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."
So Many Ways
Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your kiss is so divine
Your eyes are like the skies of blue
And stars that brightly shine
Your voice is sweet like violins
And warm like summer days
I love you, I love you, I love you
Your touch is like a breath of spring
You give life to my soul
To me, sweetheart, you're everything
I ever hoped to hold
A smile from you lights up my heart
And brightens all my days
And I just love you, I love you, I love you
In oh, oh, so many, many ways
If words could say how much I care
My dear, you'd be amazed
That I love you, I love you, I love you
In oh, oh so many so many ways
In the lyrics of Ray Charles's song 'So Many Ways', the singer is expressing their love for someone in various ways. The first verse describes the beauty and perfection of the person they love. Their lips are soft and their kiss is divine. The use of 'dew' implies a sense of freshness and purity. Their eyes are compared to the clear blue skies and the shining stars, portraying an image of serenity and positivity. The use of a simile in this verse helps to create vivid and imaginative imagery. In the second verse, the singer mentions the voice of their lover - sweet like violins and warm like summer days. This is a beautiful depiction of a melodious and affectionate voice. The verse then ends with the singer saying that they love the person in countless ways.
The third verse is a bit more sensual, where the singer is talking about the touch of their lover which is like a breath of spring and gives life to their soul. The person they love is everything they have ever hoped for and lights up their days with just a smile. The chorus is repeated after each verse, emphasizing the depth of love the singer has for their lover. The final verse moves away from describing the physical attributes and revolves around the emotion of love. The singer states that words couldn't express how much they care, and they love the person in many different ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Your lips on mine are soft as dew
The sensation of your lips on mine is tender and delicate, like dewdrops on fragile petals
Your kiss is so divine
Your kiss is godly and heavenly, inducing a sense of euphoria and bliss within me
Your eyes are like the skies of blue
Your eyes are deep blue, captivating and entrancing me like the vast sky above
And stars that brightly shine
Your eyes are similar to bright and shining stars in the sky, guiding me towards you
Your voice is sweet like violins
The sound of your voice is melodic and soothing, playing delicate notes like a violin
And warm like summer days
Your voice is also comforting and comforting, like the warmth of a bright summer day
I love you, I love you, I love you
My love for you is immeasurable and boundless, expressed in an overflow of emotion
In oh, oh, so many, many ways
I express my love for you in numerous ways that cannot be quantified or defined
Your touch is like a breath of spring
Your touch is refreshing and renewing, bringing new life to my being like the season of spring
You give life to my soul
Your touch rejuvenates me and fills me with vitality, nourishing my inner spirit
To me, sweetheart, you're everything
You are the essence of my world, my heart and soul revolve around you
I ever hoped to hold
You are the love that I have always yearned for, and I never want to let go of you
A smile from you lights up my heart
The radiance of your smile transcends to my heart, filling it with joy and happiness
And brightens all my days
Your smile illuminates my life, bringing positivity and warmth to every moment we share
If words could say how much I care
Words cannot fully express the depth of my affections for you
My dear, you'd be amazed
If I could put my love into words, it would amaze and overwhelm you with its intensity
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOBBY STEVENSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Romain Loos
I've been so many places in my life and time
I've sung a lot of songs
I've made some bad rhymes
I've acted out my life in stages
With ten thousand people watching
But we're alone now
And I'm singing this song to you
I know your image of me
Is what I hoped to be
I treated you unkindly
But darling, can't you see?
There's no one more important to me
Baby, can't you see through me?
'Cause we're alone now
And I'm singing this song to you
You taught me precious secrets
Of a true love withholding nothing
You came out in front when I was hiding
Now I'm so much better
And if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody
'Cause my love is in there hiding
I love you in a place
Where there's no space or time
I love you for my life
You're a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone
And I was singing this song to you
I love you in a place
Where there's no space or time
I love you for my life
You're a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone
And I was singing this song to you
We were alone
And I was singing this song to you
We were alone
And I was singing this song, mm
Singing this song to you
Tomas Wajnerman
What a legend. This is not just music, this is art. He was a real artist.
Blu Beazley
Music is art!!!
buddyluv
so true
Lwazi Cuba
Weirdly while I was going to class I was literally thinking of what you just wrote
Jose Ramalho
Amen to that!
Brad rawsner
Tomas.
You are 100% correct.
And, do you realize that some of the greatest artists in music history, turned the lyrics of others into critically acclaimed masterpieces.
Do you understand that?
Because millions of low IQ weak minded sheep don't.
Ella Fitzgerald, Ray charles, Frank Sinatra and elvis presley are the greatest artists in music history because they did the most difficult thing in music. Turning the lyrics of another writer into a critically acclaimed masterpiece. THAT is true artistry and genius.
If anyone doesn't understand what I just said, you need serious education.
Eduardo Fernandes
It's 2021 and I still get goosebumps. This guy's light will never go out, I dare say, that no one will be able to overcome this legend
Golden Lamb 🐏 Золотой Ягнёнок
Agree
Brogniart Christian
Everything is said there, and so well said !
Christopher Moorman
Yes the hairs stand up on my body when he his amazing voice that's the truth