June 10, 2004
Ray Charles, 1930 - 2004
In case you haven't heard, we just lost one of thegreatest of the greats.
Few artists have been so tragically underappreciated as Ray Charles.. he did so much amazing work and had such massive influence on American popular music, but so many of us in the hip-hop generation only know him for the somewhat softer stuff we've been exposed to in his later years (including the Diet Pepsi "Uh Huh" song that Prince wrote for him), and view him as someone might view Stevie if they only knew "I Just Called To Say I Love You," and had never borne witness to the Holy Grail he bestowed upon us from '72 to '77.
Apparently some people are taking tomorrow off to remember some other dude, but I for one will be setting the day aside to honor Ray Charles, one of the 20th century's foremost American heroes.
Here are some links with more about the man:
AP Obituary
AMG Biography - some good insight into his influence.
Please pass on other good links if you come by them, or your own thoughts of course.
Posted by jsmooth995 at June 10, 2004 08:07 PM
Everybody knows what I'll be doing tomorrow.
Posted by: Bol at June 10, 2004 08:47 PM
Jay i too will do my best to my respects to the late great Ray Charles as opposed to the other republican people may be remembering.
Posted by: Vilens at June 11, 2004 09:51 AM
Yeah man. Ray will be missed. I definitely took a 'punch' when I read that on yahoo yesterday. To bad it'll be overshadowed in the media by news of the Gipper's demise. Ray is definitely under appreciated by those who don't go back. I have one of his records from the early 50's where he alternately plays piano, alto sax, guitar, drums & sings! So versatile. Ray's love and mastery of country music is under the radar as well. what i say.
Posted by: Jesse at June 11, 2004 11:58 AM
I can't wait to be generating money again, as the resident turntable is dead and I can't afford to fix it. I have a few of my mom's Ray Charles' records on vinyl that I'd love to hear right now. One of my favorite childhood memories is traveling with my mom and siblings while listening to Mr. Charles' music. He was an underappreciated national treasure.
Posted by: Eve L. at June 11, 2004 03:32 PM
I'm having my own little Rayfest, keeping the TV off. Just a shame, too young, so great, such a loss...
Posted by: gwen at June 11, 2004 07:36 PM
singers and music composers, like Ray and Frank
Sinatra, were good at their art, very hard workers, and hired many backing musicans.
but, i think they were a little fucked up in
the head, or money went to their head and they
acted like asses sometimes, or all the time?
not sure, but in 1981, both Ray and RAY-GUN,
aka, Reagan the dead prez., were assholes.
"When Ray Charles went in 1981 he was forced to cancel his performance in the black township of Soweto because of strong opposition from the community. US performers who have defied the boycott have come home to criticism and picket lines."
"Artists going to Sun City justify themselves by claiming on the one hand that they are not political and on the other that they are not performing in South Africa but in an independent country. They choose to ignore the fact that Bophuthatswana's in- dependence is entirely unrecognized outside South Africa and is rejected by the majority of South Africans."
http://richardknight.homestead.com/bophuthatswana.html
Posted by: Reagan liked SA.... at June 12, 2004 06:17 PM
I'm pretty sure there is a God... granted grace to the Red Sox to put the screws to the Yankees the way they did, making baseball history and going on to win a World Series!! Gave Boston their greatest win!!! PRETTY SURE THERE IS A GOD... TALK ABOUT AN ANSWERED PRAYER FOR THE TRIED AND TRUE GENERATIONS OF RED SOX FANS!!!
Thank you, God, for this year in baseball that us Red Sox fans (and players) will never forget!!!
I hope none of us never forgets who Daddy really is! (God, of course).
Posted by: Jes at October 31, 2004 04:27 AM
