Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson, known professionally as Ray Charles, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and composer. He was sometimes referred to as "The Genius", and was also nicknamed "The High Priest of Soul"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSoul Singer
Date of Birth23 September 1930
CityAlbany, GA
CountryUnited States of America
sadness contentment too-much
There's such a thing as too much happiness and sadness. What I'm after is contentment.
dream sometimes
Sometimes my dreams are so deep that I dream that I'm dreaming.
born explanation knows
I was born with music inside me. That's the only explanation I know of
night way feels
I sing what I sing true. Each night I sing it the way I feel that night.
mom thinking people
My mom taught me a lot. A lot about minding your own business and leaving other people's business alone. And let them think what they want.
electricity force light room
What is a soul? It's like electricity - we don't really know what it is, but it's a force that can light a room
close jones kids less liked met stuff
I met Quincy Jones in Seattle. We were kids together... liked each other when we met and have been close ever since. He wasn't writing when we met - in fact, I more or less started him off to write; voicing, harmony, and stuff like that.
conversation good relatively ringing telephone writer
I don't know about other writers, but for myself, to write I must be relatively quiet - it's very difficult to write with the telephone and the doorbell ringing and conversation going on; I'm not that good a writer to write through all that!
entertainment music
To me, music is entertainment - what else can it be? In fact, it's the only language I know of that's universal.
anyone common country dependent except gonna inside kept mama neighbors understood
Mama was a country woman with a whole lot of common sense. She understood what most of our neighbors didn't - that I shouldn't grow dependent on anyone except myself. 'One of these days, I ain't gonna be here,' she kept hammering inside my head.
buried contain crying men oh share suppose supposed
I suppose I've always done my share of crying, especially when there's no other way to contain my feelings. I know that men ain't supposed to cry, but I think that's wrong. Crying's always been a way for me to get things out which are buried deep, deep down. When I sing, I often cry. Crying is feeling, and feeling is being human. Oh yes, I cry.
capture good move storyline
I am very into lyrics. I start with what the words are saying, what the storyline is saying, like a good script. It should really capture me, do something for me. If I don't get it, it's not going to move people, and if it's not going to move people, it's not going to happen.
goes records sound
Any artist, when he goes in to record, should have the feeling that any song he records can be a hit. This may sound egotistical, but it makes sense.