Ray Charles
General information
NicknameThe Genius
Brother Ray
Birth nameRaymond Charles Robinson
Birth September 23, 1930
Albany, Georgia
DeathJune 10, 2004 (age 73)
Beverly Hills, California
Main activityHarmonica player, bandleader, composer, pianist
Musical genreBlues, country, gospel, jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, soul
InstrumentsSinging, piano, organ, trumpet, alto saxophone, clarinet
Active years1947-2004
LabelsSwing Time Records, Atlantic, ABC, Warner Bros. Records
Official websitewww.raycharles.com
editConsult the documentation of the model
Ray Charles, pseudonym of Ray Charles Robinson, born September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia and died June 10, 2004 in Beverly Hills, California, is an American singer, songwriter, arranger and pianist. A major figure in African-American music, he covered many musical genres during his career of over fifty years: jazz, gospel, blues, country and rhythm and blues. He is also frequently considered as one of the pioneers of soul music.
Blind at the age of seven, Ray Charles followed a classical musical training in his youth. He then turned to the blues and became successful in the early 1960s with songs such as Georgia on My Mind and Hit the Road Jack. He was then given the nickname of Genius. Confronted with drug problems, he became less frequent on stage during the next two decades, before enjoying international success again until his death.
Ray Charles sold tens of millions of albums and influenced many artists, such as Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, James Brown and Marvin Gaye. Many contemporary RnB and rap singers have also claimed his musical legacy, including Jamie Foxx, who played him in his film biography, Ray (2004).
