One of the great voices of American music has gone silent. Ray Charles, surrounded by family and friends, passed away yesterday from complications related to liver disease. Charles' last public appearance was April 30 of this year with actors Cicely Tyson and Clint Eastwood, when his LA studio was declared a Los Angeles historic landmark. Charles is survived by 11 children, 20 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

From the LA Times Obituary:
During a career that spanned some 58 years, Charles earned 12 Grammy Awards. His hits included "What'd I Say," "I Got A Woman," "Born to Lose," "Hit the Road Jack", "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "America The Beautiful." Among the singer's most enduring musical recordings is his oft-played rendition of "Georgia on My Mind", which was adopted as that state's song.

From CNN
He knew his value, but played down his impact. "Music's been around a long time, and there's going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead," he told the Washington Post in 1983. "I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind. If it's a big record, that's the frosting on the cake, but music's the main meal."

Tura_Satana

Virginia Beach, VA

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 10:12 AM

Poo..

theangus

Raleigh, NC

January 2004

JUN 11, 2004 10:14 AM

odd, I submitted the same story but it didn't get accepted, why not??

relapsed_eric

Minneapolis, MN

February 2004

JUN 11, 2004 10:23 AM

we've all lost a brother now.

Motionboy

Vancouver, BC

January 2004

JUN 11, 2004 10:31 AM

sad news indeed...

Lain

Astoria, NY

April 2004

JUN 11, 2004 04:31 PM

Funny How I submited the same thing the second it came out.... beat me to it.. why i auta.....

Yeah. this sucks. two people.. regan and charles... whos next. and dont say bush!

Skeksi

Chicago, IL

December 2003

JUN 11, 2004 05:03 PM

im way more sad about this than ronnie.

relapsed_eric

Minneapolis, MN

February 2004

JUN 11, 2004 05:20 PM

Reagan died?

Black_Rider

United Kingdom

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 05:40 PM

Stranglewar said:
im way more sad about this than ronnie.

Infinately so.

amish_hitman

Asheville, NC

February 2004

JUN 11, 2004 05:44 PM

that is sad..because when someone like ray charles dies that special thing he contributed dies with him...we still have his music

Tura_Satana

Virginia Beach, VA

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 06:38 PM

timebomb said:
Reagan died?

Not the suicide girl.

JumpinJackShit

Las Vegas, NV

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 06:45 PM

This is truly a sad week for music. He did a string of shows here in Vegas at the Orleans last March... and I figured... "Well, I can't afford a ticket right now, but this is Las Vegas... he'll be back and I'll see him then" Bad move. I should have sold a CD or two so I could have seen this American legend.

Ayin

Chicago, IL

January 2003

JUN 11, 2004 08:50 PM

That really, really, really sucks ass...much more so than a lot of other things have sucked ass before: with out this guy, rock, soul and r&b music wouldn't exisit the same way they do now, and thats not even to mention his contrabutions to jazz, country and western, the American popular song book...I mean, you can pretty much put him up there with The Beatles, The Gershwin Bros., Louis Armstrong, Bob Marley....I mean, the true greats of twentieth century pop music.

[Edited on Jun 11, 2004 by deBreard]

AcidEvangelist

Minneapolis, MN

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 09:10 PM

Jimi Hendrix...Bob Marley...Marvin Gaye...Curtis Mayfield...Ray Charles...
The Band Upstairs keeps getting better and better... while we're stuck down
here with Eminem, Third Eye Blind, Hoobastank, Green Day etc.

emmagoldman

Detroit, MI

October 2003

JUN 12, 2004 07:55 AM

I loved his voice, I could listen for hours.

WelnTaod

Portland, OR

September 2003

JUN 12, 2004 08:14 AM

Some of my favorites somgs of Ray were his left of center covers... He had a version of "(It's Not Easy) Bein' Green" that still kills me. So, so sad.

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Venice, CA

June 2003

JUN 11, 2004 08:59 AM

Virginia Beach, VA

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 10:12 AM

theangus

Raleigh, NC

January 2004

JUN 11, 2004 10:14 AM

Minneapolis, MN

February 2004

JUN 11, 2004 10:23 AM

Vancouver, BC

January 2004

JUN 11, 2004 10:31 AM

Lain

Astoria, NY

April 2004

JUN 11, 2004 04:31 PM

Chicago, IL

December 2003

JUN 11, 2004 05:03 PM

Minneapolis, MN

February 2004

JUN 11, 2004 05:20 PM

United Kingdom

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 05:40 PM

Asheville, NC

February 2004

JUN 11, 2004 05:44 PM

Virginia Beach, VA

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 06:38 PM

Las Vegas, NV

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 06:45 PM

Ayin

Chicago, IL

January 2003

JUN 11, 2004 08:50 PM

Minneapolis, MN

March 2004

JUN 11, 2004 09:10 PM

Detroit, MI

October 2003

JUN 12, 2004 07:55 AM

Portland, OR

September 2003

JUN 12, 2004 08:14 AM