Thursday, June 10, 2004

Ray Charles
Ray Charles died this morning. To me, this is a far greater loss than Ronald Reagan. It's hard to overestimate the importance of a figure as iconic as Brother Ray. He influenced all of the Rock, R&B, and Soul that has happened since he first emerged as a star in the fifties. He recorded Jazz, Gospel, and Country. He won twelve Grammys. His "Sixty Minutes" interview is one of their most frequently repeated pieces. When Georgia changed their state anthem to a fifty year old song, "Georgia on My Mind," it was his version they had on their mind. He will be very sorely missed.

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