Ray Charles Dies

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 5:02 pm

Ray Charles, Pioneer of Soul Music, Dies in Los Angeles at 73
June 10 (Bloomberg) -- Ray Charles, the blind musician who pioneered soul music by blending gospel and blues, has died. He was 73.

Charles died of complications from liver disease today at his home in Beverly Hills, said Eric Raymond, a spokesman for his publicist, Solters & Digney, in Los Angeles.

Charles was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and won numerous Grammy Awards. His best-selling songs included ``Georgia on My Mind,'' ``Ruby,'' ``Hit the Road Jack,'' ``I Can't Stop Loving You,'' ``You Don't Know Me'' and ``Crying Time.''

He was born on Sept. 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. He was the first child of Aretha and Baily Robinson and was raised in Greenville, Florida.

Charles contracted glaucoma at the age of 6, and it eventually left him blind.

He studied music composition and learned to play several musical instruments, including the piano and the saxophone while spending nine years at the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and the Blind.

To contact the reporter on this story:
William Ahearn at bahearn@bloomberg.net, and
Jesse Westbrook at jwestbrook1@bloombeg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Glenn Holdcraft at gholdcraft@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: June 10, 2004 16:29 EDT

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NC43Hog · Post by **NC43Hog** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:07 pm

Seems to come in waves - this one is especially hard to take. We will miss you RC.

Redskins1974 · Post by **Redskins1974** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 12:20 pm

Great man... RIP!

gambit187 · Post by **gambit187** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 1:06 pm

R.I.P. Bro.

Thanks for making me teary eyed every time i hear you rendition of "America"

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 3:56 pm

Im glad to have had the chance to hear some great music. His death saddens me for many reasons. One being that true music talent seems so far and inbetween now. Nowadays people just copy off of Ray and many others. Im thankful my father raised me on Jazz, and oldies. I really got to hear a lot of Ray and his great work. He truely is an example of how dedication and love can overcome an obstacle.

joebagadonuts · Post by **joebagadonuts** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 4:16 pm

i recently listened to (and copied-sorry ray) ray's ultimate hits discs ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... 56-3584741 ), and at almost every song, i was like 'he wrote that?!?'. I think most people aren't aware of the massive volume of music he was involved with, and the impact it has had on all music.

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 4:32 pm

I think most people aren't aware of the massive volume of music he was involved with, and the impact it has had on all music.

Yes exactly, though his life will be celebrated I doubt that anything we can do can recognize the scope of his genius.

It saddens me that all the new artists "borrow" these ideas from truely talented people and pass it off as their own. Yea they have to give credit in the little booklet but very few kids read them. I wish someone would do a story on this and expose these copy cats and shine the light on the true talent.