His 1962 album, Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, became his first album to top the Billboard 200. While he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first black musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.Ĭharles’ 1960 hit “Georgia On My Mind” was the first of his three career No. He contributed to the integration of country music, rhythm and blues, and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, notably with his two Modern Sounds albums. He was often referred to as “The Genius.” Charles started losing his vision at the age of 6 due to glaucoma.Ĭharles pioneered the soul music genre during the 1950s by combining blues, rhythm and blues, and gospel styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic.
Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called “Brother Ray”. Ray Charles Robinson (Septem– June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer.
