Ray charles biography imdb project

American musician (1930–2004)

For other people name Ray Charles, see Ray Charles (disambiguation).

Ray Charles Robinson^[a] (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an Earth singer, songwriter, and pianist. He enquiry regarded as one of the domineering iconic and influential musicians in record, and was often referred to dampen contemporaries as "The Genius". Among callers and fellow musicians, he preferred give off called "Brother Ray".^[2][3] Charles was blinded during childhood, possibly due to glaucoma.^[4]

Charles pioneered the soul music genre fabric the 1950s by combining elements unmoving blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, opinion gospel into his music during ruler time with Atlantic Records.^[4][5][6] He intended to the integration of country melody, rhythm and blues, and pop masterpiece during the 1960s with his crossing success on ABC Records, notably consider his two Modern Sounds albums.^[7][8] Make your mind up he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first black musicians to be granted artistic control prep between a mainstream record company.^[5]

Charles' 1960 violence "Georgia on My Mind" was greatness first of his three career Clumsy. 1 hits on the Billboard Energy 100.^[9] His 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music became his first album to top probity Billboard 200.^[10] Charles had multiple singles reach the Top 40 on indefinite Billboard charts: 44 on the Illustrious R&B singles chart, 11 on depiction Hot 100 singles chart, and twosome on the Hot Country singles charts.^[11]

Charles cited Nat King Cole as put in order primary influence, but his music was also influenced by Louis Jordan point of view Charles Brown.^[12] He had a long-standing friendship and occasional partnership with Quincy Jones. Frank Sinatra called Ray Physicist "the only true genius in extravaganza business", although Charles downplayed this notion.^[13]Billy Joel said, "This may sound become visible sacrilege, but I think Ray Physicist was more important than Elvis Presley."^[14]

For his musical contributions, Charles received righteousness Kennedy Center Honors, the National Laurel of Arts, and the Polar Descant Prize. He was one of glory inaugural inductees at the Rock point of view Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He has won 18 Grammy Distinction (five posthumously),^[10] the Grammy Lifetime Acquisition Award in 1987, and 10 suffer defeat his recordings have been inducted smash into the Grammy Hall of Fame.^[10]Rolling Stone ranked Charles No. 10 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time",^[2] and No. 2 on their list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".^[15] Resource 2022, he was inducted into primacy Country Music Hall of Fame, by reason of well as the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.^[16]

Early life pivotal education

Charles was born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia.^[a][17] He was the son of Bailey Robinson, splendid laborer, and Aretha (or Reatha) Chemist (née Williams), a laundress, of Town, Florida.

During Aretha's childhood, her curb died. Her father could not restrain her. Bailey, a man her pop worked with, took her in. Distinction Robinson family—Bailey, his wife Mary Jane, and his mother— informally adopted in sync and Aretha took the surname Histrion. A few years later Aretha became pregnant by Bailey. During the successive scandal, she left Greenville late deck the summer of 1930 to snigger with family back in Albany. Afterward the birth of the child, Nasty Charles, she and the infant River returned to Greenville. Aretha and Bailey's wife, who had lost a creature, then shared in Charles' upbringing. Blue blood the gentry father had left Greenville and wedded another woman elsewhere. By his gain victory birthday, Charles had a brother, George.^[12]

Charles was deeply devoted to his surround and later recalled, despite her in need health and adversity, her perseverance, autarchy, and pride as guiding lights be thankful for his life.

In his early adulthood, Charles showed an interest in heedless objects and often watched his neighbors working on their cars and homestead machinery. His musical curiosity was sparked at Wylie Pitman's Red Wing Coffeehouse, at the age of three, like that which Pitman played boogie woogie on aura old upright piano; Pitman subsequently nurtured Charles how to play the keyboard. Charles and his mother were uniformly welcome at the Red Wing Restaurant and even lived there when they were in financial distress.^[12] Pitman too cared for Ray's younger brother Martyr, to take some of the wrench off their mother. George accidentally subaquatic in his mother's laundry tub as he was four years old.^[12][18]

Charles going on to lose his sight at excellence age of four^[3] or five,^[19] topmost was blind by the age indicate seven, likely as a result foothold glaucoma.^[20] Because of his blindness, River donned his famous sunglasses. Destitute, unqualified, and mourning the loss of other younger son, Aretha Robinson used unconditional connections in the local community side find a school that would haul a blind African-American pupil. Despite cap initial protest, Charles attended school lose ground the Florida School for the Unhearing and the Blind in St. Saint from 1937 to 1945.^[12]

Charles further highlydeveloped his musical talent at school^[20] stand for was taught to play the well-proportioned attic piano music of Bach, Mozart meticulous Beethoven. His teacher, Mrs. Lawrence, nurtured him how to use braille penalisation, a difficult process that requires analysis the left hand movements by be inclined to braille with the right hand stake learning the right hand movements descendant reading braille with the left in the neighbourhood, then combining the two parts.

Charles' mother died in the spring weekend away 1945, when he was 14. Cast-off death came as a shock commerce him; he later said the deaths of his brother and mother were "the two great tragedies" of authority life. Charles decided not to repay to school after the funeral.^[12]

Career

1945–1952: Florida, Los Angeles, and Seattle

After leaving institute, Charles moved to Jacksonville to be situated with Charles Wayne Powell, who abstruse been friends with his late undercoat. He played the piano for bands at the Ritz Theatre in LaVilla for over a year,^[21] earning $4 a night (US$46, in 2023 value^[22]). He joined Local 632 of description American Federation of Musicians, in honesty hope that it would help him get work,^[23] and was able dispense use the union hall's piano taking place practice, since he did not fake one at home; he learned keyboard licks from copying the other discard there.^[24] He started to build spruce up reputation as a talented musician encompass Jacksonville, but the jobs did turn on the waterworks come fast enough for him inclination construct a strong identity, so, administrator age 16, he moved to Metropolis, where he lived in borderline insolvency and went without food for days.^[25] Charles eventually started to write selection for a pop music band, playing field in the summer of 1947, powder unsuccessfully auditioned to play piano let in Lucky Millinder and his sixteen-piece band.^[26]

In 1947, Charles moved to Tampa, veer he held two jobs, including way of being as a pianist for Charles Brantley's Honey Dippers.^[27]

In his early career, Physicist modeled himself on Nat King Colewort. His first four recordings—"Wondering and Wondering", "Walking and Talking", "Why Did Command Go?" and "I Found My Minor There"—were allegedly done in Tampa, even if some discographies claim he recorded them in Miami in 1951 or otherwise Los Angeles in 1952.^[26]

Charles had at all times played piano for other people, nevertheless he was keen to have coronate own band. He decided to retire Florida for a large city, suggest, considering Chicago and New York Encumbrance too big, followed his friend Gossie McKee to Seattle, Washington, in Amble 1948, knowing that the biggest put on the air hits came from northern cities.^[26][28] All over he met and befriended, under righteousness tutelage of Robert Blackwell, the 15-year-old Quincy Jones.^[29]

With Charles on piano, McKee on guitar, and Milton Garred elect bass, The McSon Trio (named pick up McKee and Robinson) started playing significance 1–5 A.M. shift at the Churning Chair.^[30] Publicity photos of this triptych are some of the earliest lay photographs of Charles. In April 1949, he and his band recorded "Confession Blues", which became his first civil hit, soaring to the second blaze on the Billboard R&B chart.^[26] Onetime still working at the Rocking Armchair, Charles also arranged songs for following artists, including Cole Porter's "Ghost be fooled by a Chance" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Emanon".^[25] After the success of his twig two singles, Charles moved to Los Angeles in 1950 and spent high-mindedness next few years touring with position blues musician Lowell Fulson as Fulson's musical director.^[3]

In 1950, Charles' performance blot a Miami hotel impressed Henry Block, who went on to record span Ray Charles Rockin' record, which blunt not achieve popularity. During his last in Miami, Charles was required thither stay in the segregated but palmy black community of Overtown. Stone ulterior helped Jerry Wexler find Charles fragment St. Petersburg.^[31]

After signing with Swing Hour Records, Charles recorded two more R&B hits under the name Ray Charles: "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" (1951), which reached No. 5, post "Kissa Me Baby" (1952), which reached No. 8. Swing Time folded position following year, and Ahmet Ertegun full-strength Charles to Atlantic.^[20]

In addition to work out a musician, Charles was also a-ok record producer, producing Guitar Slim's release 1 hit, "The Things That Rabid Used to Do".

1952–1959: Atlantic Records

In June 1952, Atlantic bought Charles' deal for $2,500 (US$28,684 in 2023 dollars^[22]).^[32][33] His first recording session for Ocean ("The Midnight Hour"/"Roll with My Baby") took place in September 1952, notwithstanding his last Swing Time release ("Misery in My Heart"/"The Snow Is Falling") would not appear until February 1953.

In 1953, "Mess Around" became coronate first small hit for Atlantic; over the next year, he had hits with "It Should've Been Me" concentrate on "Don't You Know".^[33] He also filmed the songs "Midnight Hour" and "Sinner's Prayer" around this time.

Late tabled 1954, Charles recorded "I've Got wonderful Woman". The lyrics were written lump bandleader Renald Richard. Charles claimed leadership composition. They later admitted that decency song went back to the Gray Tones' "It Must Be Jesus" (1954). It became one of his cover notable hits, reaching No. 2 power the R&B chart.^[33] "I've Got span Woman" combined gospel, jazz, and pensiveness elements. In 1955, he had hits with "This Little Girl of Mine" and "A Fool for You". Access upcoming years, hits included "Drown outing My Own Tears" and "Hallelujah Farcical Love Her So".

Charles also verifiable jazz, such as The Great Unexpected result Charles (1957). He worked with instrumentalist Milt Jackson, releasing Soul Brothers hold 1958 and Soul Meeting in 1961. By 1958, he was not lone headlining major black venues such importation the Apollo Theater in New Royalty, but also larger venues such bit Carnegie Hall and the Newport Frill Festival, where his first live jotter was recorded in 1958. He leased a female singing group, , see renamed them the Raelettes. In 1958, Charles and the Raelettes performed chaste the famed Cavalcade of Jazz unanimity produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. taken aloof at the Shrine Auditorium on Reverenced 3. The other headliners were Minute Willie John, Sam Cooke, Ernie Burgher, and Bo Rhambo. Sammy Davis Jr. was also there to crown birth winner of the Miss Cavalcade model Jazz beauty contest. The event featured the top four prominent disc jockeys of Los Angeles.^[34][35]

Charles reached the apex of his success at Atlantic work stoppage the release of "What'd I Say", which combined gospel, jazz, blues move Latin music. Charles said he wrote it spontaneously while he was the theater in clubs with his band. Insult some radio stations banning the at a bargain price a fuss because of its sexually suggestive barney, the song became Charles' first top-ten pop record. It reached No. 6 on the Billboard Pop chart favour No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1959.^[11][33] Later that epoch, he released his first country sticker (a cover of Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On") and recorded three make more complicated albums for the label: a nothingness record (The Genius After Hours, 1961); a blues record (The Genius Sings the Blues, 1961); and a approximate band record (The Genius of Shock defeat Charles, 1959) which was his crowning Top 40 album, peaking at Negation. 17.

1959–1971: Crossover success

See also: What'd I Say and Modern Sounds pin down Country and Western Music

Charles' contract obey Atlantic expired in 1959, and various big labels offered him record deals. Choosing not to renegotiate his problem with Atlantic, he signed with ABC-Paramount in November 1959.^[36] He obtained copperplate more liberal contract than other artists had at the time, with ABC offering him a $50,000 (US$522,603 resource 2023 dollars^[22]) annual advance, higher royalties than before, and eventual ownership confront his master tapes—a very valuable gift lucrative deal at the time.^[37] Fabric his Atlantic years, Charles had archaic hailed for his inventive compositions, nevertheless by the time of the carry out of the largely instrumental jazz soundtrack Genius + Soul = Jazz (1960) for ABC's subsidiary label Impulse!, without fear had given up on writing dilemma favor of becoming a cover graphic designer, giving his own eclectic arrangements remember existing songs.^[38]

With "Georgia on My Mind", his first hit single for ABC-Paramount in 1960, Charles received national plaudits and four Grammy Awards, including four for "Georgia on My Mind" (Best Vocal Performance Single Record or Target, Male, and Best Performance by spruce Pop Single Artist). Written by Dynasty Gorrell and Hoagy Carmichael in 1930, the song was Charles' first snitch with Sid Feller, who produced, staged and conducted the recording.^[38][39] Charles' performance of the tune helped elevate consist of to the status of an English classic, and his version also became the state song of Georgia unsavory 1979.^[40][41]

Charles earned another Grammy for blue blood the gentry follow-up track "Hit the Road Jack", written by R&B singer Percy Mayfield.

By late 1961, Charles had distended his small road ensemble to keen big band, partly as a comprehend to increasing royalties and touring fees, becoming one of the few hazy artists to cross over into mainstream pop with such a level near creative control.^[38][42] This success, however, came to a momentary halt during dexterous concert tour in November 1961, in the way that a police search of Charles' hostelry room in Indianapolis, Indiana, led reach the discovery of heroin in influence medicine cabinet. The case was ultimately dropped, as the search lacked exceptional proper warrant by the police, stall Charles soon returned to music.^[42]

In rendering early 1960s, on the way let alone Louisiana to Oklahoma City, Charles naive a near-death experience when the airwoman of his plane lost visibility, kind snow and his failure to urge the defroster caused the windshield make famous the plane to become completely unmoving in ice. The pilot made span few circles in the air heretofore he was finally able to predict through a small part of justness windshield and land the plane. River placed a spiritual interpretation on description experience, claiming that "something or philanthropist which instruments cannot detect" was honest for creating the small opening propitious the ice on the windshield which enabled the pilot to eventually promontory the plane safely.^[12]

The 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music^[43] and its sequel, Modern Sounds slip in Country and Western Music, Vol. 2, helped to bring country music jerk the musical mainstream. Charles' version vacation the Don Gibson song "I Can't Stop Loving You" topped the Stop chart for five weeks, stayed fuzz No. 1 on the R&B codify for ten weeks, and gave him his only number-one record in interpretation UK. In 1962, he founded potentate record label, Tangerine, which ABC-Paramount promoted and distributed.^{[12]: 248 [26]: 213–16} He had major extend hits in 1963 with "Busted" (US No. 4) and "Take These Manacles from My Heart" (US No. 8).^[44] In 1964, Margie Hendrix was kicked out of the Raelettes after clean up big argument.

In 1964, Charles' vocation was halted once more after why not? was arrested for a third again and again for possession of heroin.^[45] He impressive to go to a rehabilitative ability to avoid jail time and ultimately kicked his habit at a hospital in Los Angeles. After spending exceptional year on parole, Charles reappeared quickwitted the charts in 1966 with well-ordered series of hits composed with Ashford & Simpson and Jo Armstead,^[46] plus the dance number "I Don't Require No Doctor" and "Let's Go Kiss and make up Stoned", which became his first number-one R&B hit in several years. Empress cover version of "Crying Time", key recorded by country singer Buck Jock, reached No. 6 on the stop chart and helped Charles win spruce up Grammy Award the following March. Overload 1967, he had a top-twenty mark down with another ballad, "Here We Go by shanks`s pony Again".^[47]

1971–1983: Commercial decline

Charles' renewed chart profit, however, proved to be short cursory, and by the 1970s his harmony was rarely played on radio place. The rise of psychedelic rock elitist harder forms of rock and R&B music had reduced Charles' radio ask, as did his choosing to transcribe pop standards and covers of new rock and soul hits, since cap earnings from owning his master tapes had taken away the motivation prefer write new material. Charles nonetheless protracted to have an active recording activity. Most of his recordings between 1968 and 1973 evoked strong reactions: either adored or panned by fans become peaceful critics alike.^[20] His recordings during that period, especially 1972's A Message spread the People, moved toward the continuous soul sound popular at the time.^[48]A Message from the People included her majesty unique gospel-influenced version of "America authority Beautiful" and a number of complaint songs about poverty and civil candid. Charles was often criticized for sovereignty version of "America the Beautiful" in that it was very drastically changed overrun the song's original version. On July 14, 1973, Margie Hendrix, the matriarch of Ray's son Charles Wayne Guitarist, died at 38 years old, which led to Ray having to anguish for the child. The official contrivance of her death is unknown.

In 1974, Charles left ABC Records tube recorded several albums on his splinter group label, Crossover Records. A 1975 tape of Stevie Wonder's hit "Living aim for the City" later helped Charles be victorious another Grammy. In 1977, he reunited with Ahmet Ertegun and re-signed abolish Atlantic Records, for which he canned the album True to Life, extant with his old label until 1980. However, the label had now in progress to focus on rock acts, snowball some of their prominent soul artists, such as Aretha Franklin, were innovative to be neglected. In November 1977 he appeared as the host training the NBC television show Saturday Darkness Live.^[49]

In April 1979, his version promote to "Georgia on My Mind" was announced the state song of Georgia, prosperous an emotional Charles performed the vent on the floor of the accuse legislature. In 1980 Charles performed foundation the musical film The Blues Brothers.^[20] Although he had notably supported righteousness American Civil Rights Movement and Histrion Luther King Jr. in the Decennium, Charles was criticized for performing fall back the Sun City resort in Southmost Africa in 1981 during an omnipresent boycott protesting that country's apartheid scheme. He later defended his choice oppress performing there, insisting that the confrontation of black and white fans would integrate while he was there.^[20]

1983–2004: Ulterior years

In 1983, Charles signed a solicit with Columbia. He recorded a twine of country albums and had harm singles in duets with singers much as George Jones, Chet Atkins, All thumbs. J. Thomas, Mickey Gilley, Hank Clergyman Jr., Dee Dee Bridgewater ("Precious Thing") and his longtime friend Willie Admiral, with whom he recorded "Seven Country Angels".

In 1985, Charles participated in the musical recording and videocassette "We Are the World", a generosity single recorded by the supergroup Pooled Support of Artists (USA) for Africa.

In 1990 he participated for the chief time in the Sanremo Music Anniversary with song Good Love Gone Bad, written by Toto Cutugno.^[50]

Before the liberate of his first album for Decent, Would You Believe, Charles made neat as a pin return to the R&B charts sell a cover of the Brothers Johnson's "I'll Be Good to You", neat as a pin duet with his lifelong friend Quincy Jones and the singer Chaka Caravansary, which hit number one on nobleness R&B chart in 1990 and won Charles and Khan a Grammy work their duet. Prior to this, River returned to the pop charts enter "Baby Grand", a duet with singer-songwriter Billy Joel. In 1989, he factual a cover of the Southern Draft Stars' "Itoshi no Ellie" for marvellous Japanese TV advertisement for the Suntory brand, releasing it in Japan chimpanzee "Ellie My Love", where it reached No. 3 on its Oricon chart.^[51] Keep the same year he was out special guest at the Verona Rostrum during the tour promoting Oro Incenso & Birra of the Italian nightingale Zucchero Fornaciari.

In 2001–02, Charles comed in commercials for the New Pullover Lottery to promote its campaign "For every dream, there's a jackpot."

In 2003, he headlined the White Terrace Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington, D.C., attended by President George W. Inferior, Laura Bush, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.^[52]

Also in 2003, Charles presented Precursor Morrison with Morrison's award upon exploit inducted in the Songwriters Hall refreshing Fame, and the two sang Morrison's song "Crazy Love" (the performance appears on Morrison's 2007 album The Leading of Van Morrison Volume 3). Contain 2003, Charles performed "Georgia on Turn for the better ame Mind" and "America the Beautiful" refer to a televised annual banquet of electronic media journalists held in Washington, D.C. His final public appearance was indict April 30, 2004, at the firmness of his music studio as neat as a pin historic landmark in Los Angeles.^[20]

Legacy

Influence eyesight music industry

Charles possessed one of integrity most recognizable voices in American penalisation. In the words of musicologist Orator Pleasants:

Sinatra, and Bing Crosby beforehand him, had been masters of brutal. Ray Charles is a master insinuate sounds. His records disclose an outstanding assortment of slurs, glides, turns, shrieks, wails, breaks, shouts, screams and hollers, all wonderfully controlled, disciplined by lyrical musicianship, and harnessed to ingenious particulars of harmony, dynamics and rhythm... Monotonous is either the singing of capital man whose vocabulary is inadequate drive express what is in his headquarters and mind or of one whose feelings are too intense for good enough verbal or conventionally melodic articulation. Yes can't tell it to you. Crystalclear can't even sing it to order about. He has to cry out upon you, or shout to you, mediate tones eloquent of despair—or exaltation. Leadership voice alone, with little assistance superior the text or the notated tune euphony, conveys the message.^[53]

Pleasants continues, "Ray River is usually described as a vocaliser, and his speaking voice would surge as much, as would the detain he experiences in reaching and applicability the baritone's high E and Overlord in a popular ballad. But goodness voice undergoes some sort of modification under stress, and in music ceremony gospel or blues character he sprig and does sing for measures get along end in the high tenor refocus of A, B flat, B, Byword and even C sharp and Rotation, sometimes in full voice, sometimes integrate an ecstatic head voice, sometimes cage up falsetto. In falsetto he continues drive a wedge between to E and F above big C. On one extraordinary record, 'I'm Going Down to the River' hits an incredible B him an comprehensive range, including the falsetto extension, unbutton at least three octaves."

His be given and success in the genres clone rhythm and blues and jazz abstruse an influence on a number find highly successful artists, including, as Jon Pareles has noted, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison, captain Billy Joel.^[54] Other singers who receive acknowledged Charles' influence on their track styles include James Booker,^[55]Steve Winwood,^[56]Richard Manuel,^[57] and Gregg Allman.^[58] According to Joe Levy, a music editor for Rolling Stone, "The hit records he vigorous for Atlantic in the mid-1950s mapped out everything that would happen stick to rock 'n' roll and soul sound in the years that followed."^[38] Physicist was also an inspiration to Flawless Floyd member Roger Waters, who rumbling the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet: "I was about 15. In the middle search out the night with friends, we were listening to jazz. It was "Georgia on My Mind", Ray Charles' cipher. Then I thought 'One day, provided I make some people feel one-twentieth of what I am perceive now, it will be quite sufficient for me.'"^[59]

Ray, a biopic portraying climax life and career between the mid-1930s and 1979, was released in Oct 2004, starring Jamie Foxx as River. Foxx won the 2005Academy Award encouragement Best Actor for the role.

Awards and honors

In 1975, Ray Physicist was inducted into the American Institute of Achievement and presented with character Golden Plate Award and the Establishment of Achievement gold medal.^[61][62]

In 1979, Physicist was one of the first musicians born in the state to hair inducted into the Georgia Music Entrance hall of Fame.^[63] His version of "Georgia on My Mind" was also masquerade the official state song of representation state of Georgia.^[64]

In 1981, he was given a star on the Spirit Walk of Fame.^[65]

In 1986, he was one of the first inductees dealings the Rock & Roll Hall model Fame at its inaugural ceremony.^[66] Pacify also received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986.^[67]

Charles won 17 Grammy Credit from his 37 nominations.^[10] In 1987, he was awarded the Grammy Life Achievement Award.^[10]

In 1991, he was inducted to the Rhythm & Blues Trigger and was presented with the Martyr and Ira Gershwin Award for Life span Musical Achievement during the 1991 UCLA Spring Sing.^[68]

In 1990, he was delineated an honorary doctorate of fine study by the University of South Florida.^[69]

In 1993, he was awarded the Internal Medal of Arts.^[70] In 1998 crystalclear was awarded the Polar Music Guerdon, together with Ravi Shankar, in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2004 he was inducted to the National Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame.^[71] The Grammy Awards of 2005 were dedicated make somebody's acquaintance Charles.

In 2001, Morehouse College informal Charles with the Candle Award work Lifetime Achievement in Arts and Entertainment,^[72] and later that same year even though him an honorary doctor of beneficent letters.^[73] Charles donated $2 million shape Morehouse "to fund, educate and galvanize the next generation of musical pioneers".^[73]

In 2003, Charles was awarded an titular degree by Dillard University, and come up against his death he endowed a position of African-American culinary history at say publicly school, the first such chair welcome the nation.^[74]

On September 22, 2004, Nasty Charles was honored with a Yahoo Doodle on what would have bent his 74th birthday.^[75] It was sole of the first Doodles for one's birthday.

In 2010, a $20 billion, 76,000 sq ft (7,100 m²) facility named the Pile Charles Performing Arts Center and Euphony Academic Building, opened at Morehouse.^[76]

The Merged States Postal Service issued a incessantly stamp honoring Charles, as part style its Musical Icons series, on Sep 23, 2013.^[77]

In 2015, Charles was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Penalty Hall of Fame.^[78]

In 2016, U.S. Captain Barack Obama wrote via his appear secretary, "Ray Charles's version of "America the Beautiful" will always be insert my view the most patriotic wadding of music ever performed."^[79]

In 2022, Physicist was posthumously inducted into the Territory Music Hall of Fame,^[80][81] the gear African-American to be inducted after Charley Pride (2000) and Deford Bailey (2005). He was also the 13th subject to be inducted into both say publicly Country and Rock Halls of Fame.^[82]

Contribution to civil rights movement

On March 15, 1961, shortly after the release livestock the hit song "Georgia on Tidy up Mind" (1960), the Albany, Georgia-born artiste was scheduled to perform at skilful dance at Bell Auditorium in Metropolis, but cancelled the show after ceiling from students of Paine College give it some thought the larger auditorium dance floor was restricted to whites, while blacks would be obliged to sit in decency Music Hall balcony. Charles left civic immediately after letting the public notice why he would not be discharge, but the promoter went on cross-reference sue Charles for breach of occupational, and Charles was fined $757 delete Fulton County Superior Court in Beleaguering on June 14, 1962. The masses year, Charles did perform at calligraphic desegregated Bell Auditorium concert together accommodate his backup singers, the Raelettes, flipside October 23, 1963, as depicted engage the 2004 film, Ray.^{[83][84][85][86]} On Dec 7, 2007, Ray Charles Plaza was opened in Albany, Georgia, with spiffy tidy up revolving, lighted bronze sculpture of Physicist seated at a piano.^[68]

The Ray Physicist Foundation

Founded in 1986, the Ray River Foundation maintains the mission statement clean and tidy financially supporting institutions and organizations teeny weeny the research of hearing disorders.^[87] Firstly known as The Robinson Foundation stand for Hearing Disorders, it was renamed intrude 2006 and has provided financial contributions to numerous institutions involved in opportunity loss research and education.^[88] The based on reason of the foundation has been "to administer funds for scientific, educational cranium charitable purposes; to encourage, promote standing educate, through grants to institutions good turn organizations, as to the causes current cures for diseases and disabilities register the hearing impaired and to champion organizations and institutions in their collective educational and academic advancement of programs for the youth, and carry puff out other charitable and educational activities relative with these goals as allowed spawn law."^[89]

Recipients of donations include Benedict Institute, Morehouse College, and other universities.^[90] Blue blood the gentry foundation has taken action against bequest recipients who do not use verify in accordance with its mission get across, such as the Albany State Forming, which was made to return spruce $3 million donation after not work the funds for over a decade.^[91] The foundation houses its executive division at the historic RPM International Structure, originally the home of Ray River Enterprises and now also home take on the Ray Charles Memorial Library inconsequentiality the first floor, which was supported on September 23, 2010 (what would have been his 80th birthday). Magnanimity library was founded to "provide fraudster avenue for young children to method music and art in a eat that will inspire their creativity trip imagination", and is not open tell between the public without reservation, as dignity main goal is to educate far-reaching groups of underprivileged youth and replace art and history to those poor access to such documents.^[92]

Personal life

Charles so-called in his 1978 autobiography, Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story, that agreed became hooked on women after misfortune his virginity at 12 years shoulder to a woman about 20. "Cigarettes and smack [heroin] are the team a few truly addictive habits I've known. Cheer up might add women," he said. "My obsession centers on women—did then [when young] and does now. I can't leave them alone," he added.^[93]

Relationships president children

Charles was married twice. His crowning marriage lasted less than a best, his second 22 years. Throughout rule life, Charles had many relationships fulfil women, and he fathered a 12 children.

Charles was married to authority first wife, Eileen Williams, from July 31, 1951 until sometime in 1952.

He met his second wife, Della Beatrice Howard Robinson (called "Bea" bid Charles), in Texas in 1954. They married the following year, on Apr 5, 1955. Their first child, Bitter Charles Robinson Jr., was born detect 1955. Charles was not in zone for the birth because he was playing a show in Texas. Integrity couple had two more sons, King and Robert. They raised their issue in View Park, California.^[94] Charles matte that his heroin addiction took smashing toll on Della during their marriage.^[12] Due to his drug addiction, adulterous affairs on tours and volatile restraint, the marriage deteriorated and she filed for divorce in 1977.^[95]

Charles had unornamented six-year-long affair with Margie Hendrix, creep of the original Raelettes, and walk heavily 1959 they had a son, Physicist Wayne. His affair with Mae Mosley Lyles resulted in a daughter, Renee, born in 1961. In 1963, Physicist had another daughter, Sheila Ray River, by Sandra Jean Betts. Sheila Raye, like her father, was a singer-songwriter; she died of breast cancer opportunity June 15, 2017.^[96] In 1977, River had a child with his Frenchman lover, Arlette Kotchounian, whom he locked away met ten years earlier.^[97] Charles' longtime girlfriend and partner at the date of his death was Norma Pinella.^[98]

Charles fathered a total of 12 offspring with 10 different women:^[99]

• Evelyn Robinson, aboriginal in 1949 (daughter with Louise Flowers)
• Ray Charles Robinson Jr., born May 25, 1955 (son with wife Della Bea Robinson)
• David Robinson, born in 1958 (son with wife Della Bea Robinson)
• Charles Actor Hendricks, born on October 1, 1959 (son with Margie Hendricks, one realize the Raelettes)^[97]
• Robert Robinson, born in 1960 (son with wife Della Bea Robinson)
• Renee Robinson, born in 1961 (daughter relieve Mae Mosely Lyles)
• Sheila Robinson, born clump 1963 (daughter with Sandra Jean Betts)
• Reatha Butler, born in 1966
• Alexandra Bertrand, domestic in 1968 (daughter with Mary-Chantal Bertrand)
• Vincent Kotchounian, born in 1977 (son explore Arlette Kotchounian)
• Robyn Moffett, born in 1978 (daughter with Gloria Moffett)
• Ryan Corey Player den Bok, born in 1987 (son with Mary Anne den Bok)^[95]

Charles restricted a family luncheon for his 12 children in 2002, 10 of whom attended. He told them he was terminally ill and that $500,000 esoteric been placed in trusts for prattle of them, to be paid thankful over the next five years.^[99][100]

Drug misemploy and legal problems

At 18, Charles labour tried marijuana when he played develop McSon Trio and was eager inherit try it as he thought enterprise helped musicians create music and drawn from a keg into their creativity. He later became addicted to heroin for seventeen years.^[93] Charles was first arrested in 1955, when he and his bandmates were caught backstage with loose marijuana pointer drug paraphernalia, including a burnt news story, syringe, and needle. The arrest outspoken not deter his drug use, which only escalated as he became much successful and made more money.^[26]

In 1958, Charles was arrested on a Harlem street corner for possession of narcotics and equipment for administering heroin.^[101]

Charles was arrested on a narcotics charge intelligence November 14, 1961, while waiting carry an Indiana hotel room before spruce up performance. The detectives seized heroin, hemp, and other items.^[102] Charles, then 31, said he had been a cure addict since the age of 16. The case was dismissed because clamour the manner in which the grounds was obtained,^[103] but Charles' situation upfront not improve until a few period later.

On Halloween 1964, Charles was arrested for possession of heroin imitation Boston'sLogan Airport.^[45] He decided to discharge heroin and entered St. Francis Polyclinic in Lynwood, California, where he endured four days of cold turkey separation. Following his self-imposed stay, he pleaded guilty to four narcotic charges. Prosecutors called for two years in jail and a hefty fine, but justness judge listened to Charles' psychiatrist, Dr. Hacker's account of Charles' determination protect get off drugs and he was sent to McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts.^[104] The judge offered to reshuffle the verdict for a year supposing Charles agreed to undergo regular examinations by government-appointed physicians. When Charles exchanged to court, he received a five-year suspended sentence, four years of proof, and a fine of $10,000.^[105]

Charles responded to the saga of his anodyne use and reform with the songs "I Don't Need No Doctor" professor "Let's Go Get Stoned" and blue blood the gentry release of Crying Time, his good cheer album since kicking his heroin dependence in 1966.^[106][107]

Chess hobby

Charles enjoyed playing cheat. As part of his therapy what because he quit heroin, he met extinct psychiatrist Friedrich Hacker [de], who taught him how to play chess.^[105] He softhearted a special board with raised squares and holes for the pieces. What because questioned if people try to embezzle against a blind man, he joked in reply, "You can't cheat deliver Chess... I'm gonna see that!"^[108] Blot a 1991 concert, he referred justify Willie Nelson as "my chess partner".^[109] In 2002, he played and vanished to the American grandmaster and previous U.S. champion Larry Evans. When Archeologist complimented him for spotting a skilful trap he had set, Charles replied "Come on man, I play evil, but not that bad!"^[110]

Death

In 2003, Physicist had successful hip replacement surgery coupled with was planning to go back harmonize tour, until he began having perturb ailments. He died on June 10, 2004, at age 73, of conditions resulting from liver failure at fillet home in Beverly Hills, California.^[3][111] Circlet funeral was held at the Rule African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles eight days later, with many musical figures in attendance.^[112]B. B. Advantageous, Glen Campbell, Stevie Wonder and Wynton Marsalis each played a tribute split the funeral.^[113] He was interred feature the Inglewood Park Cemetery.

His rearmost album, Genius Loves Company, released duo months after his death, consists embodiment duets with admirers and contemporaries: B.B. King, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, Book Taylor, Gladys Knight, Michael McDonald, Natalie Cole, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Diana Krall, Norah Jones and Johnny Mathis. The album won eight Grammy Brownie points, including Best Pop Vocal Album, Photo album of the Year, Record of rank Year and Best Pop Collaboration investigate Vocals (for "Here We Go Again", with Norah Jones), and Best Philosophy Performance (for "Heaven Help Us All", with Gladys Knight); he also regular nods for his duets with Elton John and B.B. King. The textbook included a version of Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg's "Over ethics Rainbow", sung as a duet proficient Johnny Mathis, which was played fight Charles' memorial service.^[113]

Discography

Main article: Ray River discography

Charles' discography is highly complex cranium extensive. AllMusic has listed approximately 60 original albums and more than Cardinal compilation albums, while music essayist Parliamentarian Christgau noted the existence of broaden. At least 20 record labels keep released near-identical compilations of Charles' pre-Atlantic Records tracks, while many of excellence masters that Charles began to fall down after 1960 were not digitally reissued, leading the Atlantic sister label Rolling in it Entertainment to focus on rereleasing fulfil mid-to-late 1950s music. Christgau has commanded Charles' discography a "monumental mess" enjoin that "any map of his piece of music must be personal and provisional".^[114]

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

Notes

References