RAY CHARLES

1930-2004Inducted 1986

Influenced by a wide range of musical styles, including blues, boogie-woogie, big-band swing, gospel and country

Early style was influenced by the polished style of Nat “King” Cole and Charles Brown – marked by restraint in vocals, piano playing, and arrangement

Signed with upstart independent record label Atlantic Records in 1952

ATLANTIC RECORDSAchieved success at Atlantic during the late-1950s: “I Got a Woman,” “Hallelujah I Love Her So,” “Drown in My Own Tears,” “What’d I Say.”

Atlantic showcased Charles’ new sound - performing gospel songs as if they were rhythm and blues songs

This style would be known as SOUL MUSIC

FROM GOSPEL TO SOUL• Call-and-response • Emotional lyric style • Energetic boogie woogie piano

line• Dynamic (rather than static)

chord progressions • Punctuated horn arrangements • Adding secular lyrics to gospel

hymns

RAY CHARLES’ GOSPEL INFLUENCES

“This Little Light of Mine”  Clara Ward & the Ward Singers (1952)

“This Little Girl of Mine” (1955) “Lonely Avenue” (1956)

“How Jesus Died”The Pilgrim Travelers (1956)

“I Got a Woman” 1954

“It Must Be Jesus”The Southern Tones (1954)