Ray Charles

Who was Ray Charles?

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.’ Considered the ‘Father of Soul Music,’ Ray Charles left an indelible impression on the world of music that is still prevalent several years after his death. Best-known for his secular lyrics and popular jazz arrangements, his works were largely improvisational. Over the course of his career,which spanned over five decades, he inspired a number of other musicians and singer/songwriters. What made him an even bigger international star was the fact that he did not let his visual impairment get in the way of his music, personal life, and career. A man who loved shouldering responsibilities,Charles was extremely friendly with his peers and other musicians. Today, he is remembered for his pleasing, amicable personality and is considered one of the ‘godfathers’ of soul music. From ‘Confession Blues’ to ‘What’d I Say,’ his songs continue to reverberate in the world of music.

Career

He moved to Seattle in 1947 and became a member of ‘Maxin Trio’ along with Milton Garrett and G.D. McKee. The trio recorded their first songtitled ‘Confession Blues’ under ‘Down Beat Records.’ The song went on to become an R&B hit.

In 1951, he signed a deal with‘Down Beat Records,’ which was now renamed ‘Swing Time Records,’ and recorded another hit single titled ‘Let Me Hold Your Hand.’ The following year, he came up with another hit single titled ‘Kissa Me Baby.’ After the success of these two singles, he was signed on by ‘Atlantic Records.’

His first hit with ‘Atlantic Records’ came in 1953 when he recorded ‘Mess Around.’ He then recorded a number of other singles, including ‘It Should’veBeen Me’ and ‘Don’t You Know.’

In 1954, he recorded his own composition ‘I Got a Woman,’ and the song went on to become his first No. 1 hit.It also earned him nationwide recognition. He continued to record singles like ‘This Little Girl of Mine,’ ‘Drown in my Own Tears,’ ‘Lonely Avenue,’ and ‘Night Time Is the Right Time.’

In 1956, he formed his own ‘female-singing group’ called ‘Cookies’ which later came to be known as ‘The Raelettes.’

In 1957, he released his debut album with ‘Atlantic Records.’ The same year, he also released an instrumental album titled ‘The Great Ray Charles.’

He reached the zenith of his career after the release of his single ‘What’d I Say’ in 1959. The song became a huge hit and he finally broke into crossover mainstream pop music. Later in the year, he released the cover of a country song titled ‘Movin' On.’

In 1960,he recorded a live album titled ‘Ray Charles in Person.’ The same year, he produced the hit single ‘Georgia On my Mind’ as part of his hit concept album‘The Genius Hits the Road.’ It was during this time that he signed a lucrative deal with ‘ABC-Paramount Records.’

In 1960, he also recorded one of his most popular singles ‘Hit the Road Jack’ with vocalist Margie Hendricks. It topped all R&B charts and is currently considered one of his greatest works.

This was followed by three more albums in 1961—‘The Genius Sings the Blues,’ ‘Soul Meeting,’ and ‘The Genius After Hours.’

By 1962, Ray Charles had become an influential musician. He became one of the few black artists at the time to have gained such popularity in such a short period of time.

In the same year, he recorded albums, such as ‘Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music’ and its sequel ‘Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two.’ That year, he also founded his own record label ‘Tangerine Records.’

From 1963 to 1968, he released a string of albums that were not as successful as his previous albums. These albums were ‘Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul,’ ‘Sweet & Sour Tears,’ ‘Have a Smile with Me,’ ‘Crying Time,’ ‘Ray’s Moods,’ and ‘A Portrait of Ray.’ Additionally, the advent of psychedelic rock decreased his appeal.

Nonetheless, he actively continued to record songs and released the 1972 album ‘Message from the People.’ The album included the hit song ‘America the Beautiful.’ Two years later, he left ‘ABC Records.’

He re-signed with‘Atlantic Records’ in 1977 and recorded ‘True to Life.’ The same year, he also appeared in an episode of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Two years later, ‘Georgia On My Mind’ was proclaimed the song of Georgia.

In 1980, he appeared in the film ‘The Blues Brothers.’ Three years later, he signed a record deal with ‘Columbia Records’ and began to record a string of country hits with musicians like B.J. Thomas, George Jones, and Chet Atkins.

In 1984, he recorded the single ‘Seven Spanish Angels’ which would go on to become his most popular country single. The next year, he was seen performing at Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration.

In 1991, his catch-phrase ‘You Got the Right One, Baby’ made him an international star, thanks to the ‘Diet Pepsi’ commercials. Two years later, he performed at the inauguration of Bill Clinton.

He was seen in four episodes of the popular TV series ‘The Nanny’ from 1997 to 1998. In the new millennium, he appeared in a number of commercials for ‘New Jersey Lottery.’

In 2002, he released the album ‘Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again.’Two years later, he released ‘Ray Charles Celebrates a Gospel Christmas with the Voices of Jubilation’ and ‘Live at Olympia 2000.’

He made his last public appearance on April 30, 2004, when his music studio was recognized as a historic landmark in Los Angeles.