Charles, Ray
From Astro-Databank
| Name |
| ||
| Birthname | Robinson, Ray Charles | ||
| born on | 23 September 1930 | ||
| Place | Albany GA, USA, 31n34, 84w09 | ||
| Timezone | CST h6w (is standard time) | ||
| Data source |
| ||
| Astrology data |   or  
|
Biography
American musician, a singer, composer and pianist, a 12-time Grammy winner. Blind from age six, assumed from glaucoma, he was orphaned at 15 when his mother died in 1946. He attended a school in which the black and white kids were segregated in spite of the fact that they could not see each other's skin color. He remembered his mom's voice, "You're blind, you ain't dumb. You lost your sight, not your mind," and he learned to do everything for himself, including walking the streets of New York. An R&B singer among the finest, he was an outstanding performer and recording artist.
Charles moved to Los Angeles in 1950 and began his professional recording career, signing his contract with Atlantic Records in 1952. In 1954, he formed his own band and a year later topped the charts for a single in the R&B category. His long career, in which he fused rhythm and blues, gospel, rock, and jazz brought many rewards and awards.
In 1964 he was arrested on heroin charges and he checked into a rehab center in California. Despite his blindness, he loved playing chess.
Charles had three marriages; twelve kids with as many as seven women. In December 2003, he underwent hip replacement surgery, after which he was diagnosed with acute liver disease.
The much-acclaimed musician died at age 73 on Thursday, June 10, 2004 at 11:35 AM local time in Beverly Hills, California, his publicist said. The cause was of complications from liver disease.
Events
- Health : Medical diagnosis 1936 (Glaucoma)
- Health : Medical procedure December 2003 (hip replacement surgery)
- Death by Disease 10 June 2004 at 11:35 AM in Beverly Hills, CA (acute liver disease, age 73)
- Health : Medical diagnosis December 2003 (acute liver disease)
- Death of Mother 1946 (he was orphaned at 15)
- Family : Change residence 1950 (moved to Los Angeles)
- Work : Contracts, agreements 1952 (signed with Atlantic Records)
- Social : Institutionalized - prison, hospital 1964 (entered rehab for heroin use)
Source Notes
Date from news clips; time unknown
Categories
- Traits : Body : Race (Black)
- Traits : Body : Hair (White by his 60's)
- Vocation : Entertain/Music : Instrumentalist (Piano and vocals)
- Diagnoses : Body Part Problems : Bone (hip replacement)
- Personal : Death : Illness/ Disease (liver disease)
- Diagnoses : Body Part Problems : Liver/Pancreas/Spleen (liver disease)
- Diagnoses : Body Part Problems : Eyes (blind)
- Family : Childhood : Family traumatic event (blind at age 6, orphaned at 15)
- Vocation : Entertain/Music : Composer/ Arranger
- Vocation : Entertain/Music : Jazz (blues)
- Family : Parenting : Kids more than 3 (Twelve)
- Diagnoses : Psychological : Abuse Drugs (Heroin, rehab)
