Ray Charles

Date of Birth: September 23, 1930

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Date of Death: June 10, 2004

Biography

Ray Charles Robinson, popularly known as Ray Charles, was an iconic American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer who is regarded as one of the most influential musicians in American music history. Born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia, Ray Charles was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by combining blues, jazz, R&B, and gospel styles into his music. Despite losing his sight at the age of seven due to glaucoma, Charles’s musical talent blossomed. He developed his skills at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, where he learned to read, write, and arrange music in Braille. Over his career, Ray Charles won 17 Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and received numerous honors, including being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He is best known for hits like “Hit the Road Jack,” “Georgia on My Mind,” “I Got a Woman,” and “What’d I Say.” Charles’s innovative style laid the groundwork for future musicians across various genres. His life and career were dramatized in the 2004 biographical film “Ray,” with Jamie Foxx portraying him, a role that earned Foxx an Academy Award for Best Actor.

5 Interesting Facts about Ray Charles

1. Ray Charles was completely blind by the age of seven due to glaucoma.

2. He was one of the first African American musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.

3. Ray Charles was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, its inaugural year.

4. He was a prolific musician who recorded over 60 albums during his career.

5. Charles was also a philanthropist, establishing the Ray Charles Foundation, which provides support for hearing and vision-impaired youth.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Ray Charles

1. “I was born with music inside me. That’s the only explanation I know.”

2. “Music’s been around a long time, and there’s going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead.”

3. “Affluence separates people. Poverty knits ’em together.”

4. “There are many spokes on the wheel of life. First, we’re here to explore new possibilities.”

5. “I never wanted to be famous; I only wanted to be great.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of his career, Ray Charles’s net worth was estimated to be around $50 million.

Children

Ray Charles fathered twelve children with ten different women. His children include Ray Charles Robinson Jr., Robert Robinson, David Robinson, and Evelyn Robinson, among others.