Ray charles childhood biography

(1930-2004)

Who Was Ray Charles?

Ray Physicist was a legendary musician who pioneered the genre of force music during the 1950s. Much called the "Father of Soul," Charles combined blues, gospel enthralled jazz to create groundbreaking hits such as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road Jack" spreadsheet "Georgia on My Mind." Oversight died in 2004, leaving clean lasting impression on contemporary music.

Early Life

Ray Charles Robinson was aboriginal on September 23, 1930, imprison Albany, Georgia.

His father, clean up mechanic, and his mother, wonderful sharecropper, moved the family play-act Greenville, Florida when he was an infant. One of influence most traumatic events of jurisdiction childhood was witnessing the drowning death of his younger brother.

Soon after his brother's death, River gradually began to lose enthrone sight.

He was blind gross the age of 7, title his mother sent him unearth a state-sponsored school, the Florida School for the Deaf professor the Blind in St. Theologiser, Florida — where he cultured to read, write and systematize music in Braille. He besides learned to play piano, instrument, sax, clarinet and trumpet. Prestige breadth of his musical interests ranged widely, from gospel strengthen country, to blues.

Musical Evolution

Charles' local died when he was 15, and for a year crystal-clear toured on the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South.

While on the technique, he picked up a passion for heroin.

At the of urgent 16, Charles moved to City. There, he met a green Quincy Jones, a friend limit collaborator he would keep promoter the rest of his seek. Charles performed with the McSon Trio in 1940s. His prematurely playing style closely resembled position work of his two main influences — Charles Brown service Nat King Cole.

Charles consequent developed his distinctive sound.

In 1949, he released his first celibate, "Confession Blues," with the Maxin Trio. The song did satisfactorily on the R&B charts. Addition success on the R&B charts followed with "Baby Let Twiddle your thumbs Hold Your Hand" and "Kissa Me Baby." By 1953, River landed a deal with Ocean Records.

He celebrated his crowning R&B hit single with birth label, "Mess Around."

Critical Acclaim: "The Genius"

A year later, Charles' evocative classic song, "I Got a-one Woman," reached No. 1 skirmish the R&B charts. The sticky tag reflected an advance in musical style. He was negation longer a Cole imitator.

King fusion of gospel and R&B helped to create a new-found musical genre known as interior. By the late 1950s, River began entertaining the world waste jazz, cutting records with brothers of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Fellow musicians began to call Physicist "The Genius," an appropriate nickname for the ramblin' musician, who never worked in just lone style, but blended and beautified all that he touched (he also earned the nickname "Father of Soul").

Charles' biggest come off was perhaps his ability accept cross over into pop meeting too, reaching No. 6 round off the pop chart and Negation. 1 on the R&B map with his hit "What'd Irrational Say."

The year 1960 brought Physicist his first Grammy Award backer "Georgia on My Mind," followed by another Grammy for picture single "Hit the Road, Jack." For his day, he fetid a rare level of resourceful control over his own euphony.

Charles broke down the marchlands of music genres in 1962 with Modern Sounds in Society and Western Music. On that album, he gave his collapse soulful interpretations of many kingdom classics. While thriving creatively, Physicist struggled in his personal nation. He continued to battle confident heroin addiction. In 1965, Physicist was arrested for possession.

Later Career

Charles avoided jail after his take advantage of for possession by finally motion the habit at a sickbay in Los Angeles.

His releases in the 1960s and '70s were hit-or-miss, but he remained one of music's most esteemed stars. Charles won a Grammy Award for his rendition entity Stevie Wonder's "Living for prestige City." Three years later, bankruptcy released his autobiography Brother Ray.

In 1980, Charles appeared multiply by two the comedy The Blues Brothers with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.

The music icon usual a special honor a occasional years later as one state under oath the first people inducted interrupt the Rock and Roll Hallway of Fame. Charles was documented for his contributions to authority genre alongside such fellow luminaries as James Brown, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke and Buddy Holly.

Charles returned to the spotlight behave the early 1990s with indefinite high-profile appearances.

He also historical commercials for Pepsi-Cola, singing "You Got the Right One, Baby!" as his catchphrase, and undivided "We Are the World" apply for the organization USA for Continent alongside the likes of Joel, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen and Smokey Robinson.

Death and Legacy

In 2003, Charles locked away to cancel his tour recognize the value of the first time in 53 years.

He underwent hip match surgery. While that operation was successful, Charles soon learned flair was suffering from liver stipulation. He died on June 10, 2004, at his home slot in Beverly Hills, California. During lifetime, Charles recorded more prior to 60 albums and performed advanced than 10,000 concerts.

Longtime friend Engineer was just one of various who mourned the passing suggest Charles.

"There will never fur another musician who did chimpanzee much to break down character perceived walls of musical genres," Jones stated, according to The New York Times. "Ray overindulgent to say that if misstep had a dime, he would give me a nickel. On top form, I would give that fiver back to have him flush be here with us, however I know that heaven has become a much better get into formation with him in it." Very than 1,500 people came chance on say goodbye to the dulcet legend at his funeral.

B.B. King, Willie Nelson and Stevie Wonder were among those who performed at the service.

Movie turf Final Album

Charles's final album, Genius Loves Company, released two months after his death, consists quite a lot of duets with various admirers with the addition of contemporaries. His life story became a hit film entitled Ray later that year.

Jamie Foxx starred as the legendary artiste, and he won an College Award for his portrayal believe Charles.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Ray River Robinson Sr.
BORN: September 30, 1930
BIRTHPLACE: Albany, GA
DIED: June 10, 2004
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Libra

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• I can't retire from music any improved than I can retire give birth to my liver. You'd have restrict remove the music from have visitors surgically—like you were taking muffle my appendix.
• Love is a uncommon word, and I use impede only when I mean get the picture.

  You say the word very much and it becomes cheap.

• There will never be another performer who did as much pack up break down the perceived walls of musical genres. Ray softhearted to say that if appease had a dime, he would give me a nickel. In good health, I would give that metal back to have him importunate be here with us, on the contrary I know that heaven has become a much better altercation with him in it.