Date of Birth: September 23, 1930
Place of Birth: Albany, Georgia, USA
Died: June 10, 2004
Place of Death: Beverly Hills, California, USA
Classification: Artists & Entertainers
Brought up with a rough childhood, Ray Charles was blinded at the age of seven because of an accident while trying to save his brother from drowning. While this may have not been the cause of his blindness, the unfortunate event plagued Ray for the rest of his life. However, being a most gifted musician and singer, even while attending the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, Ray was able to practice music all the time and even composed music for his classmates.
His parents both died tragically, when Ray was young. In his latter teens, he decided to leave Florida and head to Seattle, where he wanted to secure musical gigs to make a living. While there, he was able to get some recording sessions with Swingtime Records, where he recorded his hits, Confession Blues. In 1952, he followed by signing with the much larger Atlantic Records, who would market his talent across the full U.S.
In the mid-1950s, Ray Charles saw boundless success while recording singles. Here, he recorded such hits as I Got a Woman and Lonely Avenue. His fame grew even more when he began to perform live, offering the audience new takes on old favorites and even singing songs prior to their actual release date. He soon topped the charts with The Night Time is the Right Time.
Wanting artistic control over his music, Ray Charles moved to ABC records and performed an enchanting America the Beautiful. In his latter career, Charles saw the advantages of hopping onto the pop music arena and from thereon became internationally known for his appearances in both TV and film. A biography of Ray Charles referred to as a biopic was released in 2004. Actor Jamie Foxx depicts Ray Charles’ remarkable life and career. His portrayal won him an Academy Award for his role.
Ray Charles was taken into Police custody in 1965 after investigators found heroin in his possession. While that was a repeated offense, he made a deal that he would join a rehabilitation clinic. Upon his release, he had kicked the habit. Following, his career was both up and down, but he remained in the public’s eye by performing concerts all over the U.S. In The Blues Brothers, Ray Charles makes a cameo and sings on film.
