Fun Facts About Ray Charles
- Ray Charles canceled a 1961 show in Augusta, Georgia, because its dance floor was for whites only, and was later fined $757; in 1979 his "Georgia on My Mind" became the state song.[1]
- Charles played chess on a board with raised squares, and when asked if people cheat against a blind man, he joked that you can't cheat at chess because "I'm gonna see that."[1]
- In Seattle, Charles met and befriended a 15-year-old Quincy Jones, the start of a lifelong friendship.[1]
- Charles first got hooked on music at age three at the Red Wing Cafe, where owner Wylie Pitman played boogie woogie and taught him piano.[1]
- Blind by age seven, Charles learned to read and write music in Braille and studied classical piano, including Bach, Mozart and Beethoven.[1][3][4][5][6][7][8]
- Frank Sinatra called Ray Charles "the only true genius in show business," though Charles downplayed the idea.[1][9][10]
- Ray Charles was alive at the same time as Volodymyr Zelenskyy — their lives overlapped for 26 years (1978–2004).[1][2][11][12]
- Ray Charles and Antoni Gaudí died on the same day of the year, June 10.[1][2][13][14]
Ray Charles Robinson was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians of the 20th century and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Genius". Among friends and fellow musicians, Charles preferred being called "Brother Ray". He lost his vision as a child, possibly due to glaucoma, and consequently wore dark glasses.[1]
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Questions About Ray Charles
When was Ray Charles born?
Ray Charles was born on September 23, 1930, and died on June 10, 2004.
How old was Ray Charles at death?
Ray Charles was born on September 23, 1930, and died on June 10, 2004, at age 73.
What was Ray Charles known for?
Ray Charles was known for: The Genius of Soul, Georgia On My Mind. Ray Charles Robinson was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians of the 20th century and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Genius". Among friends and fellow musicians, Charles preferred being called "Brother Ray". He lost his vision as a child, possibly due to glaucoma, and consequently wore dark glasses.
Who was alive at the same time as Ray Charles?
Ray Charles's closest contemporary was Rosa Parks. Their lives overlapped for 74 years.
Sources
- Ray Charles — Wikipedia. Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ray Charles (Q544387) — Wikidata
- Johann Sebastian Bach — Wikipedia
- Johann Sebastian Bach (Q1339) — Wikidata
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Wikipedia
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Q254) — Wikidata
- Ludwig van Beethoven — Wikipedia
- Ludwig van Beethoven (Q255) — Wikidata
- Frank Sinatra — Wikipedia
- Frank Sinatra (Q40912) — Wikidata
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy — Wikipedia
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Q3874799) — Wikidata
- Antoni Gaudí — Wikipedia
- Antoni Gaudí (Q25328) — Wikidata
- Portrait: Ray Charles classic piano pose.jpg — Wikimedia Commons. William Morris Agency (management)/Photo by Maurice Seymour, New York., Public domain