As you all know, the giant of music named Ray Charles passed away yesterday.
Quite simply a singer like no other, a great saxophone and piano player (despite his blindness since he was 7 years old), when he orphaned at 15 went to Seattle and started earning his everyday meal as a crooner (stupid Nat King Cole style singing). Fortunately enough he soon realised that crooning was not what he was destined for, and he turned to what he made him a legend: the greatest post-WW2 R&B singer, and most probably the best "pop music" singer of the last century. Actually R&B doesn't describe him prperly, he was also deeply involved with Soul and Jazz music.
His influence over ALL the major Rock'n'Roll singers (Eric Burdon, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, Mich Jagger...) as well as the best soul singers (Marvin Gaye, Wislon Pickett...) is simply catalytic. Ray wasn't just THE VOICE and a great musician, but a terrific human being as well- at least that is what everyone says about him.
Personally, I will dearly miss him... he was my favorite singer, after the unique Otis Redding, which has passed away almost 40 years ago.
Quite simply a singer like no other, a great saxophone and piano player (despite his blindness since he was 7 years old), when he orphaned at 15 went to Seattle and started earning his everyday meal as a crooner (stupid Nat King Cole style singing). Fortunately enough he soon realised that crooning was not what he was destined for, and he turned to what he made him a legend: the greatest post-WW2 R&B singer, and most probably the best "pop music" singer of the last century. Actually R&B doesn't describe him prperly, he was also deeply involved with Soul and Jazz music.
His influence over ALL the major Rock'n'Roll singers (Eric Burdon, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, Mich Jagger...) as well as the best soul singers (Marvin Gaye, Wislon Pickett...) is simply catalytic. Ray wasn't just THE VOICE and a great musician, but a terrific human being as well- at least that is what everyone says about him.
Personally, I will dearly miss him... he was my favorite singer, after the unique Otis Redding, which has passed away almost 40 years ago.
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