Today we honor the life of a man whose genius knew no boundaries. A man who pioneered the spirit of America in a way that few other people ever have or ever will. A man who, despite hardship, overcame obstacles to rise to the top of his game; heralded by many as one of the best that ever came along.
There's a few of you who know him only by commercial advertisements that he did. Or maybe you saw him on the television you watched growing up; silently and subtly tackling domestic issues with a grace and dignity few people can measure up to. He endured it all... and despite the constrictions life dealt him...he played a full hand up until his last days.
Of course I'm talking about the one, the only, Ray Charles. He changed the course of soul music with his...no...strike that...he MADE soul music what it was today. He didn't change anything about soul music, because he's one of the few (along with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and maybe King Curtis) who set the course and blazed the paths so many followed in the decades to come. No style was safe from the Genius' path: Jazz, Soul, Country, Blues and Gospel were all directions he explored; everything he touched had his signature wispy, passionate vocal delivery stamped right smack in the mix.
One of my earliest memories of Ray Charles has to be watching the Muppets show, listening to Ray duet with Kermit the Frog on "It Ain't Easy Bein' Green". Of course back then I had no idea how much weight that song carried, but listening to it now I can't believe how much brilliance is packed into that one little song.
But to say that this Muppets spot, his rendition of "Georgia On My Mind" or the Diet Pepsi ads that were burned into the consciousness of a mass television audience were the sole (no pun intended) contributions of this man to the American history and culture is doing him a severe disservice. For an all too brief but thorough survey of his career, check Rhino's Ultimate Hits Collection.
So today many Americans are observing a day of mourning and rememberance for a legend, pioneer and briliant man. It's just a damn shame that they're so transfixed on the wrong one.