Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.” Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?"
Filmography (120 titles)
9.0MovieQuincy Jones, Music Man
Self (archive footage) · 2025
7.8MovieLadies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self (archive footage) · 2025
7.2MovieMerci Dorothée !
Self (archive footage) · 2025
7.9MovieThe Greatest Night in Pop
Self (archive footage) · 2024
They All Came Out to Montreux
Self (archive footage) · 2023
6.8MovieSunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
Self (archive footage) · 2023
8.3MovieCarol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self (archive footage) (uncredited) · 2023
Piano Greats at the BBC
Self (archive footage) · 2022
8.2Movie2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self (archive footage) · 2022
6.5MovieLouis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self (archive footage) · 2022
9.0MovieRat Pack
Self (archive footage) · 2022
7.3MovieLike a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
Self (archival footage) · 2021
MovieFace of Unity
Self · 2014
7.7ShowCachitos de hierro y cromo
Self (archive footage) · 2013
Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra
Self · 2012
7.2MovieRay Charles - Live in France 1961
Self · 2011
MovieO Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Self (archive footage) · 2009
6.9MovieRay Charles: Live At Montreux 1997
Self · 2008
6.0MovieJazz Evolution
Self - Piano, Vocals · 2008
MovieRay Charles: The Legend Lives On
Self · 2008
7.0MovieAtlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
Self · 2007
MovieRolling With the Blues
Self (archive footage) · 2007
9.0MovieGlen Campbell | Good Times Again
Self · 2007
7.0MovieFats Domino: Walking to New Orleans
Self · 2007
9.0MovieFats and Friends
Self · 2007
MovieRay Charles: Live at the Olympia
Self · 2006
MovieRay Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
Self · 2006
MovieBurt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
Self · 2006
MovieThe Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
Self (archive footage) · 2005
8.0ShowSoul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
Self · 2005