THE DEATH OF RAY CHARLES

He was a remarkable individual, it's a shame my generation doesn't fully appreciate his music. [17 years old]

An amazing artist. A friend of mine just made a compilation CD of Ray Charles' music for me - the one thing I can say abour Mr. Charles is that his joy came through every single piece of music that he made. Even when he sang the blues, that man made me smile. I wish I had seen him perform live on stage - that would have been amazing.








farmerman, I just now finished watching this on Ray Charles Online!................so moving

When I asked for my first Ray Charles album in 1962
my parents were a bit horrified.
"Isn't he that drug addict?"
"Say what?"
"What did you say?"
"Yeah, now you've got it."

~~~
Sitting by the stereo, trying hard to memorize
not just the lyrics but the rythmn and the jive.
'Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back,
no more no more no more no more no more.....

~~
Then I lost him
o I did.
I did.
too much Cream and beatles, I'm afraid,
too much stills,
too much delving into anger
that's right

anger

Till Richard put Ray's "America" on the air
that Fourth of July, 1975,
with pictures of little kids
grinning
for America,

I swear Richard did it first.

And Ray sang about my America
and how it was beautiful
and full
of a God's grace I no longer believed in,
but I believed Ray.
and I sang along


"O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears"

And we rocked in the tv news control room
and we loved the America who had left us
and slain our friends and buddies,
who now stood unadorned
with her

beautiful at last

And Ray sang and banged the piano,
and made me know that
the America
beyond the song
was the real one
and still worth loving.


Thank you Mr. Charles

And thanks to Mr. Potterton of Potterton's Records
115 Center Street
Manchester, Connecticut
who persuaded my father
to buy that shiny yellow album.

Joe

beautiful, joe..........

damn fine tribute. Joe.

Joe's done it again. I hope you make me cry again.

Stunning, my friend.

As usual.

I may not have said it lately, but I've thought it...You have such a gift. Reading other people's praises makes me so proud that you're my friend.

I can't quite believe Ray is gone. He always seemed timeless to me. That joy, that passion, that incredible timing. That ability to touch hearts with a few rough notes. Incomparable. He may be gone, but surely his music will live on. Surely.

RAY CHARLES
any one remember ray charles and THE RAYETTES ? what a wonderful human being and great artist - and quite a ladies man too i understand. found an article that states that ray charles helped in the development of slot-machines for the blind ! he was a character allright ! >>>RAY CHARLES

The Raylettes , 'Hit the road Jack" , arguably their best known .
My favorite duet was RAy and gladys Knight (without her pips) in a song called
"I wish I never loved you at all"
(CBS 1988)

Ive got an old album, it was my dads "Ray Charles and Fathead Newman" both on sax .

There is a cut that ray did of a jazz version of " Canon in D " as a jazz cut, sort of like Jacques Lesseiur's covers of Vivaldi, Bach , and Palestrina.

Ah, I started a thread on this too, and I did look to see if there was another one, but didn't do a Search. I'll just shut it down and send folks here.

Genius + Soul = Jazz

Here's the NYT article on Ray -

Ray Charles

Osso, did I step on an earlier thread? im sorry. I too dont check past the second page of "new posts"

No, no, I stepped on your thread, even when I tried not to. I should have looked Ray Charles up in SEARCH - I knew I was getting news fairly late in the day, looked around, and didn't see yours.

Not to worry.

Well, to recap my reminiscing post, my first date with a fellow I turned out to be wild about was to go to a Ray Charles concert at the Shrine Auditorium in LA; we sat in the very last row of the balcony. I went out with my friend for only a few months but he still stands out in memory as a strong, interesting person. Another one of our dates was to see/hear Coltrane.

Aside - adding some piquance, at least to me now, he broke up with me the day Kennedy was shot. Because I was Catholic...then - he being a Jewish atheist, and his mother told him it would never work. We got back together the next week, after one of life's multiply horrible weekends.
Broke up again, but there was a lot of joy in those days too, and the death of Ray Charles brings it back to mind.

Anyway, ne'er mind him, I liked Ray Charles too.

JOE NATION YOU ARE A BADASS

The Danger Zone, by Ray Charles

Sad and lonely all the time
That's because I've got a worried mind
You know the world is in an uproar
The danger zone is everywhere, everywhere

Just read your paper
And you'll see
Just exactly what keeps worryin' me
Yeah, you'll see the world is in an uproar
The danger zone is everywhere

My love for the world is like always
For the world is a part of me
That's why I'm so afraid
Of the progress that's being made
Toward eternity

Every morning, noon, and night
Finds me hoping that everything's alright
Mm-hmm, the world is in an uproar
The danger zone is everywhere

You know the night time, darling
(night and day)
Is the right time
(night and day)
To be
(night and day)
With the one you love, now
(night and day)

Say now oh baby
(night and day)
When I come home baby, now
(night and day)
I wanna be with the one I love, now
(night and day)
You know what I'm thinking of
(night and day)

I know the night time
(night and day, oh)
Whoa, is the right time
(night and day, oh)
To be with the one you love, now
(night and day)
I said to be with the one you love
(night and day)

You know my mother, now
(night and day)
Had to die, now
(night and day)
Umm, and my father
(night and day)
Well he broke down and cry
(night and day)

Whoah! whoa baby
(night and day)
When I come home baby now
(night and day)
I want you to hold my hand
(night and day)
Yeah, tight as you can
(night and day)

I know the night time
(night and day, oh)
Whoah is the right time
(night and day, oh)
To be with the one you love
(night and day)
You know what I'm thinking of
(night and day)

Whoah! sing your song, Margie

Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Oh, Baby
(night and day)

Do I love you?
(night and day)
No one above you
(night and day)
Hold me tight
(night and day)
And make everything all right
(night and day)

Because the night time
(night and day)
Oh, is the right time
(night and day)
To be with the one you love now
(night and day)
Oh yeah
(night and day)

Tease me
(night and day)
Squeeze me
(night and day)
Leave me
(night and day)
Ah, don't leave me
(night and day)

Lawdy baby
(night and day)
Take my hand, now
(night and day)
I don't need
(night and day)
No other man
(night and day)

Because the night time
(night and day)
Ow, is the right time
(night and day)

To be with the one you love
(night and day)
Oh yeah
(night and day)

I said baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Baby
(night and day)
Whoah! baby now
(night and day)

Oh come on baby
(night and day)
You know I want you by my side
(night and day)
I want you to keep
(night and day)
Oh keep me satisfied
(night and day)

I know the night time
(night and day)
Everyday is the right time
(night and day)
Yeah to be with the one you love now
(night and day)

Well you know it's all right