The music of the genius
Ray Charles
The latest
Ray Charles was commissioned to perform the theme song for the 1967 movie In The Heat Of The Night. The result was the first song on the soundtrack LP, and a single was released on ABC Records as well. But fans will need both discs, for they are two completely different versions of “In The Heat Of The Night”. The Movie In The Heat Of The Night The movie starred Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. The film, a pissed-off and in-your-face exploration of race in America, won five... [read all]
Ray Charles and Ginie Line duet on the French-language "Ensemble" from 2002. It was released in France as a CD single and the duo performed it live on TV.
"A Bit Of Soul" is a Ray Charles tune recorded in 1955 and released in 1961. Split into two halves, it shows Ray's versatility with a unique arrangement.
"The Sun's Gonna Shine Again" finds Ray Charles in an unconvincingly hopeful mood. It was the A-side of an Atlantic single in 1953, his second-ever.
"Mississippi Mud" is a fun, jaunty singalong that Ray Charles covered on his first album for ABC Records, The Genius Hits The Road, in 1960.
Album of the day
Ah yes, Brother Ray Is At It Again. On this relatively little-known Ray Charles LP, the man behind the shades demonstrates yet again his mastery of various musical styles in a varied and eclectic package. This album is an extraordinarily fun listen from beginning to end. Brother Ray Is At It Again came out in March of 1980 and was the final in a four-LP run on his old label Atlantic, who’d welcomed him back with open arms in 1977. Each of Ray Charles’s four Atlantic albums... [read all]
Song of the day
You can trace Ray Charles’ career as far back as you want, but it was “I’ve Got A Woman” from December 1954 that really broke music open wide for him and prophesied the unique relationship he had and would explore with his muse. “I’ve Got A Woman” was released on a 45 as Atlantic 1050, credited to “Ray Charles and His Band”; its B-side was “Come Back”. When both songs were included on Ray’s first album, which collected previously-released... [read all]