Ray Charles

:Disambiguation: For Ray Charles of the Ray Charles Singers, and longtime vocal conductor for Perry Como, see Ray Charles (elder).

Early years

Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23,1930 in Albany, Georgia in 1930. His name was shortened to Ray Charles when he entered show business to avoid confusion with boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. Charles began going blind at around age five and was totally blind by age seven. He said that the causes were undiagnosed, but many believe it was as a result of glaucoma. Just before his eyes began to fail, he witnessed his younger brother, George, drown in a washtub. He attended school at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Florida as a charity case; he learned how to read Braille, as well as to write music and play various instruments. While he was there, his mother, Aretha, who had raised him, died. His father, Bailey, died two years later.

Related Topics:
Albany, Georgia - Show business - Boxer - Sugar Ray Robinson - Blind - Glaucoma - Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind - St. Augustine, Florida - Braille

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After he left school, Charles began working as a musician in Florida in several bands that played in various styles including jazz and country, eventually moving to Seattle in 1947 at the age of sixteen. He soon started recording, first for the label, Swingtime Records, achieving his first hit song with "Baby, Let Me Hold Your Hand" (1951).

Related Topics:
Florida - Jazz - Country - Seattle - 1947 - 1951

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Early influences on his work were Nat King Cole (both his vocals and piano playing) and Charles Brown. While his first recordings were only skillful imitations of his heroes, Charles' music soon became more innovative. He toured with Lowell Fulson and worked with Guitar Slim and Ruth Brown. After joining Atlantic Records in 1952, Charles' sound became more original. For example, Charles controversially adapted secular lyrics to many gospel songs, and then played them with jazz backgrounds.

Related Topics:
Nat King Cole - Charles Brown - Lowell Fulson - Guitar Slim - Ruth Brown - Atlantic Records - 1952

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