Lecture Six: Ray Charles The Genius of Soul
Influenced – Billy Preston, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, Dr John.
Although Ray didn’t write ‘Georgia on my Mind’ it became his song.
Born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, GA. September 23, 1930
1937 - Living in Greenville, FL, is stricken with glaucoma, which results in blindness.
October, 1937 - his mother sends him to St Augustines School for the Blind & Deaf where he studies composition, classical piano, organ, trumpet, alto sax and clarinet. There, he took refuge in music. His mother died when he was 14, his father died a year later.
Influences at school:
Louis Jordan – influenced many black artists.
Count Bassie – Big Band
Muddy Waters – Chicago Blues.
In 1946 - Begins his professional career playing with local bands around Jacksonville, FL.
1948 - Moves to Seattle, WA and using the stage name R.C. Robinson, forms light jazz and blues combo The Maxim Trio.
Copied the styles of artists including, Nat ‘King’ Cole and Charles Brown.
Befriends 14 year old Quincy Jones – Produces and arranges for artists such as Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis and Michael Jackson – Off The Wall, Thriller.
Co-founders of Atlantic Records, Jerry Wexler and Ahmet Ertegun (who also wrote ‘Mess Around’), buys his contract from Jack Lauderdale owner of Swingtime Records for $3,000.
Ray got into trouble with the church for mixing secular lyrics with church music. The church said it was sacrilegious.
1954 ‘I Got A Woman’ was a turning point in music (soul music).