As a rock and roll, rhythm & blues, soul, blues, jazz, country and pop musician he helped to shape the sound of rhythm & blues.
He brought a soulful sound to everything from country music ("I Can't Stop Loving You") to rock and roll ("Mess Around"), to pop standards to a now-iconic rendition of "America the Beautiful." Frank Sinatra called him "the only genius in the business."
Ray Charles was born in Albany, Georgia on September 23, 1930. He was the son of Aretha Williams, a share cropper, and Bailey Robinson, a railroad repair man, mechanic and handyman. The two were never married. The family moved to Greenville, Florida, when Ray was an infant. Bailey had three more families, leaving Aretha to raise the family on her own.
Ray Charles was not born blind. He started to lose his sight somewhere at the age of five. He was rendered totally blind by the age of seven. Charles never knew exactly why he lost his sight, though there are sources that suggest his blindness was due to glaucoma, and some other sources suggest that Ray began to lose his sight from an infection caused by soapy water to his eyes which was left untreated. He attended school at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Florida from 1937-1945 where he developed his musical gift that he is known and remembered for today. His father died when he was ten, followed by his mother five years later.
In school, he was taught only classical music, but he wanted to play what he heard on the radio, jazz and blues. After his mother died, Charles did not return to school. He lived in Jacksonville with a couple who were friends of his mother. For over a year, he played the piano for bands at the Ritz Theatre in LaVilla, earning $4 a night. Charles moved to Orlando, then Tampa, where he played "with a hillbilly band called The Florida Playboys." This is where Charles began his reputation of always wearing sunglasses that were made by designer Billy Stickles.
Charles had always played for other people, but he wanted a band that was his own. He decided to leave Florida for a large city, but Chicago and New York City were too big. He moved to Seattle in 1947 and soon started recording, first for the label Swing Time Records, achieving his first hit with the 1949 "Confession Blues". The song soared to #2 on the R&B charts. He followed his first recording with his only other hit with Swingtime, "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" in 1951. It hit #5 on the R&B charts. He then signed with Ahmet Ertegün at Atlantic Records a year later. When he entered show business, his name was shortened to Ray Charles to avoid confusion with boxer Sugar Ray Robinson.
Breakthrough period with Atlantic Records
Almost immediately after signing with Atlantic, Charles scored his first hit singles with the label with "It Should Have Been Me" and the Ertegün-composed "Mess Around", both making the charts in 1953. But it was Charles' "I Got A Woman" (composed with band mate Renald Richard) that brought the musician to national prominence.
The song reached the top of Billboard's R&B singles chart in 1955 and from there until 1959, Charles would have a series of R&B chart-toppers including "This Little Girl of Mine", "Lonely Avenue", "Mary Ann", "Drown in My Own Tears" and "The Night Time (Is the Right Time)", which were compiled on his Atlantic releases Hallelujah, I Love Her So, Yes Indeed!, and The Genius Sings the Blues. Charles was often cited for using his voice like a saxophone, most notably by the prominent critic Victor Bollo. During this time of transition, he recruited a young girl group from Philadelphia named The Cookies as his background singing group, recording with them in New York and changing their name to the Raelettes in the process.
Crossover success
In 1959, Charles crossed over to top 40 radio with the release of his impromptu blues number, "What'd I Say", which was initially conceived while Charles was in concert. The song would reach number 1 on the R&B list and would become Charles' first top ten single on the pop charts, peaking at number 6. Charles would also record The Genius of Ray Charles, before leaving Atlantic for a more lucrative deal with ABC Records in 1959.
Hit songs such as "Georgia On My Mind" (US #1), "Hit the Road Jack" (US #1) and "Unchain My Heart" (US #9) helped him transition to pop success and his landmark 1962 album, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music and its sequel Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vol. 2, helped to bring country into the mainstream of music. He also had major pop hits in 1963 with "Busted" (US #4) and "Take These Chains From My Heart" (US #8), and also scoring a Top 20 hit four years later, in 1967, with "Here We Go Again" (US #15) (which would later be duetted with Norah Jones in 2004).
Later years
In 1965, Charles was arrested for possession of heroin, a drug to which he had been addicted for nearly 20 years. It was his third arrest for the offence, but he avoided jail time after kicking the habit in a clinic in Los Angeles. He spent a year on parole in 1966, when his single "Crying Time" reached #6 on the charts.
During the late 1960s and into the 1970s, Charles' releases were hit-or-miss, with some big hits and critically acclaimed work. His version of "Georgia On My Mind" was proclaimed the state song of Georgia on April 24, 1979, with Charles performing it on the floor of the state legislature. He also had success with his unique version of "America the Beautiful."
In November 1977 Charles appeared as the host of NBC's Saturday Night Live. In the 1980s a number of other events increased Charles' recognition among young audiences. He made a cameo appearance in the popular 1980 film The Blues Brothers. In 1985, "The Right Time" was featured in the episode "Happy Anniversary" of The Cosby Show on NBC. The next year in 1986, he sang America The Beautiful at Wrestlemania 2. In a Pepsi Cola commercial of the early 1990s, Charles popularized the catchphrase "You Got the Right One, Baby!" plus he helped in the song "We Are the World" a touching song for USA for Africa.
Despite his support of Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s and his support for the American Civil Rights Movement, Charles courted controversy when he toured South Africa in 1981, during an international boycott of the country because of its apartheid policy.
Charles recorded a cover version of the Japanese band Southern All Stars' song "Itoshi no Ellie" as "Ellie My Love" for a Suntory TV advertisement, reaching #3 on Japan's Oricon chart. Eventually, it sold more than 400,000 copies, and became that year's best-selling single performed by a Western artist for the Japanese music market.
Besides winning 17 Grammy Awards in his career (include five posthumous ones), Charles was also honored in many other ways. In 1979, he was one of the first honorees of the Georgia State Music Hall of Fame being recognized for being a musician born in the state. Ray's version of "Georgia On My Mind" was made into the official state song for Georgia. In 1981, he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was one of the first inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at its inaugural ceremony in 1986. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1986. In 1987, he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1991, he was inducted to the Rhythm & Blues Foundation. In 1998 he was awarded the Polar Music Prize together with Ravi Shankar in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2004 he was inducted to the Jazz Hall of Fame, and inducted to the National Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame. Also in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
The Grammy Awards of 2005 were dedicated to Charles.
On December 7, 2007, Ray Charles Plaza was opened in Albany, Georgia, with a revolving, lighted bronze sculpture of Charles seated at a piano.
On December 26, 2007, Ray Charles was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Ray Charles Post Office Building
In 2005, the U.S. postal facility located at 4960 W. Washington Blvd., in Los Angeles, California, was designated the Ray Charles Post Office Building.
On August 24, 2005, the United States Congress honored Charles by dedicating and renaming the former West Adams Station post office in Los Angeles the "Ray Charles Station".
Charles has also appeared at two Presidential inaugurations in his lifetime. In 1985, he performed for Ronald Reagan's second inauguration, and in 1993 performed for Bill Clinton's first inauguration.
In the late '80s and early '90s, Charles made appearances on The Super Dave Osbourne Show, where he performed and appeared in a few vignettes where he was somehow driving a car, often as Super Dave's chauffeur. At the height of his newfound fame in the early nineties, Charles did guest vocals for quite a few projects. He also appeared (with Chaka Khan) on long time friend Quincy Jones' hit "I'll Be Good to You" in 1990, from Jones' album Back on the Block.
Following Jim Henson's death in 1990, Ray Charles appeared in the one-hour CBS tribute, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson. He gave a short speech about the deceased, stating that Henson "took a simple song and a piece of felt and turned it into a moment of great power". Charles was referring to the song "It's Not Easy Being Green", which Charles later performed with the rest of the Muppet cast in a tribute to Henson's legacy.
During the sixth season of Designing Women, Ray Charles vocally performed "Georgia On My Mind", rather than the song being rendered by other musicians without lyrics as in the previous five seasons
During his life he received eight honorary doctorates, the last from Dillard University in New Orleans in 2003. Later that same year, he performed his 10,000th career concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.
Charles finalized "Genius Loves Company" a duets album in 2004, which posthumously became the best selling album of his career. Norah Jones, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, Bonnie Raitt, Gladys Knight, Johnny Mathis and James Taylor are just a few of the notable artists involved with the project.
Charles was awarded the prestigious "President's Merit Award" from the Grammy(r) organization and was named a City of Los Angeles "Cultural Treasure" by LA Mayor James Hahn during "African American Heritage Month" in a ceremony that he attended. He also received the NAACP Image Awards' "Hall of Fame Award."
Charles died in July 2004 in California. Three months later, his biopic "Ray" opened in theaters. The performance of Jamie Foxx as Ray gave him an Oscar for best lead performance in a feature film.
Recently, a series of slot machines were designed in Charles' name for the visually handicapped and the legendary performer was also named a "living legend" by the Library of Congress.
Charles once told an interviewer from USA Today, "Music to me is just like breathing. I have to have it. It's part of me."
Mississipi Hud
Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The people gather ′round and they all begin to shout
Hey! Hey! Uncle Dud
It's a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud
It′s a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud
What a dance do they do!
Lordy, how I'm tellin' you...
They keep time by clappin′ their hands...
Just as happy as a cow chewin' on a cud
When the people beat their feet on the Mississippi Mud
Lordy, how they play it!
Goodness, how they sway it!
Uncle Joe, Uncle Jim
How they pound the mire with vigor and vim!
Joy! that music thrills me!
Boy! it nearly kills me!
What a show when they go!
Say! they beat it up either fast or slow
When the sun goes down, the tide goes out
The people gather ′round and they all begin to shout
Hey! Hey! Uncle Dud
It's a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud
It′s a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud
What a dance do they do!
Lordy, how I'm tellin′ you...
They don't need no band...
They keep time by clappin' their hand
Just as happy as a cow chewin′ on a cud
When the people beat their feet on the Mississippi Mud
Oh, good Joe, good Jim
How they pound the mire with vigor and vim!
What a show when they go!
Say! they beat it up either fast or slow
When the sun goes down, the tide goes out
The people gather ′round and they all begin to shout
Hey! Hey! Uncle Dud
It's a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud
It′s a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud
What a dance do they do!
Lordy, how I'm tellin′ you...
They don't need no band...
They keep time by clappin′ their hand
Just as happy as a cow chewin' on a cud
When the people beat their feet on the Mississippi Mud
"Mississippi Mud" is a song by Ray Charles, which celebrates the art of foot-tapping and hand-clapping as the primary instrument of music making in the South. The lyrics talk about the joy and excitement that people experience while dancing and swaying to the rhythm of the Mississippi Mud. The song describes how the people of Mississippi gather around when the tide goes out and the sun goes down, and start clapping their hands and tapping their feet to create music, regardless of whether they have a band or not. The tune is upbeat and energetic, featuring gospel-influenced harmonies, heavy percussion and a lively piano.
The song represents Charles's interpretation of the African American music tradition, which is rooted in the rural south of the United States. It is a tribute to the power of music as an inclusive and communal joyous experience that transcends race, class, and social differences. The lyrics convey a sense of unity and celebration, and the song can be seen as a call to action for people of all backgrounds to join together and enjoy the universal language of music.
Line by Line Meaning
When the sun goes down, the tide goes out
As the day comes to an end and the water recedes, the people of the Mississippi gather for a lively event.
The people gather ′round and they all begin to shout
The crowd comes together with excitement and the energy builds up.
Hey! Hey! Uncle Dud
The chant that the crowd creates to show their appreciation for the one who started the Mississippi Mud dance.
It's a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud
It's a pleasure beyond comparison to enjoy the traditional dance of Mississippi, and feel the mud with your feet and the rhythm of the clapping around.
What a dance do they do!
The dance is unmatched and the people there are incredibly talented at it.
Lordy, how I'm tellin' you...
The singer is amazed at the beauty and spirit of the dance and its people.
They don't need no band...
The rhythm and power of the clapping hands in unison is enough to fuel their excitement and stir their emotions.
They keep time by clappin' their hands...
The people keep their beat precise by clapping their hands, without any reliance on other forms of instruments.
Just as happy as a cow chewin' on a cud
The people there are happy to simply dance in the mud and have fun, just like a cow would be happy to chew on something to pass the time.
Lordy, how they play it!
The people there are expert at creating music and inspiring others to join in with their rhythms and movements.
Goodness, how they sway it!
The people of the Mississippi Mud dance move in a way that is almost hypnotic and draws others into the experience.
Uncle Joe, Uncle Jim
The artist mentions two more people who are important to the dance as leaders and dancers.
How they pound the mire with vigor and vim!
The dancers give everything they have to the dance, going all out and completely immersing themselves in the experience.
Joy! that music thrills me!
The singer is thrilled by the music and revels in the joy that it brings to everyone there.
Boy! it nearly kills me!
The experience is so powerful and so overwhelming that the singer feels like he's about to burst with excitement and energy.
What a show when they go!
The dance and the music create an unforgettable show that is appreciated and remembered by everyone who experiences it.
Say! they beat it up either fast or slow
The people there are experts at controlling the tempo and the energy of the dance, being able to change it up and keep things lively no matter what.
Contributed by Connor H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hoodoo Man
A true master of harmonica. It takes a long time to master. It is not an easy instrument to play. It is at best a backup instrument. But played by itself it is amazing. If you feel blue or depressed learn to play it. It will help you heal.
Casper
And his playing was even considered sloppy compared to walter, horton or sonny terry
Predator12
@cr4aig mack1979 Harmonica never gets the ladies. You'd had better strum campfire chords on an acoustic guitar if you want yourself a woman. If you get lucky you got yourself a friend for life. However if you're not so lucky you'll always have your harp to drive the blues away :)
cr4aig mack1979
You will never get the lady’s playing harmonica
Donaldo Torres
Trijiyo
Just A Tool
Harmonica is sort of like bass in that it's easy to learn, but hard to master.
Aaron Ruggles
After 25 years, I quit smoking cigarettes.. I now play harmonica 2-3 hours a day and love it. I figure by the time I'm 60, I'll play like this guy
Groged tv
Can’t wait to see a bunch of ex smokers and stoners playing the fucking harmonica around town
A Bain
You earn it
{ W.J. Saxton }
good fuckin luck mate !!