TheGrio Reflects: The genius of Ray Charles

TheGrio Reflects: The genius of Ray Charles

In honor of Black History Month, he was simply billed as "the genius." Ray Charles Robinson was born September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia and is credited with the early development of soul music, his unique melding of gospel, rhythm and blues and jazz music. Ray Charles started his musical career at the age of five on a piano in a small cafe in Jacksonville, Florida where his family lived. He began to go blind at the age of six from glaucoma, completely losing his sight by age seven. But his mother pushed him to be independent and his music took on its own soul, spilling out his inner emotions. Receiving 13 Grammy awards, his hits and honors are too numerous to name or even list, but his beautiful version of "America" became a July 4th tradition. Ray Charles died June 10th, 2004 at the age of 73. Ray Charles Robinson, today's moment in Black history.