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| The Person: Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.” Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?" The Movie: Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award (OSCAR) for Best Actor for his performance. Ray Charles was set to attend an opening of the completed film, but he died before its premiere. --- Born on a sharecropping plantation in Northern Florida, Ray Charles Robinson went blind at the age of seven. Inspired by a fiercely independent mother who insisted he make his own way in the world, Charles found his calling and his gift behind a piano keyboard. Touring across the Southern musical circuit, the soulful singer gained a reputation and then exploded with worldwide fame when he pioneered incorporating gospel, country, jazz and orchestral influences into his inimitable style. As he revolutionized the way people appreciated music, he simultaneously fought segregation in the very clubs that launched him and championed artists’ rights within the corporate music business. The movie provides a portrait of Charles’ musical genius as he overcomes drug addiction while transforming into one of his country’s most beloved performers. --- The film is a trip down the rabbit hole into the life of a legendary American icon whose career had a tremendous impact on musicians of all ages, races, and musical persuasions. “Ray” chronicles Ray Charles’ journey from a poor Southern boy raised by a hard-working single mother, to the man who would develop a style imitated but not improved upon to this day. Ray Charles' youth was filled with tragedy, from watching his younger brother drown to losing his sight at the age seven. His no-nonsense mother taught him to take care of himself and not to depend on anyone for help. Ray grew up strong and independent, and his passion for music, which was a strong influence in his life before the loss of his eyesight, never faded. As a teenager, Ray set out on his own shortly after his mother’s death and made his way across the United States from Florida to Seattle. Soon after arriving in Seattle, Ray’s real journey to make a name for himself began. And the rest, as they say, is music history. The film exposes Ray Charles’ darker side and puts his private demons on public display. A habitual womanizer addicted to heroin, Charles’ life is shown without passing judgment but with every wart probed and examined. It’s a brutally honest look at a side of the man many fans, myself included, may have been totally oblivious to. --- Awards recieved by the movie "Ray": * 77th Academy Awards (OSCARS): o Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) o Best Sound (Scott Millan, Greg Orloff, Bob Beemer and Steve Cantamessa) * American Cinema Editors: Best Edited Feature Film - Comedy or Musical (Paul Hirsch) * 58th BAFTA Awards: o Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) o Best Sound (Scott Millan, Greg Orloff, Bob Beemer and Steve Cantamessa) * Black Reel Awards: Best Film - Drama, Best Actor - Drama (Jamie Foxx), Best Supporting Actress (Sharon Warren), Best Breakthrough Performance (Sharon Warren), Best Screenplay (James L. White), Best Original Score (Ray Charles and Stephen Altman) * Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx), Best Supporting Actress (Sharon Warren) * Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx), Best Soundtrack * Florida Film Critics Circle: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) * 62nd Golden Globe Awards: o Best Actor - Comedy or Musical (Jamie Foxx) * Grammy Awards: o Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (Ray Charles) o Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media (Craig Armstrong) * Image Awards: Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (Jamie Foxx), Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (Kerry Washington), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Regina King) * Kansas City Film Critics Circle: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) * Las Vegas Film Critics Society: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) * London Film Critics Circle: Actor of the Year (Jamie Foxx) * Motion Picture Sound Editors: Best Sound Editing in Feature Film - Music - Musical (Curt Sobel [music editor]) * National Board of Review: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) * National Society of Film Critics: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) * Online Film Critics Society: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx), Best Supporting Actress (Sharon Warren) * Phoenix Film Critics Society: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx), Best Use of Previously Published or Recorded Music * PRISM Awards: Performance in a Feature Film (Jamie Foxx) * Satellite Awards: Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical (Jamie Foxx), Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Comedy or Musical (Regina King), Best Screenplay - Original (James L. White) * Screen Actors Guild: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Jamie Foxx) * Seattle Film Critics: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) * Southeastern Film Critics Association: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) * Vancouver Film Critics Circle: Best Actor (Jamie Foxx) |
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