The site makes a claim of 3,906 total signatures on the petition thus far.
Posted on 03/07/2005 2:58:19 AM PST by MaxMax
We are signing this petition as an appeal to place the image of Ray Charles on the U.S. Treasury's ten dollar bill. Upon Mr. Charles' recent passing, we are reminded of the impact this great American had on the development of American culture and music.
Known as "The Genius" since the early 1950s, Ray Charles is a founding father of modern rhythm and blues, jazz, rock and gopsel music. In the course of his remarkable life and career, Mr. Charles overcame personal adversity in the forms of blindness, extreme poverty, racial oppression and drug-addiction to become one of the most innovative and respected musicians of the 20th century. In doing so, he embodies the most cherished ideals of the American character: self-reliance, courage and sacrifice.
We credit the position of cultural esteem our country enjoys today to the innovations of artistic visionaries like Ray Charles; and we should recognize him as an exemplar of his profession. Building on the jazz tradition -- America¹s classical music and our greatest contribution to world culture -- Mr. Charles fused all genres of our country¹s roots music -- including blues, gospel, folk and country -- into a recognizable whole; a unique music called "soul." His soul music has proved capable of reaching across class, race, religious and social lines to touch all Americans on an emotional level. His songs "Hit the Road Jack" and "What'd I Say" have become American classics; his rendition of "Georgia On My Mind" has been designated the official State song of Georgia; and his recording of "America the Beautiful" has become a modern hymn, if not the unofficial national anthem of the United States.
Born Ray Charles Robinson on Sept. 23, 1930 in Albany, GA, he was raised in extreme poverty in Greenville, Florida at the height of the Great Depression. Mr. Charles lost his sight at the age of seven, and was sent as a charity case to the Florida State School for the Blind at St. Augustine where he was taught basket weaving and allowed to pursue music. While at the school his mother died, and Charles was orphaned. Soon after, he left the school to pursue a career in music.
From these humble beginnings, Mr. Charles went on to spend more than 50 years in show business. He built a career that defied genre, bringing his soulful voice, keyboard prowess and songwriting and arranging talent to the pop, country and R&B charts. Among his innumerable awards, he has been the recipient of the National Medal of Arts (from President Clinton); the Kennedy Center Honors; membership in the Rhythm & Blues, Jazz and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame; 12 Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Grammy; the NAACP Image Awards' Hall of Fame distinction; and the Commander of Fine Arts and Letters from the French government.
We enthusiastically encourage the United States Treasury to place the image of the incomparable American musician Ray Charles on its ten dollar bill. In conjunction with the Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea dollars, this new bill would show that our country has begun to make a concerted effort to honor Americans of distinction who have lived and worked outside the political realm.
You must admit,
The extremes people sometimes go through to gain attention is nuts.
Myself excluded of course.
I'm starting a petition to put Warren Zevon on the $50. Who's with me?
Bring lawyers, guns, and money.
Dibs on Jerry Lewis on the $1 !!!
Liberace on the $3!
It's only a matter of time before they start selling advertising space on the money.
That's funny. Thanks.
Flame on.
Just what we need. A womanizing adulterer, heroin junkie, who only got into the music business because of the money on the $10 dollar bill. How about putting his bastard child on the $1 bill.
this is fine as long as you put the ramones on the 100 dollar bill seeing as they were ten times the musicians that ray charles was and did at least ten times the amount of heroin :-)
... and Krusty Clown on the $5
The site makes a claim of 3,906 total signatures on the petition thus far.
:)
-good times, G.J.P. (Jr.)
Oh please don't let it be a reference to Stargate or any another show I don't watch.
Did I miss something? When was Ray Charles president?
Are you talking about Ray Charles or Bill Clinton?
Isn't he the son of Allman Brothers' drummer Butch Trucks?
I can't see it happening...
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