He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, cementing his status as a music legend.
Ray Charles was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist, often referred to as "The Genius."
He lost his vision as a child, which shaped his unique musical perspective and style.
Biography
Early Life
Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia, to Bailey Robinson and Aretha Robinson. His early life was marked by hardship, including the loss of his vision at a young age, likely due to glaucoma. Raised in a challenging environment, Charles developed a passion for music early on, inspired by the boogie-woogie played at a local café. His mother played a significant role in his upbringing, often struggling to provide for him and his brother George, who tragically drowned during their childhood.
Career
Charles's musical journey began in earnest after he moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where he played piano for various bands. His talent quickly became apparent, and he began recording in the late 1940s. Over the years, he released numerous influential albums, including "Georgia on My Mind" and "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music," which showcased his unique blend of genres such as jazz, soul, and blues. Known as "The Genius," Charles's innovative style and powerful voice made him a pivotal figure in American music, earning him multiple awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Ray Charles's personal life was as colorful as his music. He was married twice, with his second marriage lasting 22 years. Throughout his life, he had numerous relationships and fathered a dozen children. His struggles with addiction, particularly to heroin, affected his relationships and career, but he remained a beloved figure in the music industry until his passing on June 10, 2004. Charles's legacy endures, as he is remembered not only for his musical genius but also for his resilience in overcoming personal challenges.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Crying Time1966
- 1.Crying Time2:53
- 2.No Use Crying3:13
- 3.Let’s Go Get Stoned2:51
- 4.Going Down Slow4:00
- 5.Peace of Mind2:11
- 6.Tears4:34
- 7.Drifting Blues6:18
- 8.We Don’t See Eye to Eye2:17
- 9.You’re in for a Big Surprise3:30
- 10.You’re About to Lose Your Clown1:53
- 11.Don’t You Think I Ought to Know3:02
- 12.You’ve Got a Problem3:25
Ray’s Moods1966
- 1.What‐Cha Doing in There (I Wanna Know)2:19
- 2.Please Say You’re Fooling2:40
- 3.By the Light of the Silvery Moon2:42
- 4.You Don’t Understand3:04
- 5.Maybe It’s Because of Love3:04
- 6.Chitlins With Candied Yams4:34
- 7.Granny Wasn’t Grinning That Day2:13
- 8.She’s Lonesome Again2:27
- 9.Sentimental Journey2:52
- 10.A Born Loser2:06
- 11.It’s a Man’s World3:19
- 12.A Girl I Used to Know2:39
Together Again1965
- 1.Together Again2:36
- 2.I Like to Hear It Sometime2:50
- 3.I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail2:10
- 4.Please Forgive and Forget3:46
- 5.I Don’t Care2:14
- 6.Next Door to the Blues2:50
- 7.Blue Moon of Kentucky2:10
- 8.Light Out of Darkness3:23
- 9.Maybe It’s Nothing at All3:08
- 10.All Night Long3:01
- 11.Don’t Let Her Know2:31
- 12.Watch It Baby2:45
The Sensational Ray Charles1965
- 1.See See Rider2:41
- 2.I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now2:26
- 3.I’ll Never Let You Go2:45
- 4.Ray’s Blues1:43
- 5.I’m Glad for Your Sake2:44
- 6.Hey Now2:22
- 7.What Have I Done2:36
- 8.Easy Riding Gal1:46
- 9.All to Myself Alone2:04
- 10.Late in the Evening Blues3:09
Have a Smile With Me1964
- 1.Smack Dab in the Middle3:17
- 2.Feudin’ and Fightin2:12
- 3.Two Ton Tessie3:55
- 4.I Never See Maggie Alone5:37
- 5.Move It on Over2:34
- 6.Ma (She’s Making Eyes at Me)3:25
- 7.The Thing2:25
- 8.The Man With the Weird Beard3:53
- 9.The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane3:06
- 10.Who Cares (for Me)2:11
Sweet & Sour Tears1964
- 1.Cry3:35
- 2.Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry4:21
- 3.A Tear Fell2:46
- 4.No One to Cry To2:44
- 5.You’ve Got Me Crying Again2:53
- 6.After My Laughter Came Tears3:14
- 7.Teardrops From My Eyes3:30
- 8.Don’t Cry Baby3:09
- 9.Cry Me a River3:20
- 10.Baby Don’t You Cry2:40
- 11.Willow, Weep for Me4:37
- 12.I Cried for You2:41
Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul1963
- 1.Busted2:09
- 2.Where Can I Go?3:31
- 3.Born to Be Blue2:55
- 4.That Lucky Old Sun4:25
- 5.Ol' Man River5:34
- 6.In the Evening (When the Sun Goes Down)5:55
- 7.A Stranger in Town2:29
- 8.Ol' Man Time2:31
- 9.Over the Rainbow4:11
- 10.You'll Never Walk Alone4:02
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music1962
- 1.Bye Bye Love2:09
- 2.You Don’t Know Me3:14
- 3.Half as Much3:24
- 4.I Love You So Much It Hurts3:33
- 5.Just a Little Lovin’3:26
- 6.Born to Lose3:15
- 7.Worried Mind2:54
- 8.It Makes No Difference3:30
- 9.You Win Again3:29
- 10.Careless Love3:56
- 11.I Can’t Stop Loving You4:13
- 12.Hey, Good Looking2:10
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Volume 21962
- 1.You Are My Sunshine3:01
- 2.No Letter Today3:02
- 3.Someday (You’ll Want Me to Want You)2:42
- 4.Don’t Tell Me Your Troubles2:09
- 5.Midnight3:18
- 6.Oh, Lonesome Me2:12
- 7.Take These Chains From My Heart2:57
- 8.Your Cheatin’ Heart3:35
- 9.I’ll Never Stand in Your Way2:20
- 10.Making Believe2:53
- 11.Teardrops in My Heart3:04
- 12.Hang Your Head in Shame3:15
Ray Charles1962
- 1.Misery in My Heart
- 2.Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand
- 3.I'm Just a Lonely Boy
- 4.Kissa Me Baby
- 5.Ray's Blues
- 6.The Snow is Falling
- 7.All the Girls in Town
- 8.Late in the Evening
- 9.Blues is My Middle Name
- 10.Easy Riding Gal
Ray Charles and Betty Carter1961
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dedicated to You1961
Tracklist not collected yet.
Genius + Soul = Jazz1961
Tracklist not collected yet.
Soul Meeting1961
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Genius Sings the Blues1961
- 1.Early in the Mornin'2:48
- 2.Hard Times (Nobody Knows Better Than I)2:56
- 3.The Midnight Hour3:02
- 4.(Night Time Is) The Right Time3:25
- 5.Feelin' Sad2:50
- 6.Ray's Blues2:55
- 7.I'm Movin' On2:13
- 8.I Believe to My Soul3:01
- 9.Nobody Cares2:41
- 10.Mr. Charles' Blues2:48
- 11.Some Day Baby3:01
- 12.I Wonder Who2:46
The Genius After Hours1961
- 1.The Genius After Hours5:24
- 2.Ain’t Misbehavin’5:41
- 3.Dawn Ray5:03
- 4.Joyride4:39
- 5.Hornful Soul5:29
- 6.The Man I Love4:27
- 7.Charlesville4:56
- 8.Music, Music, Music2:54
Fathead1960
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Genius Hits the Road1960
Tracklist not collected yet.
What’d I Say1959
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Genius of Ray Charles1959
Tracklist not collected yet.
Yes Indeed!1958
Tracklist not collected yet.
Soul Brothers1958
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Great Ray Charles1957
Tracklist not collected yet.
Ray Charles (Hallelujah I Love Her So)1957
Tracklist not collected yet.
Georgia on My Mind1930
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Swing Time
- Record label
- ABC Records
- Record label
- Atlantic Records
- Record label
- Warner Bros. Records
- Record label
- Philips Records
Achievements
- Award
- Polar Music Prize
- Award
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
- Library of Congress Living Legend
- Award
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- Award
- Florida Artists Hall of Fame
- Award
- Kennedy Center Honors
- Award
- National Medal of Arts
- Award
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Award
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Award
- Blues Hall of Fame
- Award
- lifetime achievement award
Groups
- Listen Upcurrent
- Quincy Jones and His Orchestracurrent
- Ray Charles Sextetlead vocalscurrent
- Ray Charles and His Orchestracurrent
- The Maxim Triopianocurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Charles Ray, R. Charles, Ray Charles Robinson, レイ・チャールズ
Ray Charles Robinson was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Genius". Among friends and fellow musicians, Charles preferred being called "Brother Ray". He lost his vision as a child, possibly due to glaucoma, and consequently wore dark glasses.
All links
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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