Ray Charles died Thursday at his home in Beverly Hills of liver disease. He was 73.
Charles was born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Ga. on September 23, 1930, at the height of the Depression. During his early years, Charles’ impoverished family traveled throughout the Southeast in search of work, but when he was four Charles’ vision began to deteriorate. By age seven he was blind, assigned to a special school in St. Augustine, Fla. where he studied music and math. At age 16 Charles left school to become a professional musician, playing wherever he could, struggling to survive. One day, fed up with Florida, he decided to travel as far away as possible and relocated to Seattle, Wash. In Seattle, Charles became a popular local talent, forming a Nat King Cole-inspired group in the late 1940s called the McSon Trio, with fellow musicians Gossady McGee and Milt Jarret.
During the reign of boxer “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Ray Charles Robinson shortenedhis name to Ray Charles to avoid confusing fans, but continued cutting records and performing throughout America, scoring his first minor hit with 1951’s"Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand.” The following year Charles signed to Atlantic Records and produced his first big hit with 1955’s “I Got A Woman.” Over the next few years Charles built a national following with his soulful voice and keyboard prowess, frequently collaborating with friend Quincy Jones as well as various jazz musicians.
After signing to ABC in 1959, Charles’ career took off. He became one of thetop pop/R&B performers in North America, releasing No. 1 hits like “George” and “Born to Lose.” In 1961 he formed his first big band, and later started his own recording studio, RPM. Charles freely switched between R&B, jazz, country androck, demonstrating his musical versatility while winning over new fans. During the Civil Rights movement, Charles was a friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,and participated in many civil rights marches. Despite his advancing age, Charles’ talent remained undiminished, and he continued churning out records throughout the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.
Early last summer, he performed his 10,000th career concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.
In May 2003, he also received his fifth doctorate from Dillard University in New Orleans.
In 2002, Charles and Adams endowed both Morehouse College and Albany State Univ., in Charles’ birthplace of Albany, GA, with substantial contributions, exceeding $1 million each.
Sixteen years ago, Charles established the Ray Charles Robinson Foundation for the hearing impaired. Since its creation, the foundation, with Charles’ encouragement and generous, on-going funding, has blazed a trail of discovery in auditory physiology and hearing implantation. Charles recently recorded an album of duets for Concord Records, which is slated for a late summer release.
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