Ray Charles

Early Life and Blindness

Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia, to Bailey Robinson, a laborer, and Aretha Robinson, a laundress. His early childhood was marked by tragedy and hardship. His younger brother George drowned in a laundry tub at age four, an event that devastated the family. Charles began losing his sight around age four or five and was completely blind by age seven, likely due to glaucoma. Despite initial resistance, his mother enrolled him at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine from 1937 to 1945, where he learned multiple instruments and studied classical composers including Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. He learned to read and write music using Braille through a demanding process that required coordinated left and right hand movements. His mother's death in 1945, when Charles was only 14, profoundly affected him; he later described it and his brother's death as "the two great tragedies" of his life.

Early Career and Atlantic Records

After leaving school, Charles worked his way through various cities—Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and eventually Seattle in 1948—building his reputation as a talented pianist and musician. In Seattle, he formed The McSon Trio with Gossie McKee and Milton Garred, recording "Confession Blues" in 1949, which became his first national hit. He later moved to Los Angeles and signed with Swing Time Records, achieving moderate success before joining Atlantic Records in 1952. At Atlantic, Charles pioneered the soul music genre by combining blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel elements. His 1954 recording "I've Got a Woman" reached number two on the R&B chart and exemplified his innovative fusion style. By the late 1950s, songs like "What'd I Say" (1959) demonstrated his creative mastery, reaching number six on the pop chart while becoming his first number-one R&B hit.

Crossover Success and Innovation

Charles' contract with Atlantic expired in 1959, and he signed with ABC-Paramount, securing unprecedented artistic control and ownership of his master tapes—a revolutionary deal for a Black artist at the time. His 1960 hit "Georgia on My Mind," arranged by Sid Feller, earned him four Grammy Awards and national acclaim. The song later became Georgia's official state song in 1979. His ambitious 1962 album "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" and its sequel demonstrated his ability to transcend genre boundaries, with "I Can't Stop Loving You" topping the pop charts for five weeks. Throughout the 1960s, Charles had major hits including "Busted" (1963) and "Crying Time" (1966), establishing himself as one of the few Black artists to achieve mainstream pop success with creative autonomy. Despite personal struggles with heroin addiction—for which he received treatment in 1964 and 1966—Charles maintained an active recording career.

Legacy and Cultural Impact

Ray Charles' influence on popular music proved immeasurable. His innovative blending of genres inspired countless artists including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison, and Billy Joel. Music critic Joe Levy noted that "the hit records he made for Atlantic in the mid-1950s mapped out everything that would happen to rock 'n' roll and soul music in the years that followed." Charles was a staunch civil rights advocate, notably refusing to perform at segregated venues in 1961, an act of principle that cost him $757 in fines but demonstrated his commitment to equality. He founded the Ray Charles Foundation in 1986 to support hearing disorder research and donated $2 million to Morehouse College to support musical education. His 17 Grammy Awards, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1987), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction (1986), and Kennedy Center Honors (1986) solidified his status as one of music's greatest innovators. Rolling Stone ranked him number 10 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and number 2 among singers. Charles died on June 10, 2004, at age 73, from liver failure. His final album, "Genius Loves Company," released posthumously, won eight Grammy Awards and featured duets with prominent artists including Elton John, Willie Nelson, and Norah Jones.