Ray Charles - Personal Notes
I've had the good fortune of working with Ray for the past seven years. His music first made an impact on me back in 1959. In 1995, Rhino Records acquired the rights to all his masters for reissue. I was given the opportunity to work with Ray's organization to develop his catalog. When I first met Ray, it was like looking at Mount Rushmore. I remember giving him our Charlie Parker collection. He put his arm around me and said, "James, you could have brought me gold, but it wouldn't have been better than this!" Right then, I knew we were destined to be friends. Sometimes I'd go over to his office (on a long lunch hour) and get my "Ray fix." I would go into his studio where Ray would stand behind the mixing console and we'd talk about music, whether it be Perry Como, Sarah Vaughan, Art Tatum or his first love, country music. Ray had so much energy, the thought never occurred that there would be a world without him.
Very few people have earned the title of "Genius." Ray was in that select group. As I was writing these thoughts Jerry Wexler called me and said "When Ahmet and I went into the studio we turned on the lights...but Ray didn't need them." When visiting Ahmet in New York a few years ago, the only thing he really wanted to talk about was Ray Charles. Billy Vera told me this afternoon, "you don't produce Ray Charles, you just get out of his way." The fact is that Ray touched us in a way that no one can or will. Just hearing "You Don't Know Me" will bring tears to my eyes. He put so much of his life into his music. He lived a rich unbelievable life. He overcame adversity and left us with so much. We were blessed with his talent. He told me so often that the greatest tribute was that people paid money to see him. He recorded when he hardly had the strength to come in to the office. There was a bed for him there as that was his real home. His assistant told me a month ago that Ray was singing spirituals in his office. Ray was ready for the end. He knew he didn't have long. He was ready to go.
Unfortunately, we weren't ready but we will cherish those moments with Ray, either in person or on record. Personally, I will miss him more than words can express.
Brother Ray, I love you.
--James Austin
VP, A&R, Rhino Records
When I joined Rhino Records in 1993 as National Manager of Media Relations, I had no idea at the time that I would cross paths with the legendary Ray Charles.
I grew up in a music-filled household where Ray, my father’s supreme hero, was often the topic of conversation. In my early teens, as I began to discover artists like The Beatles, The Who, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, the music that would eventually change my life, I remember my old man telling me how magical and life changing it was for him the first time he heard Ray Charles.
Like every kid, I thought my father was nuts. I tried to explain to him that Ray Charles was old people’s music. It wasn’t anywhere near as cool as the rock I was listening to. I was young, na•ve, and rebellious-the hallmarks of stupidity. But, as I began to delve deeply into my bands, I noticed that many of them echoed my father’s sentiments, that Ray Charles was a major influence on them and his music was nothing short of genius.
If you are really into music, you will eventually cross that bridge into the land of the heroes of your heroes, and such is how I came to be a Ray Charles fan.
When Rhino hired me, they had just made their deal with Atlantic Records to develop for reissue the label’s legendary catalog of recordings. Atlantic signed Ray in 1954 and were the home of his earliest hits, songs like “I Got A Woman,” “What’d I Say,” and “Lonely Avenue.” I remember feeling a great sense of pride when we began reissuing Ray’s catalog. This was one of the architects of modern music.
It was in 1997 though that we really struck gold when we came to an agreement with Ray to acquire the rights to his entire post-Atlantic catalog-which he owned and controlled. To digress for one second, for a black man in 1959 to secure complete ownership of his master recordings (as Ray did when he left Atlantic and signed with ABC-Paramount) was not only unheard of, but was a testament to his business acumen, and his brilliance and power as an artist.
By sealing this deal we were able to place his entire career under one roof. This meant songs like “Georgia On My Mind,” “Hit The Road Jack,” “America,” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” would join the Atlantic material. This was a very special deal for Rhino, something we were all very excited to be a part of, and a legacy we would treat with the utmost care.
I remember walking into our main conference room where we were going to do a deal signing trade photo and meeting Ray for the first time. He was very quiet but pleasant. I mentioned to him that he changed my father’s life, that he was his hero. Even though I’m certain he’d heard this about a million times before, he was thankful and appreciative.
It’s really hard to classify Ray Charles as a musician. He was probably the most diverse recording artist in history. I can’t think of anyone else who had hits on the Rock ’N’ Roll, Pop, Country, R&B, and Jazz charts. It will be a long time, if ever, before someone comes along as versatile as Brother Ray.
My job at Rhino, and the jobs of many people in the music industry today were made possible by artists like Ray Charles. The timeless nature of his music and the fact that it continues to touch new generations of fans has kept me employed all these years-for this I am eternally grateful.
Like Mozart and Beethoven before him, Ray Charles will rock the 22nd century and beyond. I feel sorry for those future generations that won’t have the chance like I did to see him do it in person. We’ll miss you, Ray.
-- David Dorn,
Senior VP, New Media Strategy
Ray Charles was not just a consummate singer, composer, arranger and bandleader-he was one of the few true pioneers in music, able to achieve greatness in any field he touched, including jazz, rhythm & blues, rock, country or cabaret. His instantly recognizable voice always had undeniable power and above all, soul, and hundreds of singers have learned their craft from the genius of his phrasing and artistry on such diverse recordings as “Lonely Avenue,” “What'd I Say” and “Georgia On My Mind.” His recordings, and the amazing personality he expressed within them, will never leave us.
-- Mark Leviton, Senior VP, A&R
If it weren't for Ray Charles, I'd have no soul. Growing up in early-’60s Orange County, I would surely have been on the road to musical depravity had it not been for the Genius. Thank you, Lord!! There would be salvation. His unapologetic demand to “Hit The Road Jack” was more than a message; it was a mantra that made total sense to a girl still too young to wear high heels. And it would be just one of a long list of songs that would establish him not only as an American icon, but as a worldwide music legend. Thank you for your spirit, Ray. And, thank you for my soul.
-- Karen LeBlanc,
Executive Assistant, A&R
Ray Charles was an unmatched innovator and soulful presence in the world of music. His genius transcended boundaries-in music, in business and in life itself. The heart of the planet beats a lot less passionately with Ray's passing.
--Mike Engstrom,
VP, Marketing Rhino Records
Referring to Aretha Franklin’s legendary cover version of “Respect,” the song’s author, Otis Redding, once said with a mixture of awe and envy, “Man, that girl just took that song.” The same can be said about the late Ray Charles’ indelible treatment of just about every tune he touched, whether it be “I Can’t Stop Loving You” or “America The Beautiful.” Like Aretha, Frank Sinatra, and Billie Holiday, he proved that there can be just as much artistry involved in the interpretation of a song as in the writing of one. Take his classic live version of the oft-covered “Makin’ Whoopee,” recorded in 1964, when he was still smarting from a highly publicized paternity suit. Mr. Charles chucks the song’s inherent schmaltzy novelty angle and sloooows it down to a smoldering minor-key blues. (The jazzy piano intro alone lasts over two-and-a-half minutes. Take your time, Brother Ray.) Without changing a lyric, the Genius imbues his inimitable vocal delivery with such world-weariness and innuendo that you know he’s singing about himself. At the end of each verse, he phrases the words “makin’ whoopee” with a devilish glee that implies to the listener, “My little indiscretion may have messed my life up, but it sho’ was fun.” The thing just oozes pure sex without the utterance of one four-letter word. The only time Ray takes liberties with the lyrics is during the final verse, which alludes to his then-current legal predicament. (The audience is now snickering at every line, so they are obviously in on the joke.) He sings at the conclusion: “(The judge said) 'You better keep her/I think it’s cheaper than...’” You expect him to end the line with “makin’ whoopee,” but instead he opts for speaking it in an off the cuff, wink-wink-nudge-nudge tone of voice: “...well, you know what I been doin’.” And the audience responds with an eruption of laughter and applause, a moment that gives me chills and inspires a huge smile every time I hear it.
To Ray Charles, singing with “soul” wasn’t about black or white; it was about the ability to convey one’s individual humanity and experience in such a way that it could be felt on a deep, universal level that transcends our self-imposed barriers. In my world, this is the man whose likeness should be added to Mt. Rushmore, despite his lack of presidential credentials. On second thought, strike that. Brother Ray deserves his own damn mountain.
--Reggie Collins, Researcher, Operations & Release Planning Rhino Records
I remember meeting Ray Charles on a Saturday morning at his RPM International studio on Washington Blvd.
The previous day I had taken possession of Ray's complete master reels from the Atlantic tape library, which were sent from Manhattan. It was my great responsibility and honor to deliver these reels, which were to be incorporated into Ray's personal tape vault.
I arrived and pushed the backdoor buzzer, when, to my surprise, it was Ray himself who appeared at the door, in his stocking feet.
After carefully hoofing the boxes up the steep stairs, around a few tight turns, it became rather obvious the only folks in the building were Ray and myself. I recall it being a warm day and the studio air was stuffy. I thought to myself, that's why he wasn't wearing shoes.
Ray returned to stand behind the massive mixing board in the center of the room, with his coffee cup (a large beer stein) set exactly where he had left it, as I unloaded the reels.
I somewhat nervously began a conversation with him. "What happened to your shoes, Ray?"
Without missing a beat, he replied, "Man, don't you know nothin' 'bout recording?!" Then, almost whispering, his mouth curled with his trademark grin, he said "I don't want the sound of my shoes hitting the floor to be heard on the tape."
"Now, what do you have there?"
I begin to read song titles off the tape boxes -- familiar titles that we shared like a common friend we both knew and loved -- when I come across a label dated 5/10/53. Ray said, "Hand that to me." He slid down into his office chair and rolled backwards, snagging the box from me. He pulled out the tape and spooled it on a reel-to-reel machine behind him in seconds flat.
There was a moment of silence as the leader passed over the playback head. Then, we were transported back in time, to a rehearsal session with Ahmet Ertegun in New York forty-six years earlier.
What can I say? It was a thrilling moment, certainly a life-long memory, underscored only by the incredible joy of watching and listening to Ray sing along.
As I later read aloud more song titles, we came across an Atlantic “45 RPM comp” tape of Ray and other label artists grafted onto a 12-inch reel, I mentioned a song title there by LaVern Baker. Ray began to sing a couple verses and the chorus of "Tweedlee Dee."
Yep, that's right -- I'm a lucky so-and-so.
With the greatest respect for the real deal, thank you, Ray Charles.
-- Michael Johnson
Co-Reissue Producer of The Complete Country And Western Recordings 1959-86
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