Ray Charles RIP

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:50 pm

Ray Charles, 73, died in LA today.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainmen ... 796085.stm

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:55 pm

SAD,sad news,Glauber.
Ray Charles was a True Giant of popular music,bringing together Gospel,Blues,Jazz,Soul,Country......He wasn't called 'The Genius' for nothing.
I was lucky enough to see Ray perform in Newcastle about 9/10 years ago,and he was GREAT.
He will be sadly missed.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:56 pm

Tough.
Claude Nougaro a few weeks ago, now him.

I'll learn a tune of his favourites.

Jeferson · Post by **Jeferson** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 2:56 pm

What a talent. He'll be missed. Time to think...which of his songs is your favourite? I need time to consider it.

Jef

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 3:05 pm

France Musiques (public radio) just stopped its scheduled program of classical music.
Now its a Ray Charles night.
Thanks.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 3:08 pm

I think my favourite Ray Charles things were when he was playing Hammond organ, especially the older stuff. What an amazing player he was, before he became successful as a singer!

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 3:29 pm

May he rest in Peace, the World will be a poorer place without him.

Goodnight all,
D.

Rando7 · Post by **Rando7** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 3:34 pm

Jeferson wrote:What a talent. He'll be missed. Time to think...which of his songs is your favourite? I need time to consider it.

Jef

Probably a tie between Georgia on my Mind and America the Beautiful. A truly classic performer - he'll surely be missed.

amar · Post by **amar** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 3:55 pm

this is really sad news...

he was one of the greatest.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 4:17 pm

Peace Ray, you were truly one of a kind.

Loren

Parcour25 · Post by **Parcour25** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 5:43 pm

Ray (Charles) Robinson was from my home town, Albany, Georgia. So is Ray Stevens and Ray Knight (Mets 2nd baseman - Coach for the Cincinnati Reds) .... must be a Ray thing! (although my real name is Charles - my fathers name was Ray. He wasn't from Albany but he did die there).... .

I always loved "Tell me What you Say" . My bands would play that tune every night. As a drummer, I would get to rock out because of that kind of Latin vibe that tune has. And when it would get to that call and reply phase between the band and the audience, with just the drums playing, i was in heaven! Made up for all those boring slow songs we had to play at 2:00am when I was nodding off.

Many people didn't know that Ray Charles was a herion addict for like 20 years. Lucky that didn't kill him, or maybe it did, drugs did kill alot of my music idols.

chas · Post by **chas** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 6:49 pm

I'll put in a vote for "I've got a woman."

Ray was one of a kind; as others have pointed out, he blended so many different styles. I certainly prefer his more bluesy stuff, but everything he did, he did well.

I know he was sick for some time, I hope he didn't suffer.

fancypiper · Post by **fancypiper** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 7:06 pm

Amazing talent.

"Mean Woman Blues" by him (and of course, Elvis P) was my favorite.

Although I do feel sorry for his many illegitimate children by I believe 7 women.

Alcohol and heroin are the "stupid drugs" and using them, you can do very idiotic and stupid things.

I just wonder what several of my fav musicians could have done without getting hooked on drugs. I wonder if comes from early success or if it might be a part of musical genius?

Did Mozart do drugs?

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 7:07 pm

Hit the Road Jack <-------------my fave, makes my feet move

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 8:12 pm

I agree with Hit the Road Jack and What'd I Say for my favorites.

I can never think of him without thinking of the old Sat. Night Live skit where John Belushi played him as some classical composer (don't remember who, but perhaps Beethoven?) anyway he, Jane Curtain and Lorraine Newman did a great bit. I think Ray Charles hosted that episode. I don't know......it was a long time ago.........but it was funny and stuck in my mind.

Ray Charles was a truly great musician by anyone's standard.