The African-American singer, pianist, and songwriter Ray Charles received a lot of acclaim throughout his career (writer of music). He pioneered a new genre of African American music called soul by fusing jazz, gospel, and rhythm & blues.
Childhood and Adolescence
Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1932, in Albany, Georgia. His dad, Bailey, was a mechanic and handyman for the railroad, while his mom, Aretha, worked at a sawmill and laundered clothes on the side.
Charles recalled that “the elderly man… was scarcely ever around” in his autobiography (the tale of his own life) Brother Ray.
When Charles was young, his family uprooted and settled in Greenville, Florida. Charles, then age 5, helpedlessly watched as his younger brother, then age 4, drowned in a laundry tub.
Soon After, Charles Experienced Vision Loss.
His right eye was removed when he was seven years old, and he eventually lost all vision in that eye.
He attended Saint Augustine School for the Blind in Florida, where he picked up the piano, clarinet, and saxophone in addition to learning Braille (a system of raised dots on paper that the blind can use to read).
In order to compensate for his lack of sight, he relied on his exceptional pitch-recognition skills and musical memory.
Charles lost his mom when he was 15, and then his dad two years later. The hardships Charles endured as a child, being blind and an orphan, infused his music with greater meaning.
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Initial Profession
After finishing high school in Saint Augustine, Charles went on the road to perform with various country and western bands all around the state of Florida.
This training aided him later when he began performing western music. Soon after, he started performing on the road with rhythm-and-blues bands, where he did everything from arranging and composing to playing the piano, clarinet, and saxophone.
Singer Ray Charles Robinson dropped his surname to avoid being confused with the boxing great Ray Robinson (1921-1989) and became simply known as Ray Charles.
Soul Music Was Created
Charles’ “Sweet New Style” In American Music Was First Heard During a 1954 Recording
session with Atlantic Records, which fused gospel with rhythm and blues. As Charles recorded songs like “My Lord Is All the World to Me,” “I Got a Lady,” and “Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand,” he drew from both the gospel tradition and the traditional blues style.
Charles said that he fused jazz and gospel to create soul music. He kept on touring, spending the most of the ’50s away from home.
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Thoughts On Elvis
At the time of his 1994 appearance on the NBC news program Now, Charles said, “I’m probably going to lose at least a third of my followers” after telling interviewer Bob Costas (1952-) that Elvis Presley (1935-1977) had merely replicated what African American singers were already doing. “
I don’t think of Elvis as ‘the king,’ because I know too many performers who were better than Elvis,” he said. Although this comment caused a commotion, it was generally accepted that blues was an important influence on early rock music.
Many Well-known Rock Bands Got Their Start Covering The Work Of African-American Blues Musicians.
In his latter years, Charles married gospel singer Della Altwine and had three children with her. He also has a wide network of musical friends, including Quincy Jones (1933-), Stevie Wonder (1950-), and many more.
The recordings he made with Betty Carter (1930-1998) especially the ones he made of Porgy and Bess, however, always have a sense of melancholy to them.
It was in an interview with Jeff Levinson for Downbeat in 1989 that Charles said it best: “The soundtrack of my life. My equipment looks like that. This is something I’ve done for the past four decades.
Unless the Lord says, “Brother Ray, you’ve been a beautiful horse, but now I’m going to put you out to pasture,” I will continue to do this.”
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Beyoncé’s Early Solo Career And The Reunion Of Destiny’s Child
Beyoncé
Beyoncé was definitely Destiny’s Child’s leader, and it was she who penned their most successful songs like the racy “Bootylicious.”
The group eventually disbanded to focus on their separate endeavors. Beyoncé wrote all the songs for her debut solo effort, Dangerously in Love (2003).
The album was met with acclaim upon its release, and its upbeat first single “Crazy in Love,” which featured Jay-Z, helped propel it to the top of the charts throughout the world.
Beyoncé took home a whopping five Grammys in 2004, including the prizes for best contemporary R&B album and best female R&B vocal performance. Hey, I Am… Together, Beyoncé and Sasha Fierce, 4, are fierce.
Beyoncé’s second solo studio album, B’Day, was released in 2006. It was coproduced by a number of artists, including the hit-making combo the Neptunes.
The album as a whole harkened back to funk from the 1970s, but the record’s biggest hit was the pop ballad “Irreplaceable.” Jay-Z and she tied the knot in 2008, and since then they’ve become one of the highest-earning celebrity couples. ‘
Beyoncé’s double album I Am…Sasha Fierce came out later that year. The first half of the album (I Am) showcased her reflective side, while the second half (Sasha Fierce) featured upbeat dance tracks.
