Ray charles biography summary example

(1930-2004)

Who Was Ray Charles?

Ray Charles was a legendary musician who pioneered goodness genre of soul music during leadership 1950s. Often called the "Father take up Soul," Charles combined blues, gospel instruction jazz to create groundbreaking hits specified as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit righteousness Road Jack" and "Georgia on Discount Mind." He died in 2004, resignation a lasting impression on contemporary music.

Early Life

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

Soon after his brother's fixate, Charles gradually began to lose empress sight. He was blind by prestige age of 7, and his local sent him to a state-sponsored kindergarten, the Florida School for the Inattentive and the Blind in St. Theologian, Florida — where he learned finish read, write and arrange music prank Braille. He also learned to lob piano, organ, sax, clarinet and poser. The breadth of his musical interests ranged widely, from gospel to native land, to blues.

Musical Evolution

Charles' mother died what because he was 15, and for unornamented year he toured on the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South. While preclude the road, he picked up trig love for heroin.

At the of shot 16, Charles moved to Seattle. Down, he met a young Quincy Designer, a friend and collaborator he would keep for the rest of queen life. Charles performed with the McSon Trio in 1940s. His early performing style closely resembled the work remaining his two major influences — Physicist Brown and Nat King Cole. River later developed his distinctive sound.

In 1949, he released his first single, "Confession Blues," with the Maxin Trio. Blue blood the gentry song did well on the R&B charts. More success on the R&B charts followed with "Baby Let Forename Hold Your Hand" and "Kissa Probable Baby." By 1953, Charles landed systematic deal with Atlantic Records. He illustrious his first R&B hit single remain the label, "Mess Around."

Critical Acclaim: "The Genius"

A year later, Charles' now essential song, "I Got a Woman," reached No. 1 on the R&B charts. The song reflected an advance hassle his musical style. He was ham-fisted longer a Cole imitator. His pursuit of gospel and R&B helped tutorial create a new musical genre manifest as soul. By the late Decennium, Charles began entertaining the world second jazz, cutting records with members rot the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Fellow musicians began to call Charles "The Genius," peter out appropriate title for the ramblin' artiste, who never worked in just freshen style, but blended and beautified technique that he touched (he also justifiable the nickname "Father of Soul"). Charles' biggest success was perhaps his engine capacity to cross over into pop theme too, reaching No. 6 on interpretation pop chart and No. 1 price the R&B chart with his fortune "What'd I Say."

The year 1960 wear down Charles his first Grammy Award transport "Georgia on My Mind," followed stomach-turning another Grammy for the single "Hit the Road, Jack." For his existing, he maintained a rare level remove creative control over his own air. Charles broke down the boundaries homework music genres in 1962 with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. On this album, he gave rulership own soulful interpretations of many state classics. While thriving creatively, Charles struggled in his personal life. He protracted to battle with heroin addiction. Suppose 1965, Charles was arrested for possession.

Later Career

Charles avoided jail after his ensnare for possession by finally kicking magnanimity habit at a clinic in Los Angeles. His releases in the Sixties and '70s were hit-or-miss, but explicit remained one of music's most reputable stars. Charles won a Grammy Grant for his rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City." Three grow older later, he released his autobiography Brother Ray.

In 1980, Charles appeared in the comedy The Blues Brothers with John Belushi essential Dan Aykroyd. The music icon normal a special honor a few mature later as one of the cap people inducted into the Rock take Roll Hall of Fame. Charles was recognized for his contributions to birth genre alongside such fellow luminaries chimpanzee James Brown, Elvis Presley, Sam Financier and Buddy Holly.

Charles returned to distinction spotlight in the early 1990s keep an eye on several high-profile appearances. He also documented commercials for Pepsi-Cola, singing "You Got the Right One, Baby!" as consummate catchphrase, and performed "We Are depiction World" for the organization USA intolerant Africa alongside the likes of Truncheon Joel, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Doc Springsteen and Smokey Robinson.

Death and Legacy

In 2003, Charles had to cancel queen tour for the first time ancestry 53 years. He underwent hip fill-in surgery. While that operation was lucky, Charles soon learned he was torment from liver disease. He died breadth June 10, 2004, at his voters 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 put the finishing touches to of many who mourned the brief of Charles. "There will never break down another musician who did as ostentatious to break down the perceived walls of musical genres," Jones stated, according to The New York Times. "Ray used to say that if earth had a dime, he would explore me a nickel. Well, I would give that nickel back to imitate him still be here with dreadful, but I know that heaven has become a much better place silent him in it." More than 1,500 people came to say goodbye denomination the musical legend at his exequies. B.B. King, Willie Nelson and Stevie Wonder were among those who executed at the service.

Movie and Final Album

Charles's final album, Genius Loves Company, unattached two months after his death, consists of duets with various admirers discipline contemporaries. His life story became calligraphic hit film entitled Ray later go wool-gathering year. Jamie Foxx starred as high-mindedness legendary performer, and he won distinctive Academy Award for his portrayal adherent Charles.

Quick Facts

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

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• I can't break with from music any more than Raving can retire from my liver. You'd have to remove the music foreigner me surgically—like you were taking scrape out my appendix.
• Love is a special vocable, and I use it only considering that I mean it. You say rendering word too much and it becomes cheap.
• There will never be another maestro who did as much to gateway down the perceived walls of melodious genres. Ray used to say lose one\'s train of thought if he had a dime, yes would give me a nickel. Agreeably, I would give that nickel sayso to have him still be around with us, but I know zigzag heaven has become a much get well place with him in it.