LarryCurleyMoe Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 Just heard the news- another GIANT gone.... too much this month! Was just reading "Sweet Soul Music" by Peter Guarlnick & all about Ray and birth of real SOUL music...and just how important he was to Atlantic Records! R.I.P. Brother Charles! Thanks for all the SOUL! Quote
kulu se mama Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 (edited) 500 years from now, ray charles will still be remembered as one of america's greatest contributions to world culture. a true giant. i am devistated by this news. rest in peace brother ray. Edited June 10, 2004 by kulu se mama Quote
DTMX Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 Damn. I've lived in Georgia my entire life, grew up listening to Ray Charles, and only last night did I try sounding out the chords to Georgia On My Mind on the piano. Couldn't quite get it so I went out and bought the sheet music this afternoon, came home, turned on the TV and heard the news. Damn. David "Fathead" Newman related a story once to the effect that in 1964 when he told Ray Charles that he was leaving his band to go solo Ray Charles told him "You sure? You do know I'm booked through 2000, don't you?". Or something like that. Quote
Sundog Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 "Can you feel the spirit?" Brother Ray, it's still coming through loud and clear. RIP. God Bless Your Soul.... Quote
Free For All Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 One of the greatest of all time. He transcended genres- he was loved by fans of blues, jazz, pop, R+B and country alike. For me all those categories are unnecessary- I'm just a Ray Charles fan. I've found something to like in pretty much everything he's done. He's seen me (and I would expect many of us) through good and bad times and countless road trips. Ray is great for road trips. Thank you Mr. Charles! RIP Quote
Adam Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 This is really disheartening. I just happened to be listening to Ray Charles Live LP, and In Concert (Rhino Handmade) over the last two nights, and I never actually saw him live. His music just consistently cheers me up in a way that nothing else does. A brief question - on the Atlantic "Live" double LP, one record has "at Newport" and the other the Atlanta show (I forget the original LP title). On teh Rhino Handmade there are two songs listed as being from Newport ("Swanee River Rock" and something else) whcih are not on the Live double LP. Were these other songs on teh original vinyl, or are they newly added to the Rhino Handmade CD? Quote
Jazzdog Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 David "Fathead" Newman related a story once to the effect that in 1964 when he told Ray Charles that he was leaving his band to go solo Ray Charles told him "You sure? You do know I'm booked through 2000, don't you?". Or something like that. I believe he may have also said words to that effect to Grachan Moncur when he left for a solo career. For that matter he probably said that quite often once someone left the band. The scene from the Blue Brother film featuring Ray will always be one of my favorite moments in Cinematic history!! "Naturally, I'm gonna have to ask for an IOU!" Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 Man! R.I.P. Ray, I'll miss you as like so many others will miss you. You gave us such great music, and that will live on throughout the ages. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted June 10, 2004 Report Posted June 10, 2004 The word "giant" is bandied about far too often in musical circles, but I don't think anyone would object to the word being applied to this man. Truly one of the great artists in our nation's history. Quote
JSngry Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 "One of these days, and it won't be long, you're gonna look for me and I'll be gone." I thought that that day would never come, but of course it did, and I am pretty damn upset about it, even though I've got no real reason to be - the man led an incredible life, a long one, and a fuller-than-full one. And I got to see him twice, once in the 70s, with Don Wilkerson & Johnny Coles in the band! More than an entertainer, he changed the world. Literally. Forget the plaid jackets and often cheesy albums of his later years - Ray Charles took soul out of America's closet and rubbed it it the world's face. The modern concept of "soul" might have been bubbling under the surface of American culture for a few years, and somebody else might have emerged to deliver it anyway, but they didn't - Ray Charles did, and his unique combination of talents and backgrounds probably made him the perfect guy for the job (and, knowing how these things inevitably work, is no doubt why he got called for the gig). If he "outlived his usefulness" as a revolutionary musical synthesist/catalyst, he didn't outlive his usefulness as an interpreter who could still surprise the hell out of you and cut you to the quick emotionally. Ray Charles was the kind of guy who could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted however he wanted, and he did. If that made him an arrogant, irascible asshole sometimes (and it did), so be it. Life is beautiful, but it ain't perfect. Ray Charles WAS life. His likes were rare in his time, and they're all but extinct today. The time will come when another talent like this HAS To happen. If it doesn't we're all up screwed. R.I.P. Brother Ray. Quote
Dan Gould Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 Forget the plaid jackets and often cheesy albums of his later years - Ray Charles took soul out of America's closet and rubbed it it the world's face. And during this weeklong Reagan funeral, I can't help but remember when Ray brought soul to the GOP with his incredible performance of "America the Beautiful" at the 1984 GOP Convention. It certainly looked incongruous, Ray at the piano with Ron and Nancy, and maybe he just took the gig for the money, but that performance was amazing and unforgettable. Not to bring politics into this-but I'm sure there are others who remember that moment. RIP, Brother Ray. Quote
chris olivarez Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 I played "What I'd Say" "Georgia On My Mind" and "Mary Ann" on the air today.RIP to this musical icon. Quote
Shawn Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 Well, I can't improve or elaborate on what Jim already said. I'll just suffice to say that Ray Charles was REAL..REALLY REAL! One of the most original, influential and joyous musicians this country ever produced. If there's a special wing in music heaven for the "Masters", then Ray is enjoying a nice meal with Ellington right now.... Quote
paul secor Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 When I was in college, I literally wore out an LP of Volume 2 of the Ray Charles Story. It's about forty years later, and I still listen to my Ray Charles records. That pretty much says it for me. Thanks, Mr. Charles, for all the music you played. Quote
Soulstation1 Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 RIP Brother Ray An American Musical Genius I believe Quincy Jones And Ray were childhood friends ss1 Quote
brownie Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 Brother Ray was hugely popular in France in the sixties and remained right at the top. His passing away was the top item I heard on news radio this morning. And all the national newspapers have the news and a photo of him on their frontpages. 'Liberation's frontpage is all Ray: http://www.liberation.fr/img/pdf/UNE.pdf Quote
Ragu Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 One of my favorite assessments of Ray Charles comes from a story I heard about the Jim Kweskin Jug Band. It seems that after gigs, most of the group wanted to go out and party but one member, Mel Lyman, liked to sat in his room and play Ray Charles records. One time they asked him why he only played Ray Charles records and he is quoted as saying"...ALL MUSIC IS IN RAY CHARLES..." Quote
Lazaro Vega Posted June 11, 2004 Report Posted June 11, 2004 NPR has several features on their web page: http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/...re_1947628.html Quote
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