Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 June 10, 2004) was an American singer-songwriter,

musician and composer nown as Ray Charles! "e was a pioneer in t#e genre o$ sou% music during t#e
19&0s b' $using r#'t#m and b%ues, gospe%, and b%ues st'%es into #is ear%' recordings wit# At%antic
(ecords!)2* )3* )4* "e a%so #e%ped racia%%' integrate countr' and pop music during t#e 19+0s wit# #is
crosso,er success on A-. (ecords, most notab%' wit# #is Modern Sounds a%bums!)&* )+* )/* 0#i%e wit#
A-., .#ar%es became one o$ t#e $irst A$rican-American musicians to be gi,en artistic contro% b' a
mainstream record compan'!)3* 1ran Sinatra ca%%ed .#ar%es 2t#e on%' true genius in s#ow business2,
a%t#oug# .#ar%es downp%a'ed t#is notion!)3* "e was b%ind since age /!
4#e in$%uences upon #is music were main%' 5a66, b%ues, r#'t#m and b%ues, and countr' artists o$ t#e da'
suc# as Art 4atum, 7at 8ing .o%e, 9ouis Jordan, .#ar%es -rown, and 9ouis Armstrong! "is p%a'ing
re$%ected in$%uences $rom countr' b%ues, barre%#ouse and stride piano st'%es!
Rolling Stone raned .#ar%es number ten on t#eir %ist o$ 2100 :reatest Artists o$ A%% 4ime2 in 2004,)9*
and number two on t#eir 7o,ember 2003 %ist o$ 2100 :reatest Singers o$ A%% 4ime2!)10* ;n #onoring
.#ar%es, -i%%' Joe% noted< 24#is ma' sound %ie sacri%ege, but ; t#in (a' .#ar%es was more important
t#an =%,is >res%e'2!)11*