Ray Charles
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Ray Charles

Acting

Biography

Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.”

Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?"

Films Featuring Ray Charles

The Blues Brothers

19807.7

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson

19906.8

Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris

19687.0

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love

20238.3

The Beatles Forever

1977

Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 1997

20086.9

Piano Greats at the BBC

Piano Greats at the BBC

20227.7

Ballad in Blue

19657.0

Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival

2002

The Big T.N.T. Show

19658.5

Piano Blues

20036.5

Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963

20044.2

Ray Charles - In Concert

2001

I Love Quincy

1984

Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'

20039.0

Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia

2006

Blue's Big Musical Movie

20008.3

Glen Campbell | Good Times Again

20079.0

Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration

19888.0

Rat Pack

20229.0

The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music

2005

The Greatest Night in Pop

20247.9

Legends of Rock 'n' Roll

19899.0

Sinatra: 80 Years My Way

1995

Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years

1998

The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki

1987

2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

20228.2

Rockin' Pianos

2004

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

20226.5

Face of Unity

2014

Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony

19817.0

They All Came Out to Montreux

They All Came Out to Montreux

20237.0

Spy Hard

19965.4

NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney

19787.0

Tom Dowd & The Language of Music

20047.4

Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built

20077.0

Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans

20077.0

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

20045.3

Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments

19738.2

Jazz Evolution

20086.0

Limit Up

19894.5

Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones

19908.0

Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me

19796.0

Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues

20047.0

Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra

Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra

2012

Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir

2006

The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles

20028.5

Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On

2008

Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land

20047.0

Montreux Jazz Festival 1991

1991

Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976

2006

Ray Charles - Live in France 1961

20117.2

The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years

19866.2

We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song

19858.3

The World of Jim Henson

19947.4

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration

20017.9

Swingin' Along

19616.0

The Statue of Liberty

19856.9

Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O

19938.0

The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1

2001

The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2

2001

Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival

Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival

1980

Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company

Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company

2004

Billy Joel: Building the Bridge

Billy Joel: Building the Bridge

1986

Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice

199410.0

Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul

Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul

1983

John Schneider: Back Home

1980

Lynda Carter's Celebration

19819.0

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

19947.0

The Second Barry Manilow Special

19787.0

Love Affair

19945.5

O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar

2009

Hallelujah Gospel

Hallelujah Gospel

1983

Merci Dorothée !

20257.2

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

20257.7

Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres

20217.3

Fats and Friends

20079.0

Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan

20236.8

Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer

Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer

Quincy Jones, Music Man

20259.0

Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration

19937.0

Rolling With the Blues

2007

Sesame Street: 20 Years & Still Counting! 1969-1989

19897.3

Salute to Lady Liberty

Salute to Lady Liberty

1984