RAY CHARLES RAY CHARLES SINGS

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Ray Charles Robinson Sr.[note 1](September 23, 1930 June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as “The Genius”. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called “Brother Ray”.[1][2]Charles was blinded during childhood, possibly due toglaucoma.[3]

Charles pioneered thesoul musicgenre during the 1950s by combiningblues,jazz,rhythm and blues, andgospelstyles into the music he recorded forAtlantic Records.[3][4][5]He contributed to the integration ofcountry music, rhythm and blues, andpop musicduring the 1960s with his crossover success onABC Records, notably with his twoModern Soundsalbums.[6][7]While he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first black musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.[4]

Charles’s 1960 hit “Georgia on My Mind” was the first of his three career No. 1 hits on theBillboardHot 100. His 1962 albumModern Sounds in Country and Western Musicbecame his first album to top theBillboard200.[8]Charles had multiple singles reach theTop 40on variousBillboardcharts: 44 on theUS R&Bsingles chart, 11 on the Hot 100 singles chart, two on theHot Countrysingles charts.[9]

Charles citedNat King Coleas a primary influence, but his music was also influenced byLouis JordanandCharles Brown.[10]He had a lifelong friendship and occasional partnership withQuincy Jones.Frank Sinatracalled Ray Charles “the only true genius in show business,” although Charles downplayed this notion.Billy Joelsaid, “This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important thanElvis Presley”.

For his musical contributions, Charles received theKennedy Center Honors, theNational Medal of Arts, and thePolar Music Prize. He was one of the inaugural inductees at theRock and Roll Hall of Famein 1986. He has won 18 Grammy Awards (five posthumously),[8]theGrammy Lifetime Achievement Awardin 1987, and 10 of his recordings have been inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame.[8]Rolling Stoneranked Charles No. 10 on their list of the100 Greatest Artists of All Time,and No. 2 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.In 2022, he was inducted into theCountry Music Hall of Fame, as well as theBlack Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.