Ray Charles

Then Ray moved into the company ABC Records (also known as ABC Paramount). There he received a great creative freedom, and began to expand his approach to music, but did not participate in the pilot projects, and began to write songs in the style of pop. As a result, came out of his hits such as «Unchain My Heart», «You Are My Sunshine», «Hit The Road Jack». At the same time, was issued one of his most famous songs «Georgia On My Mind» (sometimes mistakenly called a «Georgia In My Mind»). In 1962, he was surprised by his, now a much wider audience, issuing the album «Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music», which included hits such as «I Can't Stop Loving You» and «You Don't Know Me ». Ray his album entered the circulation of music country, at that time was unimaginable for a black musician. Ray life spoke against racism and racial segregation - for example, in 1961, he even canceled a concert in Augusta, Georgia, protesting the racial segregation - during his concert, it was assumed that black and white viewers had to sit separately. Some sources erroneously suggest that during the 20 years he was forbidden to speak in Georgia, in fact such a ban was not - Ray just did not go there. The next day after the assassination of John F. Kennedy Ray released the single «Busted» (Degraded) - the so-Ray pomyanul end his anti-racist policies. He also actively supported and financed the work of Martin Luther King.

In 1965, in Boston, Ray was arrested for possession of heroin and marijuana. From Heroin musician was dependent for 17 years. Ray first began using drugs at the age of 16. This effect for many years as a career, and in the privacy of a musician - it was, as he put it, «monkey on my back». Already for the third time in Ray found drugs - first cocaine and marijuana, then heroin, but Ray and this time escaped imprisonment. The first time the police found drugs in his hotel room as early as 1961, but has not been continued, because the police there was no search warrant. He received treatment for drug addiction in Los Andzhelesskoy clinic, and therefore did not receive a real term in prison, but only one year probation. After that, Ray finally threw drugs. As he explained later, «Sometimes I feel awful, but as soon as I went on stage and the band begins to play, I do not know why, but it seemed like an aspirin - you hurt, you have to take it and do not feel pain». Ray of drug dependence commonly appear in the film «Ray». All subsequent life Ray had opposed the drug. After he threw the drugs, and changed his musical style. He became closer to popular music, often use the string arrangements for his songs. It then started its cooperation with the group «Raelettes».

After the 60-ies of his music was taken by critics and listeners mixed - some songs were very popular, while others have remained unrecognized audience. At that time, he focused attention on the live shows. Known song of that period - «Georgia On My Mind», a song dedicated to the original Hogom Carmichael girl named Georgia. This song was soon declared a national anthem of Georgia (April 24, 1979), and Ray Charles performed it in the state legislature. Another of his song, «America the Beautiful», also had a tremendous success. Ray also took off in the episode of the film «The Blues Brothers» c Belhouchet John and Dan Ekroydom.