Updated on August 8, 2024
Ray Charles is an iconic musician known for his groundbreaking contributions to soul music. His contribution to soul and blues has earned him the monicker “father of soul”. It is acknowledged to date, despite losing his sight completely by the age of seven due to glaucoma. Even with his challenge, Charles displayed an extraordinary talent for music from boyhood, mastering various instruments and developing his unique style that seamlessly blended rhythm and blues, gospel, and jazz.
Let’s delve into 20 things you didn’t know about the legendary musician Ray Charles.
- Ray Charles Robinson, known as Ray Charles, was born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia, USA. His parents, Aretha Williams and Bailey Robinson moved the family to Greenville, Florida, soon after his birth. His father was a mechanic, and his mother worked as a sharecropper.
- A childhood tragedy struck around the age of five. While playing near a large laundry tub in the backyard, Ray’s younger brother, George, who was only four, slipped and fell into the soapy water. Despite Ray’s desperate attempt to pull him out, George’s wet clothes became too heavy, and by the time their mother arrived, it was too late.
- Shortly after his brother’s death, Charles started experiencing vision loss due to untreated glaucoma. By the age of seven, he had lost his sight completely. Charles attributed his ability to adjust to his new circumstances to his mother, who insisted that he continue performing tasks such as drawing water from the well and bringing in firewood, amongst other chores, which taught him independence and resilience.
- Charles received his early education and formal music training at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Florida. There, he was taught in Braille and honed his musical talents. His initial exposure to a mix of gospel, blues, and jazz musical genres significantly shaped his future career.
- Ray Charles began his career as a musician in the late 1940s. He started by performing in clubs around Florida. He eventually received national acclaim for his distinctive mix of rhythm and blues, gospel, and jazz music.
Source: Getty Images
- At 18, Ray Charles joined a band called the McSon Trio. Back then, some musicians believed marijuana helped them create music. Ray tried it, but unfortunately, it became his vice.
- Ray Charles got his big break in 1952 when Ahmet Ertegun signed him to Atlantic Records. He soon found himself working with a rising star producer, Jerry Wexler. Under Wexler’s guidance, Charles began showcasing his songwriting talents, which would become a key ingredient in his future chart-topping success.
- He became addicted to heroin for 17 years. In 1955, Ray and his bandmates were caught with marijuana and drug supplies backstage. Even after this arrest, his drug use only got worse as his music career took off.
- In 1960, Charles won his first Grammy Award for “Georgia on My Mind,” followed by another Grammy for “Hit the Road, Jack.” Notably, he maintained a rare level of creative control over his own music, which was rare for artists from that time.
- In 1960, Ray Charles scored his first chart-topping hit with “Georgia on My Mind,” the first of his three No. 1 singles. Two years later, he achieved another milestone with his album “Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music”, becoming the first to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
- `Ray Charles Robinson changed his name to simply Ray Charles for professional reasons. He dropped his last name to avoid confusion with the famous boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. He wanted to establish his unique identity in the music industry by adopting a distinctive stage name. This change occurred early in his career, and he became one of the most influential and celebrated musicians of the 20th century.
- Ray Charles’s remarkable talent and influence were celebrated at the Grammys. He made an impressive sweep at the 3rd Grammy Awards, winning four awards. Among these were Best Vocal Performance Album for ‘The Genius Of Ray Charles’ and Best Rhythm & Blues Performance for ‘Let The Good Times Roll.’ His debut televised performance was at the 9th Grammy Awards in 1967. his impact was undeniable. In 1987, he was honoured with the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and ten recordings were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
- Ray Charles married twice. His first marriage with Eileen Williams in 1951 proved short-lived, lasting less than a year. In 1954, he met Della Beatrice Howard Robinson, and they were married for 22 years. Della had three of Charles’s sons: Ray Charles Robinson Jr., David, and Robert.
- However, he has also had a philandering lifestyle and had extramarital affairs, resulting in other children from other women; throughout his life, he fathered a total of twelve children with different partners.
- One notable film about Ray Charles is “Ray,” released in 2004. Directed by Taylor Hackford, it’s a biographical film that chronicles the life and career of the legendary musician Ray Charles. The film stars Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. Foxx’s portrayal of Charles earned him widespread acclaim, including an Academy Award for Best Actor. “Ray” delves into Charles’s rise to fame, struggles with addiction, and his enduring musical legacy.
- Jamie Foxx’s performance as Ray Charles in the 2004 movie “Ray” received widespread praise. He won several prestigious awards for Best Actor, including the Academy Award, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Golden Globe Award.
Source: IMDB
- Ray Charles’ impact extended beyond music. A champion for civil rights, he used his fame to fight for equality and social justice. His legacy of giving continued beyond his lifetime. Founded in 1986, the Ray Charles Foundation supports people with hearing disorders and supports educational causes through donations and partnerships.
- He also enjoyed playing chess. He learned the game from his psychiatrist during heroin rehabilitation, using a special board with raised squares and pegged pieces to accommodate his blindness. In 2002, he even took on chess grandmaster Larry Evans.
- Ray Charles passed away on June 10, 2004, at 73. His death was due to complications from liver disease. There have been speculations that his struggles with substance abuse in the past may have contributed to his health condition.
- Ray Charles’s musical legacy is vast. He left behind a discography of over 60 albums, and his electrifying performances on stage thrilled audiences at over 10,000 concerts.
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