Ray Charles
Biography
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.” Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?" Description above from the Wikipedia article Ray Charles, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia
Known For
Ray
The Blues Brothers
Self
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Self
Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self
The Beatles Forever
Self
Ray Charles - Live at Montreux 1997
Self
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
Self (archive footage)
Piano Greats at the BBC
Himself
Ballad in Blue
Self
Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival
Self
The Big T.N.T. Show
Self
Piano Blues
Self
Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963
Self
Ray Charles - In Concert
Self
I Love Quincy
Self
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
Self
Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia
G-Clef (voice)
Blue's Big Musical Movie
Self
Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
Self
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
Self (archive footage)
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
Self (archive footage)
The Greatest Night in Pop
Ray Charles
Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
Self - Performer
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
Self
Quincy Jones...The First 50 Years
Self
The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki
Self (archive footage)
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
Rockin' Pianos
Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self
Face of Unity
Self
Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony
Self
They All Came Out to Montreux
Busdriver
Spy Hard
Self
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
Self
Tom Dowd & The Language of Music
Self
Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
Self
Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans Live
Self (archive footage)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self
Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments
Self - Piano, Vocals
Jazz Evolution
Julius
Limit Up
Self
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me
Self (archive footage)
Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues
Self
Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra
Self
Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
Self
The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
Self
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
Self
Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land
Montreux Jazz Festival 1991
Self
Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
Self
Ray Charles - Live in France 1961
Self (archive footage)
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Self
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
Self (archive footage)
The World of Jim Henson
Self
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Self
Swingin' Along
Self - Composer
The Statue of Liberty
Self
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
I Am Not Your Negro
Self
Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival
Self
Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company
Self
Billy Joel: Building the Bridge
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul
John Schneider: Back Home
Self
Lynda Carter's Celebration
Self (archive footage)
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
Self
The Second Barry Manilow Special
Self
Love Affair
Self (archive footage)
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Self
Hallelujah Gospel
Self (archive footage)
Merci Dorothée !
Self
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
77
Gender
Male
Birthday
1930-09-23
Place of Birth
Albany, Georgia USA
Also Known As