Personal+Life

** Biography of Ray Charles. ** ​ Ray Charles was the son of Baliey Robinson and Aretha. He was born September 23, 1930 in Albany Georgia. When Ray was an infant his family moved from his home town Albany Georgia to a poor black community of Jellyroll in [|Greenville, Florida]. At the age of seven gradually began to lose sight. Even though he had a hard life he said it was a good one. He was an orphan as a teenager. He was interested in music ever sense a young boy. He was educated at school to learn music. While in school he played the piano, sax, trumpet, organ, and clarinet. At the age of seven he became a charity student at the state supported school for deaf in St. Augustine, Florida. He was influenced by [|Artie Shaw] clarinetist, pianists [|Duke Ellington] and Count Baise, jazz piano [|Art Tatum], and vocalist [|Louis Jordan]. Many of his songs were reflections of his failed relationships.

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By Kady Ridgway