ifferences from noted events

The film's credits state that Ray is based on true events, but includes some cha
racters, names, locations, and events which have been changed and others which h
ave been "fictionalized for dramatization purposes." Examples of the fictionaliz
ed scenes include:
The film's portrayal of Charles' brother George's death in 1935 shows him dr
owning to death in a metal tub after Ray doesn't attempt to rescue him because h
e assumes he is just playing; Ray's mother then discovers George drowning when c
alling the boys in for dinner. Though George did drown to death in a metal tub,
Ray did try to pull him out, but was unable to do so due to George's large body
weight;[6] Ray then ran inside to tell his mother what had happened.[6]
In the studio scene where Charles is taught the "Mess Around," he is told it
is in the "key of G", but the "Mess Around" is actually in the key of E flat.
In the film, when heeath of George and his blindness did not lead to nervous
breakdowns.[7]
It is true that Chauggests she should have an abortion, out of loyalty to De
lla; Margie decides to keep the baby and soon leaves Ray to pursue a separate si
nging career after he refuses to abandon his family, move in with her and welcom
e the bab deaths of both George and his mother, as well as his blindness. In rea
lity, the death of his mother did give him a nervous breakdown and was thought t
o be a leading cause of his depression,[7] but the dresolution banning Charles f
rom ever performing again in the state. In reality, a group of civilrles kicked
his heroin addiction after undergoing treatment in a psychiatric hospital during
1965, as stated y into his life. In reality, Hendricks did conceive a child wit
h Charles and abandoned him aftes that ving a party in Los Angeles sometime in 1
965 when he is informed that Margie has died of a drug overdose, and he er he de
clared he would no longer perform at segregated public facilities. In reality, b
y the time "Georgia on My Mind" became Georgia's state song in 1979, Charles and
Delia had already divorced, so she wasn't present when Charles performed at the
Georgia State Legislature;[8] and since he had never been banned from performin
g in Georgia in the first place, no such resolution was ever passed.[8]
activists did successfully persuade Charles to reject this invitation, but the
advice came in the form of a telegram rather than a street protest;[8] Charles a
lso did make up for the gig later, and was never banned from performing in Georg
ia and still accepted invitations to perform at segregated public facilities.[8]
During the final scene in the film where Charles' version of "Georgia on My
Mind" becomes Georgia's state song, Charles is congratulated by his wife Della,
and a resolution is also passed to lift the lifetime ban he had received in 1962
aft the end of the film, but it is not mentioned that he would often use gin an
d marijuana as substitutes for heroin throughout much of the remaining years of
his life.[7][8]
In the scene where
Throughout the film, it is suggested that Ray's depression and heroin addict
ion were fueled by nervous breakdowns he had over thetowardsharles, but it did n
ot occur until 1973.[10]
In the scene where Charvery night. This event is only partly true, as Ray ac
tually met Quincy a few days after arriving.is devastated by the tragedy. In rea
lity, her death from an alleged drug overdose did reportedly upset Cis backing s
inger and mistress Margie Hendricks informs Ray she is pregnant with his child,
Ray s rights"r he refused to leave Della, but Charles never asked her to have an
abortion, and welcomed any child he conceived, whether from Della or any mistre
ss, into his personal life.[8]
The film shows Ray hales is about to enter a segregated music hall in August
a, Georgia, in 1962, a group of civil rights activists protesting just outside t
he hall successfully persuade him not to perform; Charles then declares that he
will no longer perform in segregated public facilities and in response, the Geor
gia state legislature passes a arrives in Seattle at the club where he is going
to audition, Ray meets a teenage Quincy JoneWhat'd I Say" is being played, Char

les is depicted as playing a Fender Rhodes electric piano, but in reality, he us

ed a Wurlitzer electric piano on the original recording and begun using it on to
ur in 1956, because he didn't trust the tuning and quality of the pianos provide
d to him at every venue.[9]
In the film, when h