Ray Charles (Albany, 23 de Setembro de 1930 — Los Angeles, 10 de Junho de 2004) foi um pianista pioneiro e cantor de música soul que ajudou a definir o seu formato ainda no fim dos anos 50, além de um inovador intérprete de R&B.
O seu nome de nascimento era Ray Charles Robinson, mas ele encurtou-o quando entrou na indústria do entretenimento para evitar confusão com o famoso boxeador Sugar Ray Robinson.
Considerado um dos maiores génios da música negra americana, Ray Charles também foi um dos responsáveis pela introdução de ritmo gospel nas músicas de R&B.
Discografia:
The Atlantic years:
1957 Ray Charles
1957 The Great Ray Charles
1958 Yes Indeed!
1958 Soul Brothers (with Milt Jackson)
1959 Ray Charles at Newport
1959 What'd I Say
1959 The Genius of Ray Charles
1959 Ray Charles
1959 The Fabulous Ray Charles
1960 Ray Charles in Person
1961 The Genius Sings the Blues
1961 Soul Meeting (with Milt Jackson)
1961 The Genius After Hours
The ABC years:
1960 The Genius Hits the Road
1961 Dedicated to You
1961 Ray Charles and Betty Carter
1961 Genius + Soul = Jazz
1962 Ray Charles Greatest Hits
1962 Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
1962 Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music Volume Two
1963 Ingredients in a Recipe for Soul
1964 Sweet & Sour Tears
1964 Have a Smile with Me
1965 Live in Concert
1965 Together Again
1966 Crying Time
1966 Ray's Moods
1967 Invites You to Listen
1968 A Portrait of Ray
1968 I'm All Yours Baby!
1969 Doing His Thing
1970 Love Country Style
1970 My Kind of Jazz
1971 Volcanic Action of My Soul
1972 Through the Eyes of Love
1972 Jazz Number II
1973–2004:
1974 Come Live With Me 206
1975 Renaissance
1975 My Kind of Jazz Part 3
1975 Live in Japan
1976 Porgy and Bess (with Cleo Laine)
1977 True to Life
1978 Love & Peace
1979 Ain't It So
1980 Brother Ray Is At It Again
1983 Wish You Were Here Tonight
1984 Do I Ever Cross Your Mind
1984 Friendship
1985 The Spirit of Christmas
1986 From the Pages of My Mind
1988 Just Between Us
1990 Would You Believe
1993 My World
1996 Strong Love Affair
1996 Berlin '62
2002 Thanks for Bringing Love Around Again
2004 Genius Loves Company
2004 Ray Charles Celebrates a Gospel Christmas
2004 With the Voices of Jubilation
2004 Live at the Olympia, 2000
Álbuns postumos
2005 Genius & Friends
2006 Ray Sings, Basie Swings
2010 Rare Genius: The Undiscovered Masters
Compilações:
1961: Do the Twist! with Ray Charles (Atlantic)
1962: The Ray Charles Story, Volume One (Atlantic)
1962: The Ray Charles Story, Volume Two (Atlantic)
1963: The Ray Charles Story, Volume Three (Atlantic)
1964: The Ray Charles Story, Volume Four (Atlantic)
1967: A Man And His Soul (ABC)
1970: The Best of Ray Charles (Atlantic)
1971: A 25th Anniversary in Show Business Salute to Ray Charles (ABC / Atlantic)
1987: Ray Charles Live (Atlantic)
1988: Ray Charles Anthology (Rhino (ABC))
1989: Seven Spanish Angels and Other Hits (Columbia)
1991: The Birth of Soul (Atlantic)
1997: Genius and Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection (Rhino)
1997: The Complete Swing Time & Down Beat Recordings 1949-1952 (Night Train Int'l)
1999: Ultimate Hits Collection (Rhino (WEA))
2000: The Very Best of Ray Charles (Rhino (WEA))
2001: The Definitive Ray Charles (Rhino (WEA))
2003: Ray Charles In Concert (Rhino Handmade)
2005: Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1952–1959) (Atlantic)
2009: Genius! - The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection (Concord Records)
Filmografia:
FilmographySwingin' Along (1961)
Ballad in Blue (1964)
The Big T.N.T. Show (1966) (documentario)
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Who's The Boss (himself) 1987
Limit Up (1989)
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (1990) (documentario)
Love Affair (1994)
Spy Hard (1996)
The Nanny (1999) as Sammy
Adv. Super Dave (2000)
Blue's Big Musical Movie (2000)
Soul Deep
Música