. Modern Sounds in Country and Western, ABC, 1961. During the same period, Charles was working on what would be his final two projects: a final album and a biopic about his life. Ray's father had also died several years earlier. Charles continued with his soulful music, and his recordings continued to sell, albeit largely among the black community. In his 1978 autobiography, Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story, Charles said this about his father: "The old man wasn't part of my life. Still, "What'd I Say" was a hit among young people and propelled Charles from the R&B charts to the Top 10 on Billboard. Charles's absent father, Bailey Robinson, was a migrant railroad worker who never knew his son. Ray Charles Clips Ray Charles Popularity 51. Winski, Norman, Ray Charles, Melrose Square, 1994. In 1991 Charles's selection by Pepsi-Cola to act as their spokesman with a catchy "Uh-Huh" theme introduced his music to a new generation of listeners. By 1950, Charles had moved to Los Angeles and was cutting records for Swingtime. While he ended his use of drugs following his stint in rehab in the mid-1960s, Charles continued to drink gin and smoke marijuana until his death. Unfortunately, while the operation was successful, Biography reports that Charles learned he was suffering from liver disease and that his days were numbered. What I do with my own body is my own business." Above all his many talents, singing great Ray Charles had the ability to interpret and sing songs in such a way as to fill the words from the depths of his own heart, carrying this emotion to the listener. Ray first learned to play upright piano as a child from a local store owner named Wylie Pitman. Dr. Mirkin details how Ray Charles' drug and alcohol use led to illness later in life. Biography. Ray Charles was an American singer, songwriter, composer, and pianist.He combined various styles of music like rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues and pioneered the soul music genre.This new music genre went on to produce hits like ‘Hit the Road Jack,’ ‘Georgia On My Mind,’ and ‘Unchain My Heart.’ Charles was one of the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, and in 1988 he was awarded the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award. Said Charles to Robert Palmer: "When people ask me what I think about soul music.… I think all these terms are names that the media give the music in order to try to describe what they mean. Ray Charles dies at the age of 73 on June 10, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California. The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Ray Charles, Tony Evans/timelapse Library Ltd./Getty Images, Industries for the Blind and Visually Impaired, You Don't Know Me: Reflections of My Father, Ray Charles. This was compounded by the fact that Ray was orphaned after his mother's death, as his absent father had died several years earlier. Ray Charles, Atlantic, 1957; re-released as Hallelujah, I Love Her So, WEA International, 2003. Ray said he didn't pick up the guitar like other blind African American musicians because of its association with blindness and helplessness. Ray Charles was born into a poor family on September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia, though he was raised in Florida. Early Atlantic recordings were made with Charles while he performed in Atlanta, Florida, and New York. Charles would regret this arrogant declaration toward the end of his life, when his years of alcohol use finally caught up with him. Actually, his mid-fifties band arrangements more closely resembled the style of James Brown than New For the leader of the Ray Charles Singers, see Ray Charles … While Charles was an unquestioned musical success, he was also a long-term drug user. Charles's eyesight worsened considerably from glaucoma, leaving him completely blind by the age of seven. Genius Loves Company, Ray Charles' final album, was released two months after his passing. At points during this time, according to the biography Ray Charles: Singer and Musician, Charles lived in poverty and would sometimes go days without food. Young Ray heeded his mother's words and did not want his blindness to be an excuse to be pitied. According to Ray Charles' biography, You Don't Know Me: Reflections of My Father, Ray Charles, written by his son, Ray Charles Robinson Jr., the family lived "at the bottom of the economic ladder," even compared to the rest of the neighborhood. "Raeletts." Ray Charles, despite being unique in many ways during his career, wasn't unique in any way in this regard. His father, a mechanic, and his mother, a sharecropper, moved the family to Greenville, Florida when he was an infant. That's why I try all these different things.… I know not everybody likes everything I do. Ray's father, Bailey Robinson, was a mechanic and a handyman, and his mother, Aretha, stacked boards in a sawmill. ", Despite his early success in soul music, Charles never fully accepted the accolade of "father of soul." Atlantic continued to support Charles in his endeavors, hence, his soul music was undiluted and some of his landmark songs from this time were even more soulful than his earlier recordings, including "Come Back Baby," "Drown In My Own Tears," and "Hallelujah I Love Her So. On November 14, 1961, Charles was arrested on a narcotics charge in an Indiana hotel room, where he waited to perform. ", Following the success of his final album and his biopic, Charles seemed to have walked off the stage to a standing ovation. Ray called Atlantic following a few performances of the song, saying, "I'm playing a song out here on the road, and I don't know what it is [...] but the people are just going wild every time we play it, and I think we ought to record it.". It was there that Wexler first realized the overall change in Charles's music. But Ray was able to bring so much of his own to it.". According to Chimes Freedom, Charles said that the song was created at the end of a concert as he was trying to finish the final minutes of his contracted time for a performance. Charles took all the music he heard in the Jim Crow South, the gospel and blues he mixed to form soul as well as country, jazz, and R&B, and formed an influential musical legacy. Charles changed stylistically somewhat, though, in 1961, as he moved from a blues shouter to a crooner of soul, achieving a phenomenal sweep of four Grammy awards in 1961 for Best Vocal Performer (male), Best Single ("Georgia on My Mind"), Best Album (The Genius of Ray Charles), and Best Song ("Let the Good Times Roll"). According to CNN, Charles had met with his children and told them they would each receive $500,000 in exchange for requesting and waiving claims to his estate shortly before his passing. The hit single, "What Kind of Man Are You" is a splendid example of the intense, spiritual feel added by the Raeletts. 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