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."
Stranger In My Own Home Town
Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhymes
I've acted out my love on stages
With 10,000 people watching
But we're alone now and I'm singing this song to you
I know your image of me is what I hope to be
I treated you unkindly, but darling can't you see
Darling can't you please see through me
'Cause we're alone now and I'm singing this song to you
You taught me precious secrets
Of the truth, withholding nothing
You came out in front and I was hiding
But now, I'm so much better
And if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody, 'cause my love's in there hiding
I love you in a place where there's no space and time
I love you for my life, you are 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
But I love you in a place where there's no space and time
I love you for my life, you are a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
We were alone and I was singing my song
Singing this song for you
"Stranger In My Own Home Town" is a personal and introspective song by Ray Charles that reflects on the singer's journey through fame and success. The lyrics depict the contrast between the public persona he presents on stage and the private loneliness he feels when he is alone. The first verse captures the experiences and accomplishments Ray Charles has had throughout his career, with references to the places he has been and the songs he has sung. Despite the applause and attention from the audience, the singer acknowledges that he is now alone and vulnerable, pouring his heart out through this song addressed to a loved one.
The second verse reveals the guilt and regret Ray Charles carries for not always treating his loved one kindly. He expresses the importance of this person to him and pleads for them to see past his mistakes and understand that they are now alone, allowing him to be vulnerable and genuine. The following lines express gratitude towards this person for revealing precious secrets and teaching him the truth, even when he was hiding and afraid. As the song progresses, Ray Charles declares that he has become a better person and although he may struggle to express his feelings eloquently, the melody carries his love and emotions.
The chorus emphasizes the depth and timelessness of his love, stating that it exists in a place beyond the limitations of space and time. This person is not only a lover but also a trusted friend. The final lines of the song bring a bittersweet tone, mentioning the inevitability of Ray Charles's life coming to an end. However, he encourages this person to remember the moments they shared when they were alone, and he was singing this song directly to them.
Overall, "Stranger In My Own Home Town" represents a vulnerable and heartfelt confession from Ray Charles, showcasing the stark contrast between the public persona and the authentic self he finds solace in when alone with his loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been so many places in my life and time
I have experienced and traveled to numerous locations throughout my existence
I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhymes
I have performed many songs and occasionally produced imperfect rhythms
I've acted out my love on stages
I have portrayed my affection publicly during performances
With 10,000 people watching
Countless individuals witnessed these displays of emotion
But we're alone now and I'm singing this song to you
However, in this moment, it is just the two of us, and I am expressing my emotions through this song dedicated to you
I know your image of me is what I hope to be
I am aware that your perception of me aligns with the version I aspire to become
I treated you unkindly, but darling can't you see
I may have mistreated you in the past, my dear, but can't you understand
There's no one more important to me
No individual holds a higher significance in my life
Darling can't you please see through me
My love, can't you perceive my true intentions and feelings
'Cause we're alone now and I'm singing this song to you
As we are presently in solitude, I am expressing myself through this song solely for you
You taught me precious secrets
You imparted invaluable revelations to me
Of the truth, withholding nothing
Regarding the truth, you shared everything without holding back
You came out in front and I was hiding
You presented yourself openly while I concealed myself
But now, I'm so much better
However, at present, I have improved significantly
And if my words don't come together
Even if my words fail to articulate properly
Listen to the melody, 'cause my love's in there hiding
Pay attention to the harmony, for within it lies my concealed affection
I love you in a place where there's no space and time
My love for you exists in a realm unaffected by physical boundaries and temporal constraints
I love you for my life, you are a friend of mine
I love you throughout my existence, for you are not just a lover but also a dear friend
And when my life is over
And when my existence comes to an end
Remember when we were together
Recall the moments we shared as a couple
We were alone and I was singing this song to you
We were in seclusion, and I expressed my emotions through this song specifically for you
But I love you in a place where there's no space and time
However, my love for you transcends the confines of physical dimensions and temporal restrictions
I love you for my life, you are a friend of mine
Throughout my existence, I cherish you, as you are not only a romantic partner but also a close companion
And when my life is over
And when my journey concludes
Remember when we were together
Recall the occasions when we were in each other's company
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
We experienced solitude, and I expressed my emotions through this song exclusively for you
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
We found ourselves in seclusion, and I dedicated this song to you
We were alone and I was singing my song
In our solitude, I performed my personal composition
Singing this song for you
Expressing my emotions and dedicating this song specifically to you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Percy Mayfield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind