Saturday, September 24, 2011

Happy Birthday Ray Charles: September 23



Ray Charles (1930-2004) was born 80 years ago yesterday on September 23, 1930. In the video above, Ray performs "Drown in My Own Tears" with full orchestra and the Raylettes at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960 when he was 29 years old. From the comments at YouTube:

"Nobody can sing the Blues slower than the Genius. He wipes you out emotionally."

"Around the 3:30 mark.... it occurred to me that this was the heaviest thing to ever go down in the history of mankind. ....mindblown."

"This is perhaps THE greatest blues recording of the fifties and sixties. Every other artist shrinks in comparison."

5 Comments:

At 9/24/2011 10:54 AM, Blogger Benjamin Cole said...

Mercy, mercy, mercy, what a song and performer.

Question: Why have American blacks gone from performing the world's best popular music then, to the worst now?

 
At 9/24/2011 11:56 AM, Blogger Buddy R Pacifico said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 9/24/2011 12:03 PM, Blogger Buddy R Pacifico said...

I really enjoyed the performance. Thanks Professor. Happy Birthday Mr. Charles.

 
At 9/24/2011 5:35 PM, Blogger Fred Dent said...

I miss Ray. One of my all time favorites.

 
At 9/28/2011 4:38 AM, Blogger OBloodyHell said...

If you head over to YouTube, you'll find the followup song to this was the pace-wise diametrically opposed "What'd I Say?". You can even see the backup singers walk off the stage as they start doing at the very end of this.

He went from this very slow piece to the exact opposite speed.

>>>> Question: Why have American blacks gone from performing the world's best popular music then, to the worst now?

They haven't, just some of the lamer ones have gotten feted and pushed by idiots to make them pop stars.

There are still plenty of talented black people out there, and you can find them if you look for them in any time period.

 

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