Ray Charles

NAME Ray Charles (born Raymond Charles Robinson) He dropped the "Robinson" from his name as a young performer to avoid confusion with the boxer Sugar Ray Robinson.

WHAT FAMOUS FOR Ray Charles was a pioneering American singer, songwriter, and musician known for blending different genres such as gospel, blues, jazz, country, and R&B. He is often called "The Genius" for his innovative contributions to music.

BIRTH Ray Charles was born in Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1930.

FAMILY BACKGROUND He was born to Bailey Robinson and Aretha Williams, a poor family in the segregated South. His father was a laborer and his mother a sharecropper. Charles was raised primarily in Greenville, Florida.

CHILDHOOD Charles' childhood was marked by tragedy. He started to lose his sight at the age of five and became completely blind by the age of seven, likely due to untreated glaucoma. He grew up in poverty and became an orphan by the age of 15 when his mother died in 1946, five years after his father. Despite his disability, Charles developed a remarkable musical talent and began playing piano and other instruments.

EDUCATION Charles attended the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, Florida, where he learned to read and write music in Braille. It was also there that he learned to play piano and saxophone, laying the foundation for his future career in music.

CAREER RECORD Charles started his career in the late 1940s, signing with Jack Lauderdale's Downbeat label in 1949. 

His first hit, "Confession Blues," was recorded during a musicians' strike, which earned him a $600 fine, wiping out his life savings. 

His groundbreaking hit, "I Can't Stop Loving You" (1962), topped both U.S. and UK charts. 

Charles is known for combining different musical genres and recorded albums like Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which became a massive commercial success. 

Throughout his career, he was awarded 17 Grammy Awards.

APPEARANCE Ray Charles was often seen wearing dark sunglasses, a signature look that became iconic. He was also known for his broad smile, expressive face, and animated gestures when performing.

Photo of Ray Charles in one of his classic poses at the piano.

FASHION Charles had a classic, polished style, often seen wearing tailored suits and formal attire, emphasizing elegance during his performances.

CHARACTER Charles was known for his strong personality and his determination to succeed. Charles overcame numerous obstacles, including blindness and a difficult childhood, to become a legend in music. He was also known for his generosity and his commitment to social justice.

SENSE OF HUMOUR Despite hardships, Charles had a witty and playful sense of humor. His charisma shone through in both personal interactions and performances.

 One notable example is when he humorously remarked about a glamorous Las Vegas hotel suite that had a bed two steps up: "You know, I think these people are trying to kill me." When informed that there was a mirror on the ceiling above the bed, he quipped, "Oh great!" This blend of wit and self-awareness highlights his ability to find humor in his circumstances, even when they were challenging.

Additionally, Charles had a favorite joke that showcased his unique perspective on life: "I am blind, but it could be worse. I could have been black." 

RELATIONSHIPS Ray Charles had a complex personal life that included two marriages and several other relationships. His wifes were:

Eileen Williams (1951-1952): This was Charles' first marriage, but it only lasted about a year. They had no children together.

Della Beatrice Howard Robinson who he married on April 5, 1955: This was Charles' longest marriage, lasting 22 years. They had three children together: Ray Jr. (born 1955), David (born 1958), and Robert (born 1960).

Throughout his life, Charles fathered a total of 12 children with 10 different women. His numerous relationships and affairs contributed to the breakdown of his marriage to Della Robinson. Despite his complex personal life, Charles attempted to provide for all his children, reportedly setting up a trust fund of $500,000 for each of them later in life.

MONEY AND FAME Ray Charles rose to international fame and earned significant wealth. At his peak, he had immense control over his music, owning his master recordings, which was rare for artists at the time.

FOOD AND DRINK Charles was known to enjoy traditional Southern cuisine. This typically includes dishes such as: Fried chicke, collard greens, cornbread and gumbo. 

Charles had a well-documented relationship with alcohol and substances. He was known to drink a bottle of gin daily and also consumed large quantities of marijuana throughout his life. Charles often claimed that his substance use did not hinder his ability to perform, although it ultimately contributed to health issues later in life, including liver disease and Hepatitis C

MUSIC AND ARTS Ray Charles is hailed as one of the most influential musicians in American history. He is credited with inventing the soul music genre by blending gospel and R&B. He also mastered various other styles like jazz, blues, and country. His music legacy remains monumental, and he is often referred to as "The Genius."

Ray Charles wasn't just a musician; he was a musical architect. In the 1950s, he single-handedly demolished the walls between blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel, creating a new, soulful sound that would forever change the face of music. His recordings for Atlantic Records were a revelation, a testament to his genius and a harbinger of the musical revolution to come.

But Charles didn't stop there. In the 1960s, he dared to cross the Mason-Dixon line, blurring the boundaries between country, rhythm and blues, and pop music. His crossover success with ABC Records, particularly his Modern Sounds albums, was nothing short of groundbreaking. And let's not forget that he was one of the first black musicians to call the shots in the mainstream music industry.

Charles's impact on popular culture was undeniable. His hit "Georgia on My Mind" was the first of many chart-toppers, and his album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music was a landmark achievement. He had a knack for turning genres on their head, creating music that was both familiar and utterly new.

Of course, Charles wasn't a lone wolf. He was influenced by giants like Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan, and Charles Brown. And he formed a lifelong bond with the legendary Quincy Jones. Even Frank Sinatra, the King of Swing, recognized Charles's extraordinary talent, calling him "the only true genius in show business."

Charles's legacy is as vast as it is enduring. He was a pioneer, a visionary, and a true master of his craft. His music continues to inspire and delight audiences around the world, a testament to his enduring genius.

LITERATURE Although Charles didn't have much formal literary education due to his early blindness, he was highly literate in music, mastering musical composition and notation.

PETS Ray Charles was known to have a fondness for pets, particularly dogs.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Despite his blindness, Charles was a chess-playing fanatic. He was known to set up chess games between performances, enjoying the mental challenge the game provided.

 Charles enjoyed listening to boxing and other sporting events.

SCIENCE AND MATHS Charles was musically gifted, which involved complex understanding of rhythms and harmonics, often related to mathematical precision in music.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Charles was raised in a strict Baptist home by his mother, Aretha, and was first exposed to music in church. As an adult, Charles maintained a belief in God and considered himself a spiritual person. He once said, "I'm a firm believer in God himself, but that's as far as I can go".

While he believed in God, Charles explicitly rejected any specific Christian denomination. He stated, "I'm not any denomination. I'm not Catholic or Presbyterian or Baptist or Methodist or Jewish or Muslim. I'm none of those things".

Charles' music often reflected his spiritual roots, particularly in his fusion of gospel and secular styles. His ability to infuse spirituality into his performances was noted, with one description stating, "Ray Charles shook the back of the house getting an 'amen,' brothers and sisters, Devil get out, hallelujah!"

POLITICS Ray Charles used his influence to support civil rights movements. He refused to play in segregated venues and later became a symbol for social equality.

SCANDAL Charles struggled with heroin addiction for almost 20 years. In the mid-1960s, he was arrested for possession of heroin and marijuana at a Boston airport. He later overcame his addiction by 1965 after successfully undergoing rehabilitation.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Ray Charles experienced declining health in his later years. In 2003, at age 73, Charles had to undergo hip replacement surgery, which forced him to cancel a planned tour. After the hip surgery, Charles was diagnosed with liver disease and hepatitis C. His liver problems were likely related to his past drug use.

HOMES Charles owned several homes throughout his life, including properties in Georgia, New York. and Los Angeles, where he built his recording studio.

TRAVEL As a successful musician, Charles toured extensively across the U.S. and internationally, playing at venues all over the world.

DEATH Ray Charles passed away on June 10, 2004, at the age of 73 in Beverly Hills, California, due to liver disease.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Ray Charles made several media appearances throughout his career. He was featured in television commercials, performed in numerous television shows, and was the subject of the 2004 biopic Ray, starring Jamie Foxx, which won Foxx an Academy Award for his portrayal of Charles.

ACHIEVEMENTS Ray Charles won 17 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and received numerous other honors for his contributions to music.