RAY CHARLES Inducted 1986 Influenced by a wide range of musical styles, including blues, boogie-woogie, big-band swing, gospel and country Early style was influenced by the polished style of Nat “King” Cole and Charles Brown – marked by restraint in vocals, piano playing, and arrangement Signed with upstart independent record label Atlantic Records in 1952

ATLANTIC RECORDS Achieved success at Atlantic during the late- 1950s: “I Got a Woman,” “Hallelujah I Love Her So,” “Drown in My Own Tears,” “What’d I Say.” Atlantic showcased Charles’ new sound - performing gospel songs as if they were rhythm and blues songs This style would be known as SOUL MUSIC

FROM GOSPEL TO SOUL Call-and-response Emotional lyric style Energetic boogie woogie piano line Dynamic (rather than static) chord progressions Punctuated horn arrangements Adding secular lyrics to gospel hymns

RAY CHARLES’ GOSPEL INFLUENCES “This Little Light of Mine” Clara Ward & the Ward Singers (1952) “This Little Girl of Mine” (1955) “Lonely Avenue” (1956) “How Jesus Died” The Pilgrim Travelers (1956) “I Got a Woman” 1954 “It Must Be Jesus” The Southern Tones (1954)