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."
Sunshine
Ray Charles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you won't find me in it
Yeah Sunshine
I've got my friend the darkness here tonight to hide me
Sunshine
As far as Im concerned
I'm where I want to be
Oh yes I am
As far as your concerned
Dont be concerned for me
Oh no
Oh she she dont love me anymore
Oh sheeee, she don't need me anymore
Oh no no no
She's grown tired of chasing rainbows
Oh I love her so
God you know I tried, oh yes I have
But I guess she was right
Cause Im at the end
I found the pot but theres no gold inside
Soooo oh sunshine
Cant you see I'm not alone
Dont bother me
We'll and sunshine
Pick up your dawn and just move on
Down the street
Yeah, yeah
Sunshine as far as im concerned
I'm where i wanna be
Oh yeah oh yeah, yeah
Sunshine as far as your concerned dont be concerned for me
Oh sunshine
Yeah sunshine
Yeahhh, sunshine
In the song "Sunshine" by Ray Charles, he sings about his current state of mind after being left by a lover. He tells the sun that even though it may be shining through his window, he won't be in the light, but instead in the comfort of the darkness. Ray expresses that he is content with his current situation and feels no need to chase after the sunshine or happiness as he has found solitude in his darkness. He mentions how his lover no longer needs him and how he tried to keep the relationship alive, but it ultimately failed. Ray compares his feelings to finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, only to find that there is no treasure inside. In the end, he tells the sunshine to move on as he is where he wants to be and he doesn't need anyone's concern.
The song reflects the feeling of heartbreak and disappointment in a relationship that has ended. It portrays accepting one's current state of mind and emotions, and choosing to find solace in it. Ray Charles's voice carries a sense of resignation and contentment while singing about the sunshine and darkness, emphasizing the emotions and how he has come to terms with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunshine you may find my window
I may seem approachable and happy, but I'm actually hiding from the world and avoiding the light.
But you won't find me in it
Although the sun enters my room, it will not reach me as I am purposefully hidden away in the darkness.
Yeah Sunshine
Even though the bright sun outside should evoke positive feelings, I am actually in a state of melancholia and sadness.
I've got my friend the darkness here tonight to hide me
I have intentionally requested and prioritized the darkness as my companion to conceal and shield me from the outside world.
As far as Im concerned
In regards to myself and my emotions, I am content with my current situation, regardless of the external circumstances.
I'm where I want to be
Despite my undesirable circumstances, I am comfortable where I am and do not have any intention of changing my situation at this moment.
We'll and sunshine
Although we may have different perspectives on life, I acknowledge your existence but ask that you do not worry about me.
As far as your concerned
Putting your worries at ease, please know that I do not require your concern, as I am content with my current state of affairs.
Dont be concerned for me
Please do not worry about me, as I have found solace in my own company and darkness.
Oh she she dont love me anymore
My lover has decided to end our relationship and does not have any romantic feelings towards me anymore.
Oh sheeee, she don't need me anymore
My lover no longer requires my presence or love in their life and has chosen to move on without me.
Oh no no no
I am mourning the loss of my love and am experiencing a deep sense of sadness and heartache.
She's grown tired of chasing rainbows
My lover is disenchanted with the never-ending pursuit of idealistic and unrealistic goals, and has decided to end our relationship to avoid any further disappointment.
Oh I love her so
Although my lover has left me, I still have deep feelings of affection towards them and wish for their happiness, regardless of my own feelings.
God you know I tried, oh yes I have
I have done everything in my power to try and make the relationship work, but unfortunately it was not enough to salvage our love.
But I guess she was right
Despite my best efforts, my lover's decision to leave was justified and the right decision for them.
Cause Im at the end
I am at a dead-end and there is no viable solution to save our relationship.
I found the pot but theres no gold inside
Although I thought I had found a solution to our problems, it did not result in the outcomes that I had hoped for.
Soooo oh sunshine
Despite my melancholic state, I acknowledge the existence of the bright sun outside my window.
Cant you see I'm not alone
Despite my isolation, I am aware that I am not actually alone as I have the sun as my companion, even though it is not the company I seek.
Dont bother me
Although I am aware of your presence, I would prefer to continue my isolation and be left alone at this moment.
Pick up your dawn and just move on
Please take your light and leave me to my darkness, as I am not ready to face the brightness of a new day yet.
Yeah, yeah
Although my words may come off as melancholic, I am simply expressing my current state of mind and ask that you respect it.
Oh yeah oh yeah, yeah
Despite my current state of melancholia, I acknowledge and appreciate the existence of the bright and beautiful things in life.
Yeah sunshine
Although I am not ready to face your light yet, I am aware of your existence and appreciate your light and warmth.
Writer(s): MICKEY NEWBURY
Contributed by Jeremiah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cityzen2717
You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are gray.
You'll never know dear
How much I love you.
Please don't take
My sunshine away.
"You Are My Sunshine" is popularly known as the state song of Louisiana, but the song has a murky history. It was made popular by Jimmie Davis, a country music singer who used it frequently in his campaign for governor of Louisiana, and it has long been claimed that he and his friend and fellow songwriter Charlie Mitchell wrote the song in 1939.
In Georgia, however, the children of mandolin player and songwriter Oliver Hood insist that their father penned the song on the back of a brown paper bag and performed it at a VFW convention in LaGrange, Georgia, in 1933. Hood regularly played with fellow musicians Riley Puckett and Paul Rice, and many people claim to have heard Puckett perform the piece in the early 1930s. There were supposedly more than 20 verses to the song, but the most popular ones are all that remain. After the original, best-known verse, the song continues:
The other night dear,
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms.
When I awoke, dear,
I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried
I'll always love you
And make you happy
If you will only say the same
But if you leave me
To love another
You'll regret it all some day
You told me once, dear
You really loved me
And no one else could come between
But now you've left me
And love another
You have shattered all my dreams
Unfortunately, Hood never copyrighted his song, and in 1937 Paul Rice claimed authorship. Rice sold the rights to the song to Charlie Mitchell and Jimmie Davis in late 1939, and Davis recorded the song on February 5, 1940. His version included the lines that catapulted him to the governor's seat and made the song a Louisiana legend, as he sang it at rallies and even performed it on horseback (his horse was aptly named Sunshine):
Louisiana, my Louisiana
the place where I was borne.
White fields of cotton
green fields clover,
the best fishing
and long tall corn
The authorship of the piece may always be in dispute, but the song's lyrics are now known by children across the nation -- despite the less-than-sunny picture it paints after the first upbeat verse. "You Are My Sunshine" received renewed attention when it was featured prominently on the popular Grammy Award-winning soundtrack to the 2000 movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? The song is typical of what is now called traditional country music, with its predictable rhyming patterns, a repeating chorus, and a hit-and-miss meter that requires words to be dragged out over several notes
@richardandrews5013
I heard Ray Charles perform this tune at Cobo Hall in Detroit, in the early 1960's. Black and white people were together loving this concert. I swear to God that the whole auditorium was swaying in unison th this tune! What a great man and a great show!
@ernestmyers7884
Just heard this song on a movie with Clint Eastwood, "Trouble with the curve". Great version! Ray was a genius!
@MIKECNW
Interesting considering he was doing Rawhide at the time this song was recorded.
@adrianotero7963
@MIKECNW Clint has an ear for music.....love most of his soundtracks......
@krochelle2619
Same lol.
@uncle7561
Same
@MsEcstreet
This was my beloved Mother's favorite song which she sang often, and gave me her biggest smile when I sang it to her to ease the physical pain of her final days. It is now one of my favorites--most especially after having heard Ray Charles' rendition, and which I'm sure my Mother would have loved.
@shemar3572
Mine too! Was watching a movie and this song came on🥲🥲😊
@marshamays7657
Reminds me of my momma and family sitting at the table playing card drinking and having fun
@lukehall652
😊😊😊😊