Posted on 06/10/2004 12:38:49 PM PDT by HEY4QDEMS
Posted as breaking on Fox News
...Nothing follows
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
AP Story that just crossed:
Grammy-Winning Crooner Ray Charles Dies
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Ray Charles (news), the Grammy-winning crooner credited with creating American soul music with a blend of gospel and blues in such crowd-pleasers as "What'd I Say" and "I Got A Woman" and heartfelt ballads like "Georgia on My Mind," died Thursday. He was 73.
Charles died at 11:35 a.m., surrounded by family and friends, said spokesman Jerry Digney.
Charles last public appearance was alongside Clint Eastwood (news) on April 30, when the city of Los Angeles designated the singers studios an historic landmark.
Blind by age 7 and an orphan at 15, Charles spent his life shattering any notion of musical boundaries and defying easy definition. A gifted pianist and saxophonist, he dabbled in country, jazz, big band and blues, and put his stamp on it all with a deep, warm voice roughened by heartbreak from a hardscrabble childhood in the segregated South.
"His sound was stunning — it was the blues, it was R&B, it was gospel, it was swing — it was all the stuff I was listening to before that but rolled into one amazing, soulful thing," singer Van Morrison (news) told Rolling Stone magazine in April 2004.
Charles won nine of his 12 Grammy Awards between 1960 and 1966, including the best R&B recording three consecutive years ("Hit the Road Jack," "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "Busted").
I can't believe it.
Ray Charles is the Man.
Dang. I hate this.
Darn. He was a great musician.
Ray Charles was one of the greats.
Hubby says Ray sang "America the Beautiful" at the Republican Convention in 1984 for Ronnie and Nancy... wow, what a picture this pulls together for me.
:-(
R.I.P. Ray Charles and thanks for the wonderful music you left behind.
And that's my FAVORITE patriotic song. I get misty every time I hear it. Did last night watching the ceremonies. It's almost too bad his passing will be so greatly overshadowed. He was a fine American talent.
I just saw this on the Fox crawl. Thanks for posting.
What a loss!!
RIP, RC.
If it's threes, I don't wanna know who comes next...
Ray Charles was the best.
Oh no! I saw him perform once in Austin. He was awesome!! So funny too, which was a wonderful surprise. Gave a really energetic fun show.
My favorite Ray Charles song - "Hallelujah, I Love Her So!"
Bye, Ray...
I like to do a little rollin' Myself
Brother can you sing the high parts
I can if you give me some help
...
Ain't no problem for Two Old Cats Like US!
--Ray Charles/Hank Williams Jr. "Two Old Cats Like Us"
RIP RAY CHARLES! Heaven's Band just gained another beautiful voice.
I remember in an interview he was asked what he thought of all the talk of Elvis being "The King". He chuckled graciously, like the gentleman he was.
Rest in Peace Ray Charles ... Godspeed.
Yep. I remember when I heard Willie Nelson singing "Georgia on My Mind," I screamed. By law, no one should be allowed to do that song except Ray.
Somehow, I always assumed that Ray Charles would be around forever.
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