Ray Charles appreciation thread

MichaelSherry59

MichaelSherry59

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I've been on a Ray Charles mood lately and he was just incredible, a god gifted talent and in my opinion, the most important soul artist who has ever lived (obviously we all know what he did with blues and Gospel which in those days it was like committing a crime if a non gospel artist touched their music) and of course what he did with country music (another risk) was incredible and his label didn't want him to do it due to the risk of him losing his fans, miss him so much :'(

But anyways, post your opinions, fav albums, songs, memories of him, did you ever see him live or meet him etc etc. I think he deserves his own tribute here. So I'll start.

 
Aahzz

Aahzz

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My dad was a HUGE Ray Charles fan. My mom never understood that, because to her Ray's voice wasn't "pretty". Personally, I think Ray's voice was beautiful and then some.

I never got to see Ray, but I really wish I had.

Mrs Aahzz's and my wedding song was Ray's version of "A Song For You" :).
 
jjboogie

jjboogie

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MichaelSherry59 said:
I've been on a Ray Charles mood lately and he was just incredible, a god gifted talent and in my opinion, the most important soul artist who has ever lived (obviously we all know what he did with blues and Gospel which in those days it was like committing a crime if a non gospel artist touched their music) and of course what he did with country music (another risk) was incredible and his label didn't want him to do it due to the risk of him losing his fans, miss him so much :'(

But anyways, post your opinions, fav albums, songs, memories of him, did you ever see him live or meet him etc etc. I think he deserves his own tribute here. So I'll start.

Click to expand...


HUGE Ray Charles fan! Love the Atlantic Years Box set and his country stuff too. I had the honor and pleasure to see him in the early 90's at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, 12th row center seats was just AMAZING!!!! I was so floored by the power and soul of his voice even later in his life. Was an absolute joy. One of the greatest artists of all time in my humble opinion.
 
ripple

ripple

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I always liked this one. His voice is so raw and on the verge of breaking at times, yet Ray pulls it back from the edge and sticks the landing every time.

 
TJontheRoad

TJontheRoad

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Ray had the gift of being able to slow a tune down to give it space without it sounding dead. Few artist could pull that off ever.

 
Kurt L

Kurt L

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I saw him once toward the end of his life. The three things that stood out to me were:

1) the extent to which the band and crew looked out for him,
2) he played sax! He was sitting behind the piano, turned to face the crowd and a roadie handed him a sax, and off he went!
3) the crowd gave up sooooo much love. He genuinely seemed to make people happy before he ever played a note. The only other people I've seen who could do that were B.B. King and Jerry Garcia.

I can do without the schmaltz like I Can't Stop Loving You but I could listen to Hit The Road Jack, One Mint Julep and What'd I Say all day long.
 
MichaelSherry59

MichaelSherry59

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One of the thing's that people reference in pop culture is Ray Charles and America The Beautiful and Ray never gave a bad performance. Here's one my of faves

 
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GarbageFingers

GarbageFingers

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MichaelSherry59 said:
I've been on a Ray Charles mood lately and he was just incredible, a god gifted talent and in my opinion, the most important soul artist who has ever lived (obviously we all know what he did with blues and Gospel which in those days it was like committing a crime if a non gospel artist touched their music) and of course what he did with country music (another risk) was incredible and his label didn't want him to do it due to the risk of him losing his fans, miss him so much :'(

But anyways, post your opinions, fav albums, songs, memories of him, did you ever see him live or meet him etc etc. I think he deserves his own tribute here. So I'll start.

Click to expand...

Was fortunate to be an usher at Carter Barron here in DC in the summer of ‘68(!!..so old.).Ray did a
week-long engagement.I was scheduled to work 3 nights that week & stayed for all 3 shows.Amazing.One of my all-time highlights.As a budding musician,he & the band were examples of excellence to me.Talk about”setting the bar”!
Rays’ genius was on full display.There will never be another Ray Charles.
 
5

54GT

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Not sure I can think of another musician who, no matter what he was singing, always sounded like he owned it.

"Genius" gets thrown around a lot, but...
 
T

Terry Hoffman

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403
MichaelSherry59 said:
I've been on a Ray Charles mood lately and he was just incredible, a god gifted talent and in my opinion, the most important soul artist who has ever lived (obviously we all know what he did with blues and Gospel which in those days it was like committing a crime if a non gospel artist touched their music) and of course what he did with country music (another risk) was incredible and his label didn't want him to do it due to the risk of him losing his fans, miss him so much :'(

But anyways, post your opinions, fav albums, songs, memories of him, did you ever see him live or meet him etc etc. I think he deserves his own tribute here. So I'll start.

Click to expand...

Agree.
 
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