American musical icon Ray Charles died Thursday of complications from liver disease at his home in Beverly Hills. California. He was 73.
Known as "The Genius" since the early fifties, Charles started out primarily as a jazz and blues pianist and singer in the style of his early musical idols, such as Nat"King" Cole and pianist Charles Brown. But over his more than fifty years in show business, Charles built a career that defied genre, bringing his soulful voice, keyboard prowess, and songwriting talent to the pop, country, and R&B charts. Born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Ga. on September 23, 1930, Charles grew up in Greenville, Fla. He contracted an unknown illness at age four and by age six was almost totally blind.
He attended a schoool for the deaf and blind, where he learned to read braille, repair, and listen to radios.he played the clarinet, piano, saxopone and trumpet. After his mother died he pursued a career as a professional musician. Charles signed with Atlantic records in 1953, then switched to ABC-Paramount in 1959, building a trail of impressive hits along the way. Charles continued to tour throughout his whole life, up until earlier this year, when his illness forced him to cancel several appearances. |
