Ray+Charles



Ray Charles Robinson was known as Ray Charles and also brotha ray. He was born on September 23, 1930 in Albany, Geogia and past away on June 10, 2004 in Beverly Hills, California. Ray was the son of Aretha Williams who waqs a share cropper and Bailey Robinson who was a railroad repair man, mechanic and a handyman. Ray was an talented pianist, singer and song writer. Also he was signed to record labels like Atlantic, ABC and Warner Bros.

Ray attended Florida School for the Deaf and the Blend located in St.Augustine, Florida. That is where he learned how to play and write music for the first time. During his time there he began working towards being in bands all around the area playing different genres of music. He builded up a reputation for always wearing sunglasses made by billy Stuckles.

Later on in his career he be came a drug addict. Charles was arrested for possession of herion in the year 1965. He was addicted for nearly 20 years. He was arrested and it was his third offence however, this time he didnt go to jail because he went to a clinic in Los Angeles were he gave up the habit of being a drug addict. After that year he got out he was put on parole.

After all the down falls in his career he was still an icon to all his fans. His version of "Georgia On My Mind" was the state song of Georgia on April 24, 1979. He even proformed the song to the state legislature. He made a cameo appearance The Blues Brothers. The episode "The Right Time" was featured in the episode "Happy Anniversary" of The Cosby Show on NBC. and tuns of more commecals like pepsi. He was a American Civil Rights Movement his self. In 1981 Ray receieved controversy when he traveled to South Africa during an international boycott of the country all because of the apartheid policy. In the year 2000 Charles made a special guest appearance on Blue's Clues Big Musical Movie as a fictional character. 2001 Charles played a memorable show in front of a sold out Teatro Teresa Carreño in Caracas, Venezuela. 2002 Charles headlined during the Blues Passions Cognac festival in southern France. 2003 Ray Charles presented one of his greatest admirers, Van Morrison, with his award upon being inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the two sang Morrison's song from the Moondance album, "Crazy Love". He died on June 10, 2004 of liver cancer in his house in Beverly Hills, California, surrounded by family and friends. His body was interred in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.Charles gave each of his 12 children $1,000,000 tax free in 2004 just before he died.

All of his childen names
 * Charles Wayne Hendricks (son of Marge Hendricks — one of the Raelettes)
 * Evelyn Robinson (daughter of Louise Mitchell) girl
 * Raenee Robinson (daughter of Mae Mosely Lyles)
 * Sheila Robinson (daughter of Sandra)
 * Jean Bettincent Kotchounian (son of Arlette Kotchounian — worked with him as photographer on Would You Believe album)
 * David Robinson (son of Della Robinson)
 * Ray Charles Robinson, Jr. (son of Della Robinson)
 * Reverend Robert Robinson (son of Della Robinson)
 * Reatha Butler
 * Alexandria Bertrand (daughter of Chantelle Bertrand)
 * Robyn Moffett (daughter of Gloria Moffett)
 * Ryan Corey Robinson den Bok (son of Mary Anne den Bok)

Work Cited http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Charles