#33 Ray Charles

Frank Sinatra called Ray Charles “the only true genius in show business.” Charles lost his sight at age 7, his father died when he was 10, and his mother when he was 15. After bouncing around for a time, Ray broke through with reworkings of Gospel songs. They were not covered by copyright laws and he could change the words without being sued. “I Got A Woman” is one such reworking and it made Ray Charles a star. Charles began to experiment with country and pop music and crossed over. In 1959, Charles wrote “What’d I Say” on stage during the middle of a show.

Unfortunately, his heroin addiction caught up with him in the mid-60s. He went to rehab and returned with the hit, “Crying Time.” In the late 60s and throughout the 1970s, Charles continued to score hits. In particular, he became the king of patriotic anthems as he released “Georgia on my Mind” and “America The Beautiful.”

The 80s did not slow him down. In 1980, he appeared in “The Blues Brothers” and a number of TV shows. He also performed at Ronald Reagan’s second inaugural and on USA For Africa’s “We Are The World.” His best TV performance was probably on Super Dave. He got to drive a car---over Super Dave. He continued to perform into the 2000s. In 2004, Hollywood released a biopic entitled "Ray" based on Charles life and starring the overrated Jamie Foxx. Ray Charles died the same year.

Rock n Roll Moment: Ray is one of the first rock stars to go to rehab.

Essential Ray:

Ray Charles (1957)
At Newport (1958)
The Genius of Ray Charles (1959)
The Genius Sings the Blues (1961)
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962)
Greatest Hits (1962)

Ray’s Top 10:

I Got A Woman
What’d I Say
Drown In My Own Tears
Georgia On My Mind
Hit The Road Jack
One Mint Julep
I Can’t Stop Loving You
Unchain My Heart
Busted
America The Beautiful