Ray Charles Robinson (
September 23,
1930 –
June 10,
2004), known by his
stage name Ray Charles, was an
American pianist and
singer, who shaped the sound of
rhythm and blues. He brought a soulful sound to
country music,
pop standards, and a rendition of "
America the Beautiful" that
Ed Bradley of
60 Minutes called the "definitive version of the song, an American anthem — a classic, just as the man who sung it."
["The Genius Of Ray Charles", an article about an 1986 segment on Charles from 60 Minutes]
Frank Sinatra called him "the only true genius in the business"
and in 2004,
Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Charles
#10 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
