Ray Charles: biography, best songs, interesting facts, listen

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 performers considered him a teacher, whose songs determined their musical career.

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

short biography

The life of Raymond Charles Robinson - a series of losses and victories since childhood. He was born 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 future singer's childhood passed. The family lived in poverty. Raising a son fell on the shoulders of a mother, a fragile and petite woman. Father disappeared at work, and later completely left the family.

As you know, trouble does not come alone. At the age of 5, Ray became 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 the eyes of Ray drowning younger brother. Until the end of his life, he regretted that he could not save him.

Stop seeing the world - scary. But not for Ray. Mom prepared the boy for the future life. She told how to move around the house, how to perform household duties. He washed the dishes, chopped wood and did absolutely everything that a sighted person. Neighbors blamed mom for such education, and Ray was grateful.

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

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

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

Ray began performing with the band The Florida Playboys, which mostly included white performers. The young African American liked the game one of the participants, and he was offered to replace the pianist.

The dream of their own group did not give the future soul soul rest. It is time to take new heights, as my mother bequeathed to him. He ruled out the big cities right away - the probability of being left 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 was waiting ahead.

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

Ray Charles literally united white and black musical culture into one. Soul included jazz, rhythm-and-blues, and the spiritual Negro chant of the spiritualists. Ray changed the pitch. No imitation, only your baritone seasoned with various moans, shouts and other sounds. This made his work exceptional, memorable, alive and real.

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

The pinnacle of Ray Charles’s success is associated with the release of the album “What'd I Say”. It combines 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 due to Ray’s vocal character. This did not prevent many performers from including a composition in their repertoire in the future.

Later, Charles goes 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 is touring and continues to dive into the world of music as deeply as possible, giving out new hits.

A career recession occurs in the mid-60s. He is associated with an arrest for possession of heroin. Drug rehabilitation helped to avoid prison sentences. He was given a year of probation. Drugs were over.

The genius of the musical world died at the age of 73, June 10, 2004, at his home in Beverly Hills, California. Exacerbated liver disease. After his death, a few more albums were released, which received 5 Grammy awards. Ray Charles talent can not be overestimated, they can only enjoy and be surprised endless energy.

Interesting Facts:

• Being blind, Ray rode his bike and motorcycle.
• He always shaved in front of a mirror.
• Ray was married twice, although the number of women with whom he was passionate 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 donated $ 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 the concerts. Ray did not dare to preach with sermons, he was afraid not to restrain himself and "to break the firewood."
• The single "Georgia on My Mind" became the official anthem of the state of Georgia - the place where the soul soul was born.
• 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 with him to just repeat the phrases after him - a characteristic feature of church chants. So was born a new hit. After the concert, people approached him and were interested in where to buy a record.
• His most famous hit in America was the composition "I Can't Stop Loving You". She took the lead for 5 weeks.
• Ray Charles was one of several black performers who became number one in the country's music charts.
• Becoming famous, he removed Robinson from his name to avoid confusion with boxer Ray Robinson.
• Had an operation to replace the hip joint 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, I almost died while flying from Louisiana to Oklahoma City. The ice completely covered the windshield of the aircraft, causing the pilot to fly at random. After several laps 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 advertising company "Diet Pepsi".

• Ray did not like to communicate with journalists and reluctantly gave autographs because he did not see what exactly he would have to leave the painting.
• His example and deafening success became the inspiration for other blind musicians: Ronnie Milsap and Terry Gibbs.
• Charles records are included in the Library of Congress.
• In his hometown of Albany in 2007, the Ray Charles Plaza Park was opened with a circular rotating pedestal on which a bronze sculpture of a famous piano performer is located.
• One of Ray’s hobbies was chess.
• He was the first to connect rhythm-and-blues with the church Negro chants.
• Depicted on postage stamps of the United States, a series dedicated to musical idols.
• Ray Charles received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 16, 1981.
• According to a survey of Rolling Stone magazine, Ray 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 was due to a difference in political convictions. Ray was considered a Democrat, and Reagan was a Republican. According to the agent of the musician, he simply earned money. The fee for the performance was 100 thousand dollars.
• He also spoke at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton 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? Began to accompany the fan.

Best songs

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

"I Got A Woman". Written in collaboration 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 would become world famous.

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

"Hit The Road Jack" built on the dialogue of a man and a woman who is trying to oust him. Written by Percy Mayfield in 1960, but gained fame in the performance of Charles, who knew how to make a chic arrangement. By the way, the women's party was performed by Margie Hendricks - 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 the strong love, prefers to remain in the shadow of a loved one.

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

What'd i say (listen)

"I Can't Stop Loving You" the whole country started up in 1962. The song has a touching vocal, thanks to which it occupied the top of the charts in the United States.

"Mess around". The audience heard the contagious rhythms of this song in 1953. This is one of the first hits of Ray.

"Hallelujah I Love Her So", performed by Ray in 1956 in a manner characteristic of that time. She was sung 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 from which I want to cry. Ray quail the 1895 version and did it flawlessly and expertly.

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

The best films about Ray Charles and 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 script in Braille. The picture, 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 the episodes of the following films:

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

These were both comedic and dramatic tapes.

See Ray can be in the television series:

• in the American medical drama "Saint Elswer" (1987), Ray appears in one of the series in the role of Arthur Tibbits;
• "Who is the boss here?" - another television series in which Ray Charles played. The title 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.

Ray Charles's music in films

Ray Charles' emotional compositions sounded not only from radio receivers. His songs were widely used as musical accompaniment for films, the number of which is impressive. Here are just a few of the paintings:

• "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";
• “Rescue Mr. Banks” (2013) - “One Mint Julep”;
• "Servants" (2011) - "Hallelujah I Love Her So";
• "To promise is not to marry" (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's hard not to agree with this, given its origin and blindness. He considered mom the main person in his life. She brought him up strictly and at times hard. But it was her words that sounded in his head at crucial moments when it was necessary to take the next step in a musical career.

To be blind, according to the musician, is not easy. There is an opinion that he even tried to regain his eyesight by submitting an advertisement for a donor search. But doctors considered the operation too risky.

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

Making music for Ray Charles was akin to 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? According to Charles, nothing. Modern performers did not inspire him: everything looks the same. He liked the music of Charlie Parker, she had a sound.

The musician was philosophical about death. He believed that it was better to live a short life, but filled with happiness and meaning. Charles knew how to joke, make fun of 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 a smile never gave 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 in music. It is not surprising that with his appearance there are big changes in the musical environment. Ray Charles, we owe emotional and sensual soul, lively rhythms of jazz and rhythm and blues. You can talk about his work for hours, but you should hear the first chords of his songs, see Ray's body language playing the piano, as you forget about everything and you begin to unwittingly dance.