Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an African-American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called "Brother Ray." He was often referred to as "The Genius."[3][4] Charles was blinded during childhood due to glaucoma.[2] Charles pioneered the soul music genre during the 1950s by combining blues, rhythm and blues, and gospel styles into the music he recorded for Atlantic.[2][5][6] 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.[7][8][9] While he was with ABC, Charles became one of the first black musicians to be granted artistic control by a mainstream record company.[5]
The man invented soul music, but his definitive achievement is just casually dominating the country genre on Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. Such a flex.
I’d recommend At Newport, The Genius of Ray Charles, and Modern Sounds in Country and Western very strongly. They hang together as albums very well
He actually learned to play chess and had a life-long passion for this game. His doctor taught him, when he was at St. Francis hospital (enrolled in a rehabilitation program and fighting insomnia).