Ray Charles

American musician and composer

• Born: September 23, 1930
• Birthplace: Albany, Georgia
• Died: June 10, 2004
• Place of death: Beverly Hills, California

Charles, who was called the Genius for most of his career, fused rhythm and blues with gospel music and created a new, soulful musical genre. He expanded the market for black music, and because he worked in a wide variety of musical idioms, he is credited with foreshadowing musical forms such as rap with his talking-blues singles.

Early Life

Ray Charles, the first child of Aretha and Bailey Robinson, was raised in Greenville, Florida, during the height of the Depression. After a two-year undiagnosed disease that was later suspected to be glaucoma, Charles, at the age of seven, went blind. He was accepted as a “charity case” and enrolled at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, where he learned Braille, typing, basket weaving, and mathematics. He was permitted to develop his musical skills by learning piano, clarinet, and alto saxophone; he also developed the ability to compose and arrange music by memory. He remained in St. Augustine until his mother’s death in 1945, when he set out as a professional musician, first in Florida, then in Seattle, Washington, from 1948 to 1949.

While living on the road, Charles played with jazz and country bands and built a solo act imitating blues singers Charles Brown and Nat King Cole. He met Quincy Jones, whom he took under his wing, and began what would be a lifetime friendship. In 1948, Charles, along with bassist Milt Jarret and guitarist Gossady McGee, formed the McSon Trio, the first all-black group to have a sponsored television show in the Seattle area.

After changing his name from Ray Charles Robinson to Ray Charles to avoid confusion with boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, Charles toured with the Lowell Fulson Band and recorded his first singles, “Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand” and “Confessing the Blues,” on Swingtime and Downbeat Records. In 1950, he moved to Los Angeles, California, and then signed with Atlantic Records the following year.

Life’s Work

From 1953 to 1954, with producers Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler, Charles developed his distinctive, original sound and produced his first major hit, “I Got a Woman” (1954), a song criticized for its use of gospel idioms. Gospel would remain a staple of Charles’s Atlantic recordings through 1959, and it proved immeasurably influential to the music of the 1960’s, particularly Memphis-based soul music. At the same time, working with Charles became an important launching point for the careers of influential jazz players such as David “Fathead” Newman and Hank Crawford. Working in a wide variety of musical idioms, Charles would later be credited with foreshadowing musical forms such as rap with his Atlantic Records talking-blues singles “It Should Have Been Me” and “Greenbacks.”

After moving to Dallas, Texas, Charles added female backup singers to his act. The Cookies, later known as the Raylettes, added a call-and-response flavor to his new recordings. Charles and his singers released “Drown in My Own Tears” and “What’d I Say” (1959), a song banned by African American radio stations for its overt sexuality.

Charles’s next album, The Genius of Ray Charles, appeared in 1959. The album earned four Grammys and quickly established Charles as an original and innovative singer, arranger, and keyboardist. The album contained songs later covered by other artists, notably “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin” (Gerry and the Pacemakers) and “Let the Good Times Roll” (the Jimi Hendrix Experience); the moniker Genius, given to Charles by the record company, became his trademark despite his dislike of the title.

Charles toured Europe for the first time in 1960 and also released the Grammy Award-winning “Hit the Road Jack,” which featured the electric piano, an uncommon instrument among professional jazz and blues players of the time. He then fulfilled a longtime ambition by forming his first big band in September, 1961. He released the hit “Unchain My Heart” as a single, had a top-ten instrumental hit with “One Mint Julep,” and the following year oversaw the construction of RPM International, his own office building and recording studio in Los Angeles. The company briefly managed the careers of Ike and Tina Turner, the Fifth Dimension, the Ohio Players, and Billy Preston. Charles then produced another album, Genius + Soul = Jazz, this time with Jones, followed by a series of concept albums, for ABC’s Impulse Records. Charles recorded the Hoagy Carmichael composition “Georgia on My Mind,” which earned Charles another Grammy Award. It later was voted the official song of the State of Georgia and also became the theme song for the television series Designing Women.

Against the advice of his record company, Charles broke new ground with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962), particularly his Grammy-winning interpretations of “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Born to Lose.” These songs opened new markets for the genre and expanded Charles’s popularity with white audiences. After his second country album yielded the Grammy-winning single “Busted,” he returned to performing standards. In 1965 he formed his own label, Tangerine Records.

In the fall of 1964, Charles, who for seventeen years used heroin, was arrested for drug possession. He entered St. Francis Hospital in Los Angeles to break the addiction. He succeeded, but he also received a sentence of five years probation. While he did not tour during his legal troubles, “Crying Time” became a national hit and earned Charles two more Grammys. In 1966 he released “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” returned to the road, and began interpreting songs of the Beatles, notably “Yesterday” and “Eleanor Rigby.” Despite his dislike of rock musicians, he was heralded as an important influence on the genre and was a 1986 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Charles was not an early activist for civil rights, although two early songs, “Danger Zone” and “You’re in for a Big Surprise,” had lyrics reflecting African American resentment. In the 1960’s, however, he developed an awareness of the power of social reform, including civil rights, and provided financial support for civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. In the following decades, he contributed to programs researching sickle-cell disease as well as to organizations concerned with South African and Jewish causes. This interest led to A Message from the People (1972), an album of social commentary that included his milestone rendition of “America the Beautiful.” In 1984, Charles performed the song at the Republican National Convention as part of his participation in the campaign to reelect U.S. president Ronald Reagan. In April, 1987, Charles formed the Ray Charles Robinson Foundation, which conducts research on cochlear implants and other hearing-improvement devices and provides them to patients.

Although his major creative period had ended, Charles continued to perform and record for both CBS Records and Warner Bros. Records, releasing Wish You Were Here Tonight (1983) and Do I Ever Cross Your Mind? (1984), both traditional country albums. Commercial success also included the duets “Seven Spanish Angels” with Willie Nelson, “Shake Your Tailfeather” with the Blues Brothers, and “I’ll Be Good to You” with Chaka Khan. He continued to earn awards for new music, including Grammys for the songs “Living for the City,” “I’ll Be Good to You,” and “A Song for You” in 1993. Later that year, U.S. president Bill Clinton cited “A Song for You” as his favorite Charles song when he presented the singer with the National Medal of Arts.

Live performance number ten thousand of Charles’s career came when he took the stage at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles in 2003. Later that year he made his final appearance on stage when he performed “Georgia on My Mind” and “America the Beautiful” at a televised banquet for journalists in Washington, D.C. However, he also made a public appearance during the dedication of his music studio in Los Angeles in 2004. His career output included more than sixty albums, including three after his death: Genius Loves Company (2004, a collection of duets with B. B. King, Gladys Knight, Johnny Mathis, Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, and others); Genius & Friends (2005, releasing duets recorded in 1997); and Ray Sings, Basie Swings (2006, archived vocals by Charles from a 1973 performance).

Genius Loves Company won eight Grammy Awards, five of them for Charles: Best Pop Vocal Album, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Gospel Performance, and Best Pop Collaboration. He had already earned dozens of Grammys, and in 1987 he was presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Among his many other recognitions are a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1981) and induction into the Rhythm and Blues Foundation (1991), the Jazz Hall of Fame (2004), and the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame (2004). That same year Rolling Stone magazine placed him tenth on its list of the one hundred greatest artists of all time. In 2005, Congress approved the renaming of the West Adams post office in Los Angeles to the Ray Charles Post Office Building, and the 2005 Grammy Awards show was dedicated to him. He also received eight honorary doctorates and performed before U.S. president George W. Bush and his six predecessors at the personal request of each.

As early as 1964, Charles was starring in films, including Ballad in Blue. He also was featured in The Blues Brothers (1980) and Limit Up (1988). He appeared on television as well, joining the cast as a guest star on series such as St. Elsewhere, Who’s the Boss? and The Nanny. A 20/20 news show profile of Charles in 1981 earned two Emmys, and Charles was nominated for an Emmy in 1988 for his performance in a tribute to composer Irving Berlin. Charles even dabbled in “claymation” as the voice of the character Raisin Ray, the first celebrity character for the California Raisins advertising campaign. Charles continued acting into the 1990’s with advertising for Pepsi Cola and Suntory and appearances on television programs such as The Cosby Show. He also was an adviser for the 2004 Oscar-winning biopic Ray, starring Jamie Foxx as Charles. Charles befriended Foxx during the film’s production and helped him develop the role, for which Foxx won an Academy Award for Best Actor. Charles saw the completed film but died before it was released.

Charles died on June 10, 2004, at his Beverly Hills home while he was recovering from hip-replacement surgery. He is buried in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. He had twelve children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was married twice, first to Eileen Williams (1951-1952) and then to Della Beatrice Howard (1955-1977). At the time of his death he lived with Norma Pinella, his longtime companion and partner.

Significance

Charles was called the Genius for most of his career, an appellation rightly earned. His brilliance led to the fusion of rhythm and blues with gospel music, creating nothing less than a new musical genre an entirely new style of popular music that changed the industry and changed the art of soul music itself. Charles became one of the most frequently honored musicians of the twentieth century for his contributions not only to music but also social justice. That his legacy includes opening new avenues in jazz, blues, country, and rock music is clear, but he should be remembered as well for his involvement in social reform around the globe.

Charles has had a profound influence on contemporary and younger musicians. As his friend, admirer, and fellow musician Van Morrison wrote in 2005, “Ray Charles is proof that the best music crosses all boundaries, reaches all denominations. I think that the music of Ray Charles will probably outlive us all.”

Bibliography

Balliett, Whitney. “Profiles: It’s Detestable When You Live It.” The New Yorker, March 28, 1970, 44-76. This insightful article describes Charles’s recording studios in Los Angeles and also discusses his feelings about race, religion, family, his near-fatal plane crash, and how he organized his touring bands.

Charles, Ray, and David Ritz. Brother Ray. 3d ed. Cambridge, Mass.: Da Capo Press, 2004. This indispensable autobiography traces Charles’s life from birth through the most important years of his career. Charles discusses his musical influences, creative intentions, and his work. His frankness and explicit discussions on sexuality may offend some readers, but no work is as authoritative as this very readable, richly detailed memoir.

Coleman, Mark. “Ray Charles.” Rolling Stone, October 16, 1997. This helpful interview was arranged on the occasion of Rhino Records’ release of the boxed set Genius and Soul: The Fiftieth Anniversary Collection. The discussion focuses on Charles the musician, notes his influence on soul music, traces the history of his recordings, and discusses his influence on and dislike of rap music. Charles compares the music industry of his time with that of the 1990’s, stating the business no longer fostered individual talent and that American society no longer encourages personal responsibility.

Fong-Torres, Ben. “Ray Charles.” Rolling Stone, January 18, 1973. Reprint. Rolling Stone, October 15, 1992. This award-winning interview includes rarely asked questions of Charles, including his definitions of soul and blues music, blindness, his early malnutrition, and the influence of Nat King Cole on his work. Also includes Charles’s views on racism in the United States.

Lydon, Michael. Ray Charles: Man and Music. Rev. ed. New York: Routledge, 2004. A comprehensive biography of Charles that examines not only the musician but also Charles the individual.

Pareles, Jon, and Bernard Weintraub. “Ray Charles, Bluesy Essence of Soul, Is Dead at Seventy-Three.” The New York Times, June 11, 2004. A Charles obituary that surveys his legacy as an artist as well as his impact on music history.

Tuttle, Raymond. “Music King Charles.” Esquire, August, 1997. This profile traces Charles’s early interest in music and then explores his musical styles. Reviews the first fifty years of his recording career. Praises the 1997 Rhino Records collection, points to Charles’s versatility, and notes his use of top-notch touring musicians rather than “pickup” bands.

Wild, David. “Brother Ray Is at It Again.” Rolling Stone, April 29, 1993. A profile of Charles published at the time of his recording the album My World. Discusses career moves by Charles, his touring band, and his work with producer Richard Perry, who attempted to bring the singer-composer to a younger audience with the new album. Reviews Charles’s singing of Leon Russell and Paul Simon songs and the session work of Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Mavis Staples.