1940s - Ray Charles (2024)

FAQs

How old was Ray Charles in 1947? ›

In 1947, 16 years old and having lived and played in most cities and towns around Florida, Charles decided to use his savings and move elsewhere in the U.S. But he thought Chicago and New York were too big, so he chose Seattle, Washington.

In the 1950s, he pioneered soul music. He also embraced many other styles of music, including jazz, blues, pop, and country music. In 1962, Charles released the ground breaking album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, which blended his soulful style and big-band sounds with classic country music songs.

Charles himself was not born blind, but slowly started losing his vision at the age of four, due to what was later diagnosed as glaucoma. While neighbors in Charles's hometown of Greenville, Florida pitied the boy, Charles' mother Retha had no patience for sympathy.

Ray Charles was an American singer, songwriter, composer, and pianist who pioneered soul music and was an icon during the 1950s. From country to pop to gospel to integrating R&B, Ray was the master of them all!

At an early age, his vision began to deteriorate, and by age seven, Ray was completely blind. The cause of his blindness was believed to be glaucoma. Shortly after losing his vision in 1937, Ray Charles was sent to St. Augustine, Florida to attend a special school for the deaf and visually impaired.

How many illegitimate children did Ray Charles have? The official sources mention and acknowledge 12 kids with ten different women. Three children of the 12 were borne by his 2nd wife, Della Bea Robinson. The rest were born out of affairs with different women.

He was one of the most influential American musicians in history. An exceptional musical talent with perfect pitch, he mastered piano and saxophone in his youth and was a traveling teen musician.

Charles reportedly left $500,000 to each of his 12 children, and gave the rest of his estimated $75 million estate, and licensing rights to his music, to Ray Charles Enterprises. The foundation absorbed Ray Charles Enterprises after Charles' death.

Charles soon dropped his last name "Robinson," mainly to avoid popular confusion, since boxer Sugar Ray Robinson had become a household name in the U.S. He soon landed a record contract and moved to Los Angeles with a newly formed group, the McSon Trio.

After experiencing a temporary ear ailment, Charles began to fund research in cochlear implants and other electronic devices; and he often anonymously funded hearing aid implants for those who could not afford them.

Did Jamie Foxx actually sing in Ray? ›

Foxx not only played an energized character in "Ray," but nailed the singing and movement style of the famous musician. Foxx, however, did not do his own singing for the role. The vocals were recordings of Charles himself.

During his Atlantic years, Charles had been hailed for his inventive compositions, but by the time of the release of the largely instrumental jazz album Genius + Soul = Jazz (1960) for ABC's subsidiary label Impulse!, he had given up on writing in favor of becoming a cover artist, giving his own eclectic arrangements ...

While he's known for hits like “Georgia on my Mind” and “Hit The Road Jack,” Charles truly has a number of standouts that have since become standards. So, without further ado, let's dive into Ray Charles Greatest Hits.

Final word on Ray Charles

The late American musician Ray Charles is considered one of the greatest. Ray Charles' net worth at the time of his death was about $75 million. He reportedly left $500,000 to each of his children and gave the rest of his estate, including music licensing rights, to Ray Charles Enterprises.

I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart.

Throughout his 73 years of life, Ray Charles had 12 children with ten different women. The women who mothered the musical icon's kids are Louise Flowers Margie Hendrick, Mae Mosley Lyles, Sandra Jean Betts, Mary Chantal Bertrand, Arlette Kotchounian, Gloria Moffett and Mary Anne den Bok.

The Grammy award winning song writer and singer Ray Charles has died in California at the age of 73. The blind musician known for hits that include "Georgia on My Mind" died of liver disease Thursday.

Della Beatrice Howard Ro...

m. 1955–1977

Eileen Williams

m. 1951–1952