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Ray Charles
"The fact of the matter is, you don't give up what is natural. Anything I've fantasized about, I've done." a Los Angeles Time excerpt of Ray Charles in 1989.
Ray Charles, also known as Ray Charles Robinson, is an African-American music legend who broke new grounds for rhythm and blues (RNB). Charles, who was born on September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia, is a talented soul singer, pianist, and composer. His best known songs are "Hit the Road, Jack", I Can't Stop Loving You", and the official song of Georgia; "Georgia on My Mind".
Ray Charles is one of the 20th century's most triumphant African-American artists. In fact, the legendary Frank Sinatra considered him as the "the only genius in the business" referring to Ray Charles' powerful and unique rendition of soul, gospel, and country music.
Ray Charles was assumed to have glaucoma when he was five years old. When he reached 7, he was completely blind. However, this did not stop him from pursuing a career in music. He enrolled in Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. While in the school, he studied writing musical compositions, playing different kinds of musical instruments (especially the piano and the saxophone), and reading the Braille system.
He then started his glorious career in the 1940s as a local musician in Florida. In 1947, he transferred to Seattle, Washington to fully flourish his musical profession. Soon after, he launched his first hit song ("Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand") in 1951. Some of his early original music hits in the 1950s include "I Got a Woman", "Hallelujah I Love Her So", and "What'd I Say".
Some of Ray Charles' foremost models and collaborators are Nat King Cole, Charles Brown, Lowell Fulson, Guitar Slim and Ruth Brown.
His last album won 7 Grammy awards in 2005 which consists the Record of the Year honor. In June 10, 2004, Ray Charles succumbs to liver disease. He was 73.
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