by Misha Firstein-Rudder
Ray Charles Robinson (1930-2004) was a pianist, singer, and composer and considered one of the fathers of Soul music. His specific genre is hard to pin down as he would frequently incorporate aspects of Soul, Jazz, R&B, Gospel, Rock, and even Country into his music. The seventeen-time Grammy Award winner performed at SUNY Geneseo in 1987 for a staggering $22,500.00 ($53,384.71 today). “The Genius” was raised in Florida and began playing piano at just five years old. By the age of seven, Charles had lost his eyesight completely due to glaucoma. Despite this, Charles pursued his musical career to become one of the most famous piano players of all time. Not only could “The High Priest” play piano, but he also was a gifted saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, and organ player.
Over the course of his long career, Charles has had 75 different songs make the Billboard 100 list. His three biggest hits “Unchain My Heart,” “Hit the Road Jack,” and “Georgia on My Mind” have been huge influences on modern artists. Charles was not the first to record and perform these songs, but his renditions were certainly the most praised. You may be asking: why were his renditions so much more well known than other ones? This can be explained by analyzing the song “Georgia on My Mind.” The original rendition of the song was a jazz piece written by Indiana native Hoagy Carmichael in 1930 in honor of his sister Georgia. Charles (who hailed from Albany, Georgia) converted the jazz standard to a soulful song that skyrocketed through the charts and was a staple of pop radio stations. Charles single-handedly created a space for gospel-R&B music on radio stations and, consequently, American culture. By putting soul music in the public eye, Charles was able to inspire artists like Roger Waters (bass guitar player for Pink Floyd). Waters has been quoted saying he was fifteen when he first heard Charles’ rendition of “Georgia on My Mind” and thought to himself “One day, if I make some people feel only one-twentieth of what I am feeling now, it will be quite enough for me.”
“Brother Ray” is not only known for his musical abilities, but his involvement in humanitarian and activist causes as well. He formed The Robinson Foundation (now named The Ray Charles Foundation) in 1968 to provide support for those who are deaf. Ray donated one million dollars of his own money to the cause. Charles was also a strong civil rights activist. In 1961, “The Genius” was booked to perform at a dance hall in Augusta, Georgia; Ray refused to perform, however, after learning from students at Paine College that the dance floor was reserved exclusively for white people, while black people would be forced to sit in the balcony. The promoter ended up suing Charles for breach of contract and fined him the equivalent of ~$7,000 today. Between his humanitarian work and his musical prowess, “The Genius of Soul” has left a permanent mark on the world.