Ray Charles - Biography, facts, rare photos

Childhood

At the age of 3, the young musician hummed songs, imitating a musician from a cafe who taught him to play the piano.

When Ray was 5, his brother drowned before his eyes, and a year later Charles himself went blind. Doctors diagnosed glaucoma in the 1930s; it was incurable. His mother taught him to do without the help of others. Ray Charles said that he barely remembers how to see it, only the image of his mother and the color remained in his memory.

Ray Charles without sunglasses

When Ray was 7 years old, in 1937, he entered a school for blind children, where he was taught to read words and music in Braille. After graduating in 1945, Ray Charles played clarinet, trombone, organ, piano and saxophone.

These were the musician’s first steps towards creating his own music. Never finishing school, after the death of his mother, Ray traveled around Florida in search of work. By the age of 16, he became a professional tapper, performing with groups of musicians throughout Florida.

short biography

In 1947, he left boarding school and went to Seattle, where he founded the group MacSon Trio and began recording his first songs, collaborating with the Swingtime Records .
In 1949 he released his first successful composition, “Confession Blues ,” which gained enormous popularity.
In 1951, the singer’s new hit was released - “Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand” .
In 1952, he began collaborating with a new major label, Atlantic Records , and began performing under the shortened name Ray Charles so that listeners would not confuse him with his namesake boxer.
In the 50s the singer actively searched for his own style, accompanied established artists and recorded singles and records in various musical genres, mainly gospel, soul, blues, country and R&B.
In 1956 he released his debut album entitled “The Great Ray Charles” .
In 1959 he received his first Grammy Award . By the beginning of the 60s. the performer released several big hits and became famous throughout the country.
In the 60s the artist signed a contract with ABC Records , began receiving huge royalties and settled in Los Angeles in the prestigious Beverly Hills area. During this period of the artist’s creativity, several of his biggest hits were released, which went down in the history of world music: “You Are My Sunshine”, “Unchain My Heart”, “Hit The Road Jack” and others.
In 1965, he was detained for the third time for possession of narcotic substances. The singer again managed to avoid a real prison sentence, but the arrest had a positive effect on him: the artist underwent treatment in a clinic, finally gave up his addiction and spoke out against drugs for the rest of his life.
In the 70s the musician became closer to the mainstream and increasingly appeared on stage not with his own songs, but with covers of other people's works. During this time, he released the popular song "America The Beautiful" .
In 1981 he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 1984, he appeared in an episode of the musical The Blues Brothers , where he played the owner of a musical instrument store.
In 1985, one of the artist’s popular tracks was performed on the television show “The Cosby Show” .
That same year, the acclaimed performer performed at the inauguration of newly elected President Ronald Reagan.
In 1986, he became a participant in the Diet Pepsi .
In the 90s took part in various musical projects, sang with famous groups and orchestras.
In 1993 he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.
In 1994 he came to Russia for the first time with a concert.
In 1996, he performed the hit “Georgia On My Mind” at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
In 2000 he again played a concert in Russia.
In 2002, the artist was diagnosed with liver cancer.
In 2003 he held his 10,000th concert.
On April 30, 2004, he performed for the last time in Los Angeles. The artist's health weakened, but despite his poor health, he continued to work in his own studio.
On June 10 , the maestro died in his home. A few days later, the world music legend was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery. The funeral took place in accordance with the singer's will. At the farewell ceremony, the song “Over The Rainbow” performed by him was played.
In August, the artist’s latest album, called “Genius Loves Company,” .
In the fall, a concert was held in memory of the late musician.
Ray was released in October . The singer in the film was played by the talented actor Jamie Foxx . The actor received an Oscar for his role in the biopic.
In 2005, Ray's second posthumous album of duets with other popular singers, Genius & Friends, .

Youth years

In 1948, Ray moved to Seattle, where he played in cafes and clubs. Here he founded his first jazz-blues project, The Maxim Trio. He tried drugs for the first time. He himself said that he belongs to the type of people who realize that this passion will lead to death, but still want to find out by consuming even more.

Ray Charles had a lot of bad habits

Music was in his blood. He lived it and recorded from the age of 17. Even though his first records did not become popular, Ray created something new, combining several directions in music.

Ten years later, the genius’s songs became popular. In 1951, record companies became interested in him, and he released his first hit, Mess Around. Ray Charles invented a new genre of soul.

The great jazz pianist Ray Charles

He quickly gained popularity, but some of his songs were banned from listening, claiming that they had sexual overtones. This did not stop his popularity, although he himself became depressed and began using hard drugs.

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Beginning of musical activity

And after completing his studies, he became a member of the little-known group “The Florida Playboys”. The first compositions he performed were jazz with light notes of country. In 1947, the young man moved to Seattle and began collaborating with Swingtime Records. The then famous Lowell Fulson liked the performance of the young musician, and he offered him cooperation. Already in 1949, the first composition “Confession Blues” was released and became a hit.

In 1952, he changed agency to Atlantic Records because the previous one limited his creative process. Having changed the agency, he also changed his stage name, which he kept until the end of his musical career. In search of an individual style and creative spark, he releases the single “Mess Around”. The famous bluesman Guitar Slim became interested in his work and offered to work together, the song they released sold more than a million copies around the world. The musician's popularity grew before our eyes and towards the end, he began to tour the world.

In 1953, he released his first solo composition, “It Should Have Been Me,” which marked the beginning of his debut solo album. A new achievement for the singer was the single “I Got a Woman,” which took the leading position on the R&B charts around the world. Charles's creative reserves at that time consisted mainly of ballads and gospel songs. His performance and fusion of different styles created a unique mixture of black and white listeners. Thus, the musician managed to unite two audiences that were previously quite far from each other.

Peak of popularity

In 1961, Ray canceled a concert in his home state of Georgia due to racism. He spoke there years later, when the law equalized the rights of blacks with white people. Ray Charles' popularity peaked in the 1960s. It was the dawn of genius.

Ray Charles and The Raelettes in the studio, 1966

He dedicated the song Busted to Kennedy after his death. He changed his mind to rock and soul, becoming interested in jazz and pop music. It was a difficult period of rehabilitation from drug addiction and scandals.

Ray Charles with Nancy and Ronald Reagan

Almost until his death he wrote music and sang. His concerts were in demand, and his songs were always in the top charts. He gave concerts in many countries, including Russia, Japan and Germany.

Ray Charles is on the list of Best Soul Artists

Drug addiction

Throughout his life, Ray Charles was addicted to drugs. He did not hide this fact and himself admitted that he first tried marijuana when he was still a 16-year-old teenager.

In 1961, the police found several bags of marijuana and cocaine in the singer's hotel room. A criminal case is initiated, but the lawyers manage to obtain only a suspended sentence for Ray, since at that time the star was already undergoing treatment for drug addiction in a Los Angeles clinic.

Four years later, Ray Charles is found to be in possession of drugs again. This time packs of heroin. However, the singer is again acquitted, after which he completely gives up drugs and begins to act as an active supporter of a healthy life.

The cultural legacy of Ray Charles

Many musicians, actors and politicians deservedly call him the king of soul and jazz. He released many records, some of them came out after his death. Over the course of a 50-year career, Ray Charles received a Grammy, the only performer to receive such an honor for half a century.

Ray Charles and sons

Ray was a spirited and cheerful person who knew how to live. During his life, he was married twice and had 12 children from nine different women. The most popular rock stars call him an inspiration. Carlos Santana, Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton and others performed songs in his honor.

Ray Charles was a crowd favorite

Frank Sinatra called him an exceptional musical genius. Ray Charles Robinson said he wouldn't live forever, but his music is in our hearts.

On June 10, 2004, he died of liver cancer at his home. A few months later, the film "Ray" about his life was released.

Musical career of singer Ray Charles

Our today's hero began to show interest in musical studies at an early age. While studying at a specialized school in St. Augustine, the talented guy not only quickly mastered the Braille alphabet, but also learned to play the trombone, saxophone, piano, organ and some other instruments perfectly. Ray Charles. One of the most popular songs. It was from this moment that his passion for music began. After all, there was essentially nothing else in his life.

At the age of seventeen, our today's hero moved to the large and vibrant Seattle, which at that time was considered the American capital of instrumental music. Here such trends as soul, blues and jazz were especially popular. That’s why Ray Charles chose Washington state to continue his musical career.

In Seattle, our today's hero founded his first musical ensemble and soon it became quite popular in the northern United States. Famous performer Lowell Fulson invited him to work together. Subsequently, representatives of well-known record companies also began to approach Ray Charles with offers of long-term cooperation.

Thus, in 1949, our today’s hero recorded his first full-scale hit, “Confession Blues,” which very soon began to be heard even on federal radio stations in America. From that moment on, Ray Charles began to frequently tour various cities in the United States, giving small concerts and recording performances for national television. Ray Charles - Confession Blues In 1953, the talented black singer recorded the singles “It Should Have Been Me” and “Mess around” which three years later formed the basis of his first solo album, “The Great Ray Charles.”

Throughout his career, our today's hero has released more than a hundred (!) albums, as well as official recordings of concert performances. The geography of his tours stretches from the USA to Japan and from Germany to Russia. Many of his compositions - such as "Hit The Road Jack", "You Are My Sunshine", "Unchain My Heart" - became immortal hits. That is why the influence of Ray Charles on world music is very difficult to overestimate. As recognized figures in the scene note, it was the music of Ray Charles that laid the foundations for such trends as modern jazz, blues and even rock and R&B.

Ray Charles' awards include his own star on the Walk of Fame, as well as 17 Grammy Awards, the Order of Arts and Letters, the National Medal of Arts and several other awards. Currently, the name of the great musician is listed simultaneously in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in the Jazz Hall of Fame. Several streets in the United States and even an entire post office are named after Ray Charles.

Ray Charles, biography, news, photos

Name: Ray Charles

Birthday: September 23, 1930

Place of birth: Albany, Georgia, USA

Date of death: June 10, 2004 (age 73)

Cause of death: find out liver cancer

Burial place: find out USA, California, Inglewood, Inglewood Park Cemetery

Height: 175 cm

Zodiac sign: Virgo ( characteristics

)

Eastern horoscope: Horse

Career: Foreign musicians 175th place

Early years, childhood and family of Ray Charles

At the age of five, another serious shock occurred in the life of little Ray Charles. While swimming in a tub, his younger brother George drowned. The child died right before the eyes of the future musician. Five-year-old Ray tried to help his brother, but was unable to pull him out of the deep tub.

This event shocked our today’s hero so much that very soon he began to experience vision problems. By the age of seven, Ray Charles was completely blind. Subsequently, the version about the psychological nature of the musician’s blindness was the most popular among all his fans.

However, many years later, American doctors who examined the musician put forward the version that the loss of vision occurred as a result of glaucoma.

Returning to the topic of the outstanding master’s childhood, we note that the turmoil in the musician’s life did not end there. Already in 1945, the singer lost his mother, thus remaining in the care of his elderly grandmother.

Perhaps it was a series of life blows that laid the foundations for the famous musical style of Ray Charles. After all, his music always contained a lot of melancholy and very little joy...

Death

For the last two years of his life, Ray Charles battled cancer. He had a hard time recovering from surgery. However, even after losing the ability to walk, the musician went daily to his own recording studio RPM, where he worked on the album Genius Loves Company. He died on June 10, 2004 at home. He is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

Ray Charles in old age

In the fall in Los Angeles, a concert in memory of Ray Charles brought together twenty thousand spectators and famous musicians in one hall, who performed his songs, which became iconic.

The singer’s biography is reflected in the film “Ray,” which was released in October of the same year. The plot was based on the autobiography “Brother Ray,” written in 1978. The production team consulted with Charles during the production process. Jamie Foxx starred in the title role, and was awarded an Oscar for it. Sometimes photographs of the actor in this role are confused with photographs of the musician.

Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles

The second posthumous album included new works with modern pop and soul stars. To record the third posthumous album, advances in computer sound processing were used. The restored vocal recordings of the singer were combined with melodies performed by the Count Basie orchestra.

Modern technologies allow the singer to communicate with the listener even a decade after his death. Concord Records continues to work with Ray's old recordings, returning his compositions to fans in a new sound.

Blind Love by Ray Charles

Ray Charles is one of the best musicians of the 20th century, the real embodiment of the American dream. From terrible poverty he managed to break through to the highest echelon of the world elite. Blindness did not prevent him from being a favorite of women - the artist became famous for his novels, although he did not like to show off his personal life.

Shaved in front of the mirror

His real name is Ray Charles Robinson. Ray's family was very poor. In an interview, he admitted: “Even among other blacks, we were on the bottom rung of the ladder, looking up to everyone else. The poverty was such that they ate potato peels fried in water. Below us there was only the ground." When the boy was only a few months old, his parents moved to the small village of Greenville. Some time later, the father left the family, leaving his wife and two sons - Ray and his younger brother George. When Ray was five years old, little George drowned in a trough on the street. The older brother tried to help, but could not. From nervous shock the boy began to go blind and by the age of seven he could no longer see anything.

His musical talent began to manifest itself in early childhood. The owner of a nearby pharmacy, who played the piano, often took the boy to his place to listen to music. The boy learned to play on his own at a local school for the blind. And not only on the piano, but also on the organ, saxophone, trombone and clarinet. He was only 15 years old when his mother died, and Ray was left in the care of his father's first wife. Without finishing school, he wandered around American cities for several years in search of at least some work. And having saved a small amount, he moved to Seattle, where he managed to get a job as an accompanist in a cafe. From the age of 16, Ray performed with various groups, and soon began a solo career. For more than half a century of concert performances, he appeared on stage an average of 200 times a year. Ray Charles is considered one of the world's most famous performers of soul, jazz and rhythm and blues music.

He treated his blindness slightly ironically. She did not stop him from acting in films, driving a car, piloting an airplane, or shaving in front of a mirror. Before each performance, Ray Charles took a glass of gin and coffee. According to him, this gave him vigor and courage.

Periods of ups and downs in the artist’s life were followed by streaks of troubles and problems (for example, in 1965 he was arrested for heroin use), but Charles managed to maintain excellent shape and remained popular in the 70s, 80s, and 90s . In one interview, when asked if he had a dream, the 70-year-old musician laughed: “I have fourteen Grammy awards.” I wanted to play at Carnegie Hall, and I did, I wanted to travel around the world - I did. What more could you dream of?

Bequeathed a million to the children

Officially, the artist was married twice. His first marriage to Eileen Williams was short - the couple lived together for less than a year. The second union, with Della Beatrice Howard Robinson, with whom they raised three children, lasted 22 years. For the last few years of his life, his girlfriend and partner was Norma Pinella. Ray Charles, in addition to three children born in his second marriage, had nine more children from eight different women. He bequeathed a million dollars to all his offspring.

Women loved Charles very much, but there were also those who openly used him. In 2004, a certain Marcy Soto released her memoirs with the original title “Ray and Me,” where she admitted that she stole money from the blind Charles from concert fees. The enterprising person managed to collect enough money to buy a mansion. “I didn’t feel like I was robbing a blind man. It seemed to me that I was doing what he himself should have done long ago: buy me a house,” wrote the artist’s mistress.