Frank Sinatra called him "the only true genius in show business." Halls of Fame of the rock n 'roll, jazz, country and blues, Hall of Fame of the state of Georgia welcomed a truly great musician. 17 "Grammy" awards, recognition of the greatest in the history of music publications are on his account. His name is Ray Charles Robinson, known to most of us just as Ray Charles. His path to worldwide recognition was almost stopped by drugs.
Ray Charles, undoubtedly, one of the iconic figures in the music of the last century. His achievements are recognized by millions of fans and foes. His contribution to world music is too colossal for trying to highlight the most important ones. Once, Billy Joel, speaking of Charles, said: "This may sound blasphemous, but I think that Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I do not know if Ray was one of the founders of rock 'n' roll, but he definitely was the first in many things ... Who the hell ever mixed together so many styles, so much so that it worked? ".
However, the path of the great musician began in the thorns of the American heartland. He was born in a poor Afro-american family in the small town of Albany, Georgia. Shortly after his birth, his father left the family. His mother with two children moved to the village of Greenville, Florida. There the kid spent all his childhood, witnessing the death of his elder brother. After the tragedy, Ray's sight started falling sharply, and at the age of seven he was completely blind.
The first hints of a unique musical talent manifested when Ray was three years old, with the influence of the pharmacist who played the piano in the neighborhood. Ray went to school for the deaf and blind in St. Augustine in the same state of Florida. There he was taught Braille and whow to play on several musical instruments - piano, organ, saxophone, trombone and clarinet.
When Charles was fifteen, his mother died. He soon heared about the death of his father. He had to grow up quickly, to earn a living. Along with great music and new projects in the life of the young Ray came drugs. He first tried them in 16 years.
This passion always had a negative effect on his career and personal life. As he himself once said about drugs: "Monkey is on my back." In 1965 in Boston, Ray was arrested for keeping heroin and marijuana. For twenty years a great musician was addicted to them, but Ray managed to avoid prison.
For the first time drugs were found in Charles in 1961, but the case was suspended because the police had no search-warrant. However, the time came to the final decision - to stop using drugs. For this, he took a course of drug treatment in the Los Angeles clinic, and therefore was not set to jail for a long time, but only for one year probation. As Ray Charles said later: "Sometimes I felt terrible, but as soon as I stepped on the stage and the band started playing, I do not know why, but it seemed like aspirin - it hurts, you take it and do not feel pain."
After Ray Charles stoped using drugs, his career thrived. He performed at the opening of the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Bill Clinton's inauguration, and in 2003 in Los Angeles, Ray Charles played his concert of ten thousand people attending.
The Great Ray Charles passed away in '73, the cause of death was cancer. Until the end of his life the greatest musician of the twentieth century was fighting against drugs.
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