Ray Charles (musician, born 1918) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ray Charles
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Charles in 1975
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Raymond Offenberg |
| Born | September 13, 1918 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | April 6, 2015 (aged 96) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter, arranger, conductor |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1942–2015 |
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Ray Charles (born Charles Raymond Offenberg; September 13, 1918 – April 6, 2015) was an American musician. He was a singer, songwriter, and conductor. Ray Charles was best known for leading the Ray Charles Singers. This group was famous for singing on Perry Como's TV shows. They also made many record albums in the 1950s and 1960s.
Ray Charles also sang the theme song for the TV show Three's Company. He wrote a popular song called "Fifty Nifty United States." This song helps kids learn the states in alphabetical order. He also wrote "Letters, We Get Letters" for Perry Como's show. Later, this song was used on the Late Show with David Letterman. In his later years, he helped with music for TV shows. He worked on the Kennedy Center Honors for over 30 years.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Ray Charles was born Charles Raymond Offenberg. When he was 13, he won a singing contest in Chicago. At 16, he had his own radio show. He also won a scholarship to a music college. After college, he met Norman Luboff, another future music director. They became lifelong friends. In 1936, he joined a show called O Say Can You Sing. He even shared a dressing room with young Buddy Rich.
In 1942, Charles moved to New York City. He started working as a singer on radio shows. By 1944, he was on 10 radio shows each week. He became an arranger for a vocal group called the Double Daters. They sang in a style called close harmony.
In May 1944, Charles Raymond Offenberg changed his name to Ray Charles. This happened years before the famous rhythm and blues singer Ray Charles started recording.
Later in 1944, he joined the United States Navy. He helped create a new music library for the WAVE choruses. He trained groups of 80 women to sing. These "Singing Platoons" performed on the radio and at events. He also led the band for their weekly CBS radio shows.
After leaving the Navy in 1946, Charles continued singing on radio. He also sang on many record dates. In 1947, he became the conductor for the Broadway show Finian's Rainbow. He conducted the original cast recording.
Working with Perry Como
Ray Charles first worked with Perry Como in 1948. He arranged music for a vocal group called the Satisfiers. This group performed on Como's radio show. From 1949 to 1951, Charles was a choral arranger for The Big Show. This was a big radio variety show. He also sang and wrote themes for other radio programs.
Television Success
In 1950, Ray Charles became the arranger for the Hit Paraders. This was the choral group on the show Your Hit Parade. He worked on this show for seven years. He did not get on-screen credit for this work. This was because the show's sponsor was a competitor of Perry Como's sponsor.
For the next 35 years, the Ray Charles Singers were a regular part of Perry Como's TV show. This was a very busy time for Charles. He worked on top TV variety shows, made records, and created commercial jingles. In 1955, The Perry Como Show became an hour-long program.
The Ray Charles Singers
In June 1959, the Ray Charles Singers started recording albums. Perry Como gave them their name. They created a new, softer sound in music. This style became known as "easy listening."
In 1964, Charles heard a Mexican song called "Cuando Calienta el Sol." He liked it and recorded it in English. The English title was "Love Me with All Your Heart." This song became a big hit, reaching number 3 on the Billboard charts. Another popular song was "Al Di La."
The Ray Charles Singers were not always the same group of people. Different singers performed on records, tours, and TV shows. What made them the "Ray Charles Singers" was Ray Charles's conducting and arranging. He usually recorded with 20 singers. These singers also appeared on Perry Como's TV show. The Ray Charles Singers also sang for many commercial jingles.
Charles also created a "live" performing group. This group toured with Perry Como. They performed in Las Vegas and other places.
Later Career
Ray Charles also worked on movies like Funny Lady. The TV industry started moving to Los Angeles. So, in 1968, Charles and his family moved there. He produced a Bing Crosby TV special. He also worked on The Hollywood Palace. He continued to work with Perry Como on his TV specials.
Charles wrote and arranged music for The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. In 1971, he suggested that the other Ray Charles (the rhythm and blues singer) perform "America the Beautiful" on the show. Also that year, Charles wrote music for the first Julie Andrews TV special.
Charles became a music expert for the TV show Sha Na Na. He helped guide the show for three seasons. His son, Jonathan, and daughter, Wendy, also worked on the show. Ray Charles sang the theme song for Three's Company with Julia Rinker.
The Muppets and Kennedy Center
Ray Charles also went to London to help with The Muppet Show. He wrote special music for stars like Carol Burnett. He worked with Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog. Charles shared an office with Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets. Charles thought Henson was a "genius."
For 32 years, from 1982 to 2014, Charles was the music consultant for the Kennedy Center Honors. He also worked on the "Fourth of July" and "Memorial Day" concerts on PBS.
Ray Charles won two Emmy Awards for his music. His song "Fifty Nifty United States" is now a popular song for school choirs. He often joked that he was "the other Ray Charles" to avoid confusion with the famous blues singer. He even worked with the blues singer sometimes.
For his 90th birthday, Ray Charles gave a concert. He showed his singing talent by performing songs from World War II.
Death
Ray Charles died from cancer on April 6, 2015. He was 96 years old. He passed away in Beverly Hills, California. He was survived by his two sons, Michael and Jonathan. His wife, Bernice, and daughter, Wendy, had passed away earlier.
Before he died, Charles gave his personal papers to the Great American Songbook Foundation. These papers included his music arrangements for the Kennedy Center Honors.
Awards
- 1970–71 Television Academy Award Lyrics and Special Material "The First Nine Months are the Hardest"
- 1971–72 Television Academy Award Lyrics and Special Material "The Funny Side of Marriage"
- 2004 Irwin Kostal Tribute Award from ASMAC.
- 2012 Honored as a Broadcasting Legend by the Pacific Pioneers.
- 2013 Foundation Life in Music Award from ASCAP.
Images for kids
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Charles in 1975
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Charles in 2013
