I love this comment I also want to see from the outside looking in at an artist. When you are an artist and you have that signature sound that signature tone that signature style that nobody can imitate really anything you touch his legendary.

My mother has been blind since she was 4 years old. My grandmother had the exact same kind of determination for her to be independent and that attitude you’ve got to make it on your own. Sending children off to school who were blind etc etc… wasn’t a choice back in the day. It was something that had to be done and you couldn’t put your emotions into as a parent of children like this. I can identify with Ray Charles and what his mother knew she had to do to make Ray be able to survive and boy did. I sure do miss his presence in the American vernacular of our society and his artistry, his music and his soul and his toughness. The American dream to persevere doesn’t get any better than that despite the horrible history Ray and millions of others that faced it and still do today. Bigots are a dime a dozen in all walks of life!

She saved him by sending him away

Amen 🙏

There's Only 1. Ray Charles Robinson! 😊

Yeah so so many good songs

Yes!!! I agree!!

stevie winwood in spencer davis group as well, he at times sounded so much like ray and had the soul and passion to match.

Elvis was good...but only the greatest to whites only... he was the biggest race exploiter there was... took black music and moves and “ whitened “ it up... Ray has a video on you tube and said the same thing I am saying... just as he explained... the greates are not recognized...

and Sam Cooke too

Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald as well

Who said black people ain’t got talent

@@islanfoodz4132 Nobody I know !!

It’s crazy some people haven’t realized this but I’ll let you in on a secret…..black, white, Spanish, Korean, middle eastern…..etc…. Get ready for it…..ALL THE SAME! 2eyes, 2arms, 2legs, ONE HEART! Billy Joel & Ray Charles may not seem similar but if you close your eyes & listen to “Baby Grand” you will hear the beauty 2 souls can create! Exterior has nothing to do with it!!!!! Love you all out there

@@islanfoodz4132 racists with closed eyes

It's a sad fact that it was rife in those circles back in the Chitlin circles back then & it wasn't a case Of If, But When... Charlie Parker was another who ruined his life because alcohol & drugs & died way before it's time... So many many have died through some food drug abuse & alot of them took everything at once to try & get up in the morning to work & to try & rest & night... We're not just talking about illegal drugs but prescription drugs... Take Elvis/Prince & Michael Jackson as 3 examples of their body eventually crashing and dying because of the prescription drugs they took to get through any given day... It happens every single day in life but we only become aware of it when it happens to someone famous but it's a part of everyday life if your a working musician/business person or just someone ill because they're working in poor employment & working 12 to 14 hours a day, because we live in a 24/7 society now & hence more people outwith the entertainment industry are collapsing & dying as the human body isn't built for that kind of punishment but that's life now... Now with Ray & many black artists drugs was just part of their down time & dealing with as you stated " all of the other problems from being African American " in those days & it was also used to try & deal with the the harsh & hard touring schedules... Whether it's on the streets of all over the world or in any music industry drugs has & is a constant destroying part of every day life... Within the media industry we admittedly lost so many more great musical acts that for instance actors because of the constant touring/recording & then trying to have a social life & unfortunately if you choose the music industry it catch up to you eventually... This was not purely related to any genre of music but all as bad in the days up until the music industry died off on the late 90s, if you wanted to make it & stay at the top or still within the industry to make a living you had to tour for up to 2 years at a time & still record new material in the studio & hope it wasa hit.. Take my words from omeone who moved in the music industry & i managed to get out without being in debt for years because of dodgy contracts by managers that wouldn't hesitate to clean you out of every penny you had... I'll give you a quick breakdown of how the finicial side of the music industry work... Let's say you wrote & Number 1 Hit that was a Hit all over the world & sold millions of copy's... Before you got near your money the Government Taxed 90% Percent out of every £1 that you made, then the Record Compsny/Manager & any band members wanted their cut out of the 10% that was left & if you had been signed in Advance by a Record Company to fund you they wanted that money back also as soon as the hits came in & if they didn't you end up.on the poverty line & declaring bankruptcy to try & stop you going to jail for back dated unpaid tax costs... So that usually left the artist with 1% put of all of the money they made, hence why bands instantly played Live Shows all over the world as that was classed as extra income that they couldn't tax on you again because they've already taxed you... again this is why acts play live when they have a hit song or album so that they can't be taxed twice within the same year... This is why the music Industry is infamous for being the most brutal Industry to make it & stay in, well ahead of Hollywood & any others as you were constantly taxed each time a song was released & at times for airplay... All we can do is thank all of the for leaving us their great music & pass on their legacy to each new generation so that true music never dies...

Catspaw He been doing drug since he was a teen...

Ray Charles was a Black man that God’s Grace and Mercy continued to cover him during his walk in the darkness and he was aloud to experience life as if he walked in the light. Goat is the only way to describe his talent music and singing one of our best RIP Mr Ray Charles 🙏 we love you Sir 🥰

@@DubBeatsYep, 16 years old. Hard to hear that but it’s true. I guess Ray was dealing with so much torment in his life. That was another thing that was his escape. Good thing his mom and brother broke him out of it later on (In spirit of course)😉🕊

You ain't shabby either Ran.

True,we are now listening to bubblegum meaningless to the soul music.

Wish there was a full cover of that one off Georgia he was digging into in the beginning there...he's got Ray down good, and was an amazing arranger and pianist in his own right.

Saw Billy probably in ‘67 as Ray’s bandleader for the usual first instrumental segment. He was amazing, playing organ, singing, and dancing. Seventeen years old. An example of the kinds of things he did was on “The Concert for Bangladesh” and the song “That’s the Way God Planned It.”

Sole????

@Mike 369 Ray Charles was not just a true legend of SOUL(correct spelling), he was a true legend of MUSIC PERIOD.

I'd like to know too!

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eJmRZrx1yteWfYE.html

4:14

I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash

?????

Is that suppose to be a joke or something???

Donnette Larkin And your point is WHAT???

SFTU! Elvis maybe your king but he is certainly not ours! Idiot, Ray had fuck all to be jealous about!

Ray was NEVER jealous of Elvis Presley who stole music from black artists. He wasn't a king he was a copycat.

Elvis was king of NOTHING.

Truth Hitman Yeah king of stealing music lol!!!

Elvis was the king of being a damn thief That's it that's all. (Drop the mic and walked away🚶🏾✌🏾)