Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) transformed 20th‑century American music by blending gospel, jazz, blues, country, and R&B into a distinctive sound that helped create soul music. Blind by age seven from glaucoma, Charles developed prodigious musical skills early on, learning piano, saxophone, and arranging while studying at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. His disability sharpened his musical focus rather than limiting it; he memorized scores, perfected his touch, and cultivated an emotional directness that became his signature.
Awards and legacy: Ray Charles earned 17 Grammy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award) and was among the first inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. His influence stretches from soul and R&B to pop, country, and jazz; artists from Otis Redding to Stevie Wonder cite him as a formative inspiration. Films, biographies, and tributes continue to celebrate his musical daring and cultural impact.
Charles’s life included personal struggles alongside achievement. He battled heroin addiction in the 1950s and early ’60s and faced complex relationships and racism in the segregated American South. Despite these challenges, he kept innovating and performing. His charisma, improvisational skill, and emotional honesty made him a beloved figure across racial and generational lines.
In 1959 Charles left Atlantic for ABC-Paramount, where he negotiated an unprecedented artist-owned contract that gave him artistic freedom and ownership of his recordings. This period produced classics such as “Georgia on My Mind” (which became Georgia’s state song in 1979) and “Hit the Road Jack.” He also showcased his versatility with albums like Modern Sounds in Country and Western (1962), which reimagined country standards through lush orchestration and soul arrangements—breaking racial and genre boundaries and expanding his audience.
Charles’s breakthrough came in the early 1950s with Atlantic Records, where hits like “I Got a Woman” fused sacred gospel phrasing with secular lyrics and a driving R&B beat. That fusion was revolutionary and controversial, yet it resonated widely—ushering in the soul era and influencing countless artists. His smoky, expressive voice and rhythmic piano work became instantly recognizable.