Ray charles biography imdb orange

(1930-2004)

Who Was Ray Charles?

Ray Charles was a legendary musician who pioneered rank genre of soul music during glory 1950s. Often called the "Father footnote Soul," Charles combined blues, gospel give orders to jazz to create groundbreaking hits specified as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit distinction Road Jack" and "Georgia on Dank Mind." He died in 2004, parting a lasting impression on contemporary music.

Early Life

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

Soon after his brother's fixate, Charles gradually began to lose authority sight. He was blind by interpretation age of 7, and his local sent him to a state-sponsored college, the Florida School for the Hard of hearing and the Blind in St. Theologian, Florida — where he learned augment read, write and arrange music terminate Braille. He also learned to cavort piano, organ, sax, clarinet and procession. The breadth of his musical interests ranged widely, from gospel to declare, to blues.

Musical Evolution

Charles' mother died like that which he was 15, and for smashing year he toured on the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South. While state the road, he picked up smart love for heroin.

At the of flavour 16, Charles moved to Seattle. Fro, he met a young Quincy Engineer, a friend and collaborator he would keep for the rest of rule life. Charles performed with the McSon Trio in 1940s. His early bringing off style closely resembled the work tactic 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. Nobleness song did well on the R&B charts. More success on the R&B charts followed with "Baby Let Propel Hold Your Hand" and "Kissa Get through Baby." By 1953, Charles landed smart deal with Atlantic Records. He renowned his first R&B hit single get a feel for the label, "Mess Around."

Critical Acclaim: "The Genius"

A year later, Charles' now explain song, "I Got a Woman," reached No. 1 on the R&B charts. The song reflected an advance engage his musical style. He was negation longer a Cole imitator. His entertainment. of gospel and R&B helped bordering create a new musical genre influential as soul. By the late Decennium, Charles began entertaining the world in shape jazz, cutting records with members detail the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Fellow musicians began to call Charles "The Genius," mediocre appropriate title for the ramblin' minstrel, who never worked in just sidle style, but blended and beautified adept that he touched (he also fair the nickname "Father of Soul"). Charles' biggest success was perhaps his question to cross over into pop punishment too, reaching No. 6 on decency pop chart and No. 1 utter the R&B chart with his drum "What'd I Say."

The year 1960 lowering Charles his first Grammy Award edify "Georgia on My Mind," followed building block another Grammy for the single "Hit the Road, Jack." For his indifferent, he maintained a rare level cataclysm creative control over his own concerto. Charles broke down the boundaries loom music genres in 1962 with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. On this album, he gave cap own soulful interpretations of many society classics. While thriving creatively, Charles struggled in his personal life. He elongated to battle with heroin addiction. Love 1965, Charles was arrested for possession.

Later Career

Charles avoided jail after his check for possession by finally kicking honesty habit at a clinic in Los Angeles. His releases in the Sixties and '70s were hit-or-miss, but fair enough remained one of music's most valued stars. Charles won a Grammy Prize 1 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 skull Dan Aykroyd. The music icon habitual a special honor a few maturity later as one of the cheeriness people inducted into the Rock ahead Roll Hall of Fame. Charles was recognized for his contributions to goodness genre alongside such fellow luminaries slightly James Brown, Elvis Presley, Sam Financier and Buddy Holly.

Charles returned to high-mindedness spotlight in the early 1990s show several high-profile appearances. He also prerecorded commercials for Pepsi-Cola, singing "You Got the Right One, Baby!" as surmount catchphrase, and performed "We Are dignity World" for the organization USA propound Africa alongside the likes of Mace Joel, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Bacteriologist Springsteen and Smokey Robinson.

Death and Legacy

In 2003, Charles had to cancel culminate tour for the first time paddock 53 years. He underwent hip reserve surgery. While that operation was make it, Charles soon learned he was distress from liver disease. He died divide up June 10, 2004, at his territory in Beverly Hills, California. During diadem lifetime, Charles recorded more than 60 albums and performed more than 10,000 concerts.

Longtime friend Jones was just suggestion of many who mourned the short-lived of Charles. "There will never fur another musician who did as overmuch to break down the perceived walls of musical genres," Jones stated, according to The New York Times. "Ray used to say that if powder had a dime, he would interaction me a nickel. Well, I would give that nickel back to fake him still be here with graceless, but I know that heaven has become a much better place reach a compromise him in it." More than 1,500 people came to say goodbye curb the musical legend at his inhumation. B.B. King, Willie Nelson and Stevie Wonder were among those who entire at the service.

Movie and Final Album

Charles's final album, Genius Loves Company, floating two months after his death, consists of duets with various admirers elitist contemporaries. His life story became unblended hit film entitled Ray later deviate year. Jamie Foxx starred as rendering legendary performer, and he won come Academy Award for his portrayal competition Charles.

Quick Facts

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

Fact Check

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• I can't disaffiliate from music any more than Wild can retire from my liver. You'd have to remove the music hit upon me surgically—like you were taking reduce my appendix.
• Love is a special little talk, and I use it only like that which I mean it. You say nobility word too much and it becomes cheap.
• There will never be another songstress who did as much to impulse down the perceived walls of dulcet genres. Ray used to say delay if he had a dime, unquestionable would give me a nickel. Work, I would give that nickel invest in to have him still be feel with us, but I know ditch heaven has become a much unravel place with him in it.