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Ray Charles performing "What'd I say"

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1. Ray Charles was blind from the age of seven
2. Charles was eager to try drugs because he thought they helped musicians create music and tap into their creativity.
3. He loved to play chess.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWv9iqlmfME

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Ray Charles was one of the artists that encouraged experimenting with drugs, believing it helped a musician tap into their creativity.

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Despite being blind, Ray Charles was an accomplished chess player with his own special board.

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Ray Charles was actually blind from the age of seven, but continued to persevere to create his chosen career.

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https://youtu.be/qIp9TwSEgFg

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Quincy Jones and Ray Charles

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1. Charles was blind at the age of seven
2. He was highly regarded as a genius by Frank Sinatra
3. While in school, he was only taught classical music

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1.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2PglxuFtUg

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He started losing his vision at the age of 5

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He was also called "The Genius"

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He preferred being called "Brother Ray"

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feat. Jeff Pevar on Guitar! Check the Studio Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwSu0P2kvDE

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Although Blind, Ray Charles still learned to play piano at 7 years old.

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Ray Charles got his first hit with a band that formed in Seattle.
Charles also went over 20 years without a new hit song.
He was inducted into both the Blues and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame.

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Ray Charles was honored by being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the year 1986.

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Rays was even in movies such as the film called Ballad in Blue and Swinging Along.

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Glaucoma caused him to begin to lose his eyesight.

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This is a picture of Ray with his large family! He had twelve children.

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Became blind by he was 7. Dropped his last name of Robinson to avoid confusion with the boxer Ray Robinson. Ranked number 10 in top 100 artists of all time by the Rolling Stone.
This is him without his glasses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIp9TwSEgFg

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him without glasses

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Ray Charles was blind at the age of 7 but could still play piano. 

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Ray Charles was blind at the age of 7 but could still play piano. 

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Ray Charles, The Raelettes - I Can't Stop Loving You (Live at Montreux 1997)

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This video shows what he was like a year ago, I liked the current video!

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Ray Charles, The Raelettes - I Can't Stop Loving You (Live at Montreux 1997)

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Ray's favorite instrument to play was the alto saxophone

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Preferred to be called "Brother Ray"

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He played the piano for bands for a year making $4 a night

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lost his vision at the age of 7 after struggling with vision for a few years

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"I Got A Woman" is one of Ray Charles first big hits.

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Ray Charles playing the piano.

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Jazz, country, rhythm and blues, and gospel are some of the genres that Ray Charles draws from in his music.

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jazz, country, rhythm and blues, and gospel 

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Early in his career Ray Charles' sound was heavily influenced by Nat King Cole.

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Ray Charles lost both of his parents during his teenage years. His mother died when he was fifteen, and his father died two years later.

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Ray Charles loved to play chess

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Ray Charles, portrayed in 1981 by  Neal Preston. https://t.co/19BJ4TIkox

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Ray Charles, portrayed in 1981 by  Neal Preston. https://t.co/19BJ4TIkox

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Ray Charles loved to play chess.

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Ray Charles was a friend with Martin Luther Kind Jr.

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Ray Charles was completely blind by the age of 7.

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Ray Charles Bio Ray Charles Songs The Sun Died Ray Charles Willie Nelson with Ray Charles Seven Spanish Angels Ray Charles Cover Ray Charles Life Story About Ray Charles Ray Charles History Ray Charles Family Ray Charles Biography Ray Charles Records Ray Charles Timeline Ray Charles Fact Sheet Ray Charles Quotes Ray Charles Books

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His first marriage only lasted a year.

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Ray Cha moved to Seattle at the age of 18

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He didn't become blind until around 7 years old.

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Ray Charles performing in Lenox, Massachusetts in the 1970

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Ray Charles enjoyed playing Chess

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Ray Charles was eager to try drugs because he thought they helped musicians' creativity. He became addicted to heroin for 16 years.

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Ray Charles has 12 children with ten different women.

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One of his first hits

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Ray Charles could play the piano even though he was blind and here i am 20/20 vision with no piano skills.

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Charles struggled with heroin addiction and was arrested for possession in 1965. He ended up avoided jail however because jail is for poor people.

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Ray's two major influences were Nat King Cole and Charles Brown. Those influences can be heard in his own distinct sound.

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Ray Charles was not born blind but was fully blind by age 7.

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My favorite song from him, hit the road jack

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Ray Charles giving a live performance

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He formed his own band in Seattle with only 500 dollars

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He tried drugs in an attempt to improve his music, which led to a 16 year long battle with heroin addiction

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Ray Charles enjoyed playing Chess!

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Ray Charles What I'd Say

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Ray Charles was awarded a National Medal of Arts in 1993 along with a Polar Music Prize and many other prestigious awards.

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Ray Charles has a net worth of approximately $100 million dollars.

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Ray Charles was married twice and had 10 children from 12 different women.

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Ray Charles: "Lets Go Get Stoned"

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Ray Charles without his glasses.

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Ray released the song "Let's Get Stoned" after he was released from a year in prison.

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Ray ditched his last name, Robinson, when he was inspiring to be a musician to avoid being confused with Sugar Ray Robinson.

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Ray's little brother, George, drowned at the age of four in a laundry tub.

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Ray Charles | Austin City Limits Hall of Fame 2018

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A nice quote by ray charles

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The reason the ray charles wore glasses everyday was because he did not want it to seem like he was blind and take pity on him

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Ray Charles Was The Hardest-Working Cat In Town

Since his childhood days in Greenville, Florida, Ray knew he had to work hard in order to make it anywhere, grinding away just to feed himself. In the American musical scene of the '40s and '50s, being anything less than excellent was not an option. Regardless of where he was working - Jacksonville or Seattle, New York or Los Angeles - in Charles' words, what mattered was "developing chops." Ray's conviction came through in all of his music, giving each song a life of its own.

Ray Charles Had Two Passions: Music and Women

Not only was music his most vital means of expression, it was also the source of his greatest pleasure. He tried to attain this level of pleasure with women and with heroin, but it was music that always won out in the end. Charles once said, "I was born with music inside me... music was one of my parts... like my blood." Charles never knew his father, he watched his brother drown when he was five, and his mother died when he was only 15. Ray suffered immensely, but he got through it with music, and with women.

Ray firmly believed that you could love the person you were with but "get an extra piece on the side every now and then." In fact, Ray fathered 12 children with 10 women. This second passion was, overall, less personally detrimental than his third, a heroin addiction that lasted for 17 years. Ray never let it get in the way of his music, and when he finally kicked the habit, he claimed he had had control over his body the whole time. Charles hated hypocrisy, but in his opinion, he was just "doing what felt good, what felt natural, and what felt good and natural to the person [he] was doing it with." "If that was a sin," he reasoned, "then sin on!"

Ray Charles walked the line between secularism and religion

Charles was the first to popularize linking blues with spirituals, which many Americans considered sacrilegious. He took the intrinsic suffering of both and made them tangible and accessible in beautiful musical forms. Growing up in the South meant that he had been exposed to both spirituals and the blues, so in his eyes, the two were an obvious combination. Soul meant two things to him: first, as a mixture of gospel and blues where feelings cannot faked, and second, as "just the way black folk sing when they leave themselves alone."

Ray Charles Wore Sunglasses Every Day

Ray Charles never spoke or acted as if he were blind; instead, he often went so far as to use sight metaphors. His mother treated him like he was normal, so he acted like he was normal. Pity was the last thing he wanted. He had one rule in his life, the rule of three no's: "No dog, no cane, [no guitar]." You would have to be an open-minded person to expect trustworthiness from people without being able to see a thing that they do, and Ray Charles was no exception to the rule. He trusted people, and for the most part his trust was justified.

Ray Charles Was "Color Blind"

Ray Charles was completely blind from the age of seven, but it rarely handicapped him. In fact, it contributed to his open mind and his neutrality regarding race issues for a good part of his life. When he went to a school for blind and deaf children, he discovered that they had segregated children who could not even see each other, which he found ludicrous. He did not play segregated jobs, nor did he perpetuate the "Crow Jim" ideology - the antithesis of Jim Crow laws - as exemplified by hiring white players in his band. Ray Charles didn't care if you were black or white, green or blue; all that mattered was that you could play well. He grew up without the conscious awareness of the presence of racism, and he carried that with him throughout his life, even when he became involved in racial politics with the advent of the Civil Rights movement. He was never an extremist, and considered Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as his role model in respect to racial dynamics.

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5 Facts About Ray Charles: The Genius of Soul

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Ray Charles Was The Hardest-Working Cat In Town Since his childhood days in Greenville, Florida, Ray knew he had to work hard in order to make it anywhere, grinding away just to feed himself. In the American musical scene of the '40s and '50s, being anything less than excellent was not an option.

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Ray charles was the hardest worker when he was a kid because he was poor and had to work hard to feed himself

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Ray Charles Was The Hardest-Working Cat In Town

Since his childhood days in Greenville, Florida, Ray knew he had to work hard in order to make it anywhere, grinding away just to feed himself. In the American musical scene of the '40s and '50s, being anything less than excellent was not an option. Regardless of where he was working - Jacksonville or Seattle, New York or Los Angeles - in Charles' words, what mattered was "developing chops." Ray's conviction came through in all of his music, giving each song a life of its own.

Ray Charles Had Two Passions: Music and Women

Not only was music his most vital means of expression, it was also the source of his greatest pleasure. He tried to attain this level of pleasure with women and with heroin, but it was music that always won out in the end. Charles once said, "I was born with music inside me... music was one of my parts... like my blood." Charles never knew his father, he watched his brother drown when he was five, and his mother died when he was only 15. Ray suffered immensely, but he got through it with music, and with women.

Ray firmly believed that you could love the person you were with but "get an extra piece on the side every now and then." In fact, Ray fathered 12 children with 10 women. This second passion was, overall, less personally detrimental than his third, a heroin addiction that lasted for 17 years. Ray never let it get in the way of his music, and when he finally kicked the habit, he claimed he had had control over his body the whole time. Charles hated hypocrisy, but in his opinion, he was just "doing what felt good, what felt natural, and what felt good and natural to the person [he] was doing it with." "If that was a sin," he reasoned, "then sin on!"

Ray Charles walked the line between secularism and religion

Charles was the first to popularize linking blues with spirituals, which many Americans considered sacrilegious. He took the intrinsic suffering of both and made them tangible and accessible in beautiful musical forms. Growing up in the South meant that he had been exposed to both spirituals and the blues, so in his eyes, the two were an obvious combination. Soul meant two things to him: first, as a mixture of gospel and blues where feelings cannot faked, and second, as "just the way black folk sing when they leave themselves alone."

Ray Charles Wore Sunglasses Every Day

Ray Charles never spoke or acted as if he were blind; instead, he often went so far as to use sight metaphors. His mother treated him like he was normal, so he acted like he was normal. Pity was the last thing he wanted. He had one rule in his life, the rule of three no's: "No dog, no cane, [no guitar]." You would have to be an open-minded person to expect trustworthiness from people without being able to see a thing that they do, and Ray Charles was no exception to the rule. He trusted people, and for the most part his trust was justified.

Ray Charles Was "Color Blind"

Ray Charles was completely blind from the age of seven, but it rarely handicapped him. In fact, it contributed to his open mind and his neutrality regarding race issues for a good part of his life. When he went to a school for blind and deaf children, he discovered that they had segregated children who could not even see each other, which he found ludicrous. He did not play segregated jobs, nor did he perpetuate the "Crow Jim" ideology - the antithesis of Jim Crow laws - as exemplified by hiring white players in his band. Ray Charles didn't care if you were black or white, green or blue; all that mattered was that you could play well. He grew up without the conscious awareness of the presence of racism, and he carried that with him throughout his life, even when he became involved in racial politics with the advent of the Civil Rights movement. He was never an extremist, and considered Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as his role model in respect to racial dynamics.

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5 Facts About Ray Charles: The Genius of Soul

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Ray Charles Was The Hardest-Working Cat In Town Since his childhood days in Greenville, Florida, Ray knew he had to work hard in order to make it anywhere, grinding away just to feed himself. In the American musical scene of the '40s and '50s, being anything less than excellent was not an option.

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Ray charles was one of the first people to mix blues and gospel music to create R&B (rhythm and blues

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September 23, 2018 at 05:00 am | History

Mildred Europa Taylor | Staff Writer
Full bio
September 23, 2018 at 05:00 am | History

Support Pan-African Journalism Subscribe

Ray Charles. Photo: Wiki CC

On this day in 1930, talented musician, singer and composer, Ray Charles Robinson was born.

Born in Albany, Georgia, Robinson was one of the first African American artists to merge the blues with gospel to pave the way for rhythm and blues (R&B)music.
Here are five interesting facts about the life of this legend:
He died on June 10, 2013, but his musical legacy still lives on.

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5 interesting facts you should know about soul music legend Ray Charles - Face2Face Africa

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On this day in 1930, talented musician, singer and composer, Ray Charles Robinson was born. Born in Albany, Georgia, Robinson was one of the first African American artists to merge the blues with gospel to pave the way for rhythm and blues (R&B)music. He died on June 10, 2013, but his musical legacy still lives on.Support...

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A little meme to brighten up the padlet

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At a concert in 1950, he was caught backstage with marijuana and drug paraphernalia and was arrested on the spot

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He ended up dropping his last name because he did not want to get it confused with Sugar Ray Robinson, the boxer

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Charles suffered from glaucoma as a child, which made him completely blind by the time he turned seven.

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In February of the year 2005, Ray was awarded with the Congressional Gold Medal, which was presented by Legislation in the House of Representatives.

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The legendary musician, Ray Charles who established the genre of soul music during the time period of the 1950s was born in Georgia in the 1930. He is often referred to as the Father of Soul. This title earned by him is not just for the heck of it but it is because his work is an inspiration to those who have suffered the wrath of fate. He is a lesson that just because life decides to knock you down by making you blind, doesn't mean you let it win. Rather you stand and fight like a man, and make history. He made the strong combination of blues, jazz and gospel to create the revolutionary hits for us such as Unchain My Heart, (this one is my personal favorite) Georgia on My Mind and Hit the Road Jack. His demise took place in 2004 after leaving a lasting impression on contemporary music. Here are a few interesting facts about Ray Charles that you may not be aware of-

Interesting Facts About Ray Charles

Ray Charles was ranked at the position 8th on Forbes' 6th annual Top-Earning Dead Celebrities list conducted in 2006 and was listed as the Rolling Stone's 10th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of All Time. well it is pretty obvious considering the trance that his music can send anyone into.

#2: The Congressional Gold Medal

In February of the year 2005, Ray was awarded with the Congressional Gold Medal, which was presented by Legislation in the House of Representatives.

#3: Amazing Performances

Ray Charles is known to have once performed at Ronald Reagan's 2nd inauguration in the year 1985 and Bill Clinton's 1st in the year 1993.

Unlike many other autobiography boring names, Ray Charles autobiography was named "Brother Ray." If the name is so good, am definite the book is even better or legendary like Ray himself.

Ray Charles is known to have found the Foundation for the hearing impaired and is himself capable of riding a motorcycle, driving a car and flying a plane despite of being blind.

Getting clean is a pretty tough task but Ray did it, however ever after that he drank half a mug of black coffee and Bols gin with two sugars on a daily basis.

Ray navigated by the sound of his hard-soled shoes instead of a cane or a dog.

#8: The Different Instruments

Another interesting fact about Ray Charles was that he has been able to play piano, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet and organ ever since he attended the School for Deaf and Blind in Florida.

#9: The Cancelled Concert

Ray's 2003 concert was cancelled due to his hip replacement surgery.

Ray has earned Polar Music Prize and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music Award in the year 1998. I wonder how many musicians can do that.

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The legendary musician, Ray Charles who established the genre of soul music during the time period of the 1950s was born in Georgia in the 1930. He is often referred to as the Father of Soul.

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In 1949, he released his first single, "Confession Blues," with the Maxin Trio.

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Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Quick Facts
"I can't retire from music any more than I can retire from my liver. You'd have to remove the music from me surgically-like you were taking out my appendix.""Love is a special word, and I use it only when I mean it. You say the word too much and it becomes cheap.""There will never be another musician who did as much to break down the perceived walls of musical genres. Ray used to say that if he had a dime, he would give me a nickel. Well, I would give that nickel back to have him still be here with us, but I know that heaven has become a much better place with him in it."

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

Beverly Hills, California

Who Was Ray Charles?

Ray Charles was a legendary musician who pioneered the genre of soul music during the 1950s. Often called the "Father of Soul," Charles combined blues, gospel and jazz to create groundbreaking hits such as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road Jack" and "Georgia on My Mind." He died in 2004, leaving a lasting impression on contemporary music.

Early Life

Ray Charles Robinson was born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. His father, a mechanic, and his mother, a sharecropper, moved the family to Greenville, Florida when he was an infant. One of the most traumatic events of his childhood was witnessing the drowning death of his younger brother.

Soon after his brother's death, Charles gradually began to lose his sight. He was blind by the age of 7, and his mother sent him to a state-sponsored school, the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, Florida - where he learned to read, write and arrange music in Braille. He also learned to play piano, organ, sax, clarinet and trumpet. The breadth of his musical interests ranged widely, from gospel to country, to blues.

Musical Evolution

Charles' mother died when he was 15, and for a year he toured on the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South. While on the road, he picked up a love for heroin.

At the of age 16, Charles moved to Seattle. There, he met a young Quincy Jones, a friend and collaborator he would keep for the rest of his life. Charles performed with the McSon Trio in 1940s. His early playing style closely resembled the work of his two major influences - Charles Brown and Nat King Cole. Charles later developed his distinctive sound.

In 1949, he released his first single, "Confession Blues," with the Maxin Trio. The song did well on the R&B charts. More success on the R&B charts followed with "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand" and "Kissa Me Baby." By 1953, Charles landed a deal with Atlantic Records. He celebrated his first R&B hit single with the label, "Mess Around."

Critical Acclaim: "The Genius"

A year later, Charles' now classic song, "I Got a Woman," reached No. 1 on the R&B charts. The song reflected an advance in his musical style. He was no longer a Cole imitator. His fusion of gospel and R&B helped to create a new musical genre known as soul. By the late 1950s, Charles began entertaining the world of jazz, cutting records with members of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Fellow musicians began to call Charles "The Genius," an appropriate title for the ramblin' musician, who never worked in just one style, but blended and beautified all that he touched (he also earned the nickname "Father of Soul"). Charles' biggest success was perhaps his ability to cross over into pop music too, reaching No. 6 on the pop chart and No. 1 on the R&B chart with his hit "What'd I Say."

The year 1960 brought Charles his first Grammy Award for "Georgia on My Mind," followed by another Grammy for the single "Hit the Road, Jack." For his day, he maintained a rare level of creative control over his own music. Charles broke down the boundaries of music genres in 1962 with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. On this album, he gave his own soulful interpretations of many country classics. While thriving creatively, Charles struggled in his personal life. He continued to battle with heroin addiction. In 1965, Charles was arrested for possession.

Later Career

Charles avoided jail after his arrest for possession by finally kicking the habit at a clinic in Los Angeles. His releases in the 1960s and '70s were hit-or-miss, but he remained one of music's most respected stars. Charles won a Grammy Award for his rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City." Three years later, he released his autobiography Brother Ray.

In 1980, Charles appeared in the comedy The Blues Brothers with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. The music icon received a special honor a few years later as one of the first people inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Charles was recognized for his contributions to the genre alongside such fellow luminaries as James Brown, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke and Buddy Holly.

Charles returned to the spotlight in the early 1990s with several high-profile appearances. He also recorded commercials for Pepsi-Cola, singing "You Got the Right One, Baby!" as his catchphrase, and performed "We Are the World" for the organization USA for Africa alongside the likes of Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen and Smokey Robinson.

Death and Legacy

In 2003, Charles had to cancel his tour for the first time in 53 years. He underwent hip replacement surgery. While that operation was successful, Charles soon learned he was suffering from liver disease. He died on June 10, 2004, at his home in Beverly Hills, California. During his lifetime, Charles recorded more than 60 albums and performed more than 10,000 concerts.

Longtime friend Jones was just one of many who mourned the passing of Charles. "There will never be another musician who did as much to break down the perceived walls of musical genres," Jones stated, according to The New York Times. "Ray used to say that if he had a dime, he would give me a nickel. Well, I would give that nickel back to have him still be here with us, but I know that heaven has become a much better place with him in it." More than 1,500 people came to say goodbye to the musical legend at his funeral. B.B. King, Willie Nelson and Stevie Wonder were among those who performed at the service.

Movie and Final Album

Charles's final album, Genius Loves Company, released two months after his death, consists of duets with various admirers and contemporaries. His life story became a hit film entitled Ray later that year. Jamie Foxx starred as the legendary performer, and he won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Charles.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

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"I can't retire from music any more than I can retire from my liver. You'd have to remove the music from me surgically-like you were taking out my appendix." "Love is a special word, and I use it only when I mean it. You say the word too much and it becomes cheap."

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Ray Charles "Hit The Road Jack."

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Ray Charles was a legendary musician often called the “Genius”, who pioneered the genre of soul music during the 1950s.

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"I was born with music inside me. That's the only explanation I know." - Ray Charles "I never wanted to be famous I only wanted to be great."

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Charles at the 2003 Montreal International Jazz Festival, one of his last public performances.

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Ray Charles using his custom chess board.

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quote from article: "Charles was an accomplished chess player, and used a special board with raised squares and holes for the chess pieces in order to play."

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Ray Charles_artist photo

"I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great."

Born Ray Charles Robinson on Sept. 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. Died June 10, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California

Ray Charles' 1960 hit "Georgia On My Mind" was the first of his three career No. 1 hits. His 1962 album, Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, became his first album to top the Billboard 200.

Charles won his first four career GRAMMYs at the 3rd GRAMMY Awards, including Best Vocal Performance Album, Male and Best Rhythm & Blues Performance for The Genius Of Ray Charles and "Let The Good Times Roll," respectively.

In 1967 he performed "Crying Time" on "The Best On Record," a TV special commemorating the 9th GRAMMY Awards, marking his GRAMMY stage debut.

Did you know? Charles was an accomplished chess player, and used a special board with raised squares and holes for the chess pieces in order to play.

Charles was honored with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987; 10 of his recordings have been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.

Founded in 1986, the Ray Charles Foundation provides support in the area of hearing disorders, in addition to stewarding donations and support to institutions and organizations for educational purposes.

"I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great."

Born Ray Charles Robinson on Sept. 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. Died June 10, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California

Ray Charles' 1960 hit "Georgia On My Mind" was the first of his three career No. 1 hits. His 1962 album, Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, became his first album to top the Billboard 200.

Charles won his first four career GRAMMYs at the 3rd GRAMMY Awards, including Best Vocal Performance Album, Male and Best Rhythm & Blues Performance for The Genius Of Ray Charles and "Let The Good Times Roll," respectively.

In 1967 he performed "Crying Time" on "The Best On Record," a TV special commemorating the 9th GRAMMY Awards, marking his GRAMMY stage debut.

Did you know? Charles was an accomplished chess player, and used a special board with raised squares and holes for the chess pieces in order to play.

Charles was honored with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987; 10 of his recordings have been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.

Founded in 1986, the Ray Charles Foundation provides support in the area of hearing disorders, in addition to stewarding donations and support to institutions and organizations for educational purposes.

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Ray Charles_artist photo "I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great." Born Ray Charles Robinson on Sept. 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. Died June 10, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California Ray Charles' 1960 hit "Georgia On My Mind" was the first of his three career No.

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After leaving Florida, Ray headed for Seattle!

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Born into poverty in the segregated South, Ray Charles Robinson's already challenging circumstances steadily became more difficult as his life progressed: at a very young age he witnessed the death by drowning of his brother, and by his seventh year he had completely lost his vision, possibly to glaucoma.

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Before he lost his sight, Ray Charles saw his brother drown :(

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Born into poverty in the segregated South, Ray Charles Robinson's already challenging circumstances steadily became more difficult as his life progressed: at a very young age he witnessed the death by drowning of his brother, and by his seventh year he had completely lost his vision, possibly to glaucoma.