Ray Charles was one of the greatest Jazz musicians of all time. Born on September 23, 1930 in Albany, Geaorgia he grew up during the years of the great depression making it hard for him and his family to support their full needs. Even though he already had it hard growing up in poverty his lafe became even harder when he witnessed his younger brother drown to death, and not later on when he was seven years old he was officially blind due to glaucoma. Then when he was 15 years old his mother also died, but that didnt stop him from pursuing his goals better yet it motivated him and gave him the strength to be great.
   His musical career started in Florida where he played with a local band at clubs, this is where he started the habit of always wearing sunglasses. After this everything went uphill for Ray. After playing with a couple of bands and making songs that were heard nation wide he decided to go solo. And in 1953 he signed to Atlantic Records, his first hit singles were " Mess around" and "It should have been me" but it wasnt until 1954 that the song " I got a woman" this song was a mix of gospel music and jazz music creating a new style of music and it was that song that gave him national recognition. Even though he was a great artist, many people were against his music because they said that it was against the name of of god. This wasnt the only reason why many people didnt like Ray Charles it was also because of his addiction to drugs, in 1961 he was arrested for the possesion of heroin, marijuana, and other drug related items. Ray Charles died of liver cancer on June 10 of 2004. He was inside his house when this happened.
 Ray Charles was a great Jazz musician with a one of a kind background, he had a tough childhood but manged to overcome all of the tragedies and find a way to be successful in life. Without him music would not be what it is today, it was his courage that changed the old blues into the funky Jazz, and that transforming into R&B. Being a Jazz musician isnt something easy, it is music thats made only by those talented few that live with the rythm of music inside of them and that can send a message to the world with a song that was the perfect Jazz rythm to move people.


Cited Sources:
 Ray. Dir.Taylor Hackford. Writers. Taylor Hackford, James L. White. Perfs. Jamie Foxx, Regina King, Kerry Washington. Film. Universal Pictures, 2004

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