
Ray Charles
Department: Acting
Biography
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?"
Known For

The Blues Brothers
1980

The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
1990

Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris
1968

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
2023

The Beatles Forever
1977

Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 1997
2008

Piano Greats at the BBC
2022

Ballad in Blue
1965

Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival
2002

The Big T.N.T. Show
1965

Piano Blues
2003

Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963
2004

Ray Charles - In Concert
2001

I Love Quincy
1984

Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
2003

Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia
2006

Blue's Big Musical Movie
2000

Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
2007

Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
1988

Rat Pack
2022

The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
2005

The Greatest Night in Pop
2024

Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
1989

Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
1995

Quincy Jones...The First 50 Years
1998

The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki
1987

2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2022

Rockin' Pianos
2004

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022

Face of Unity
2014

Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony
1981

They All Came Out to Montreux
2023

Spy Hard
1996

NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
1978

Tom Dowd & The Language of Music
2004

Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
2007

Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans
2007

TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004

Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments
1973

Jazz Evolution
2008

Limit Up
1989

Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
1990

Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me
1979

Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues
2004

Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra
2012

Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
2006

The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
2002

Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
2008

Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land
2004

Montreux Jazz Festival 1991
1991

Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
2006

Ray Charles - Live in France 1961
2011

The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
1986

We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
1985

The World of Jim Henson
1994

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
2001

Swingin' Along
1961

The Statue of Liberty
1985

Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
1993

The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
2001

The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001

Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival
1980

Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company
2004

Billy Joel: Building the Bridge
1986

Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994

Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul
1983

John Schneider: Back Home
1980

Lynda Carter's Celebration
1981

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
1994

The Second Barry Manilow Special
1978

Love Affair
1994

O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
2009

Hallelujah Gospel
1983

Merci Dorothée !
2025

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025

Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
2021

Fats and Friends
2007

Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
2023

Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer
—

Quincy Jones | Music Man
2025

Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
1993

Rolling With the Blues
2007

St. Elsewhere
1982

Who's the Boss?
1984

The Nanny
1993

Moonlighting
1985

Wings
1990

The Hollywood Palace
1964

Shindig!
1964

The Johnny Cash Show
1969

The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
1969

The Flip Wilson Show
1970

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956

Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
1980

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962

Victoires de la musique
1985

The Kennedy Center Honors
1978

Cher
1975

The Blues
2003

Saturday Night Live
1975

The Midnight Special
1972

Cachitos de hierro y cromo
2013

The Ed Sullivan Show
1948

Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
2005

Bio’s Bahnhof
1978

Musikladen
1972

CMT Crossroads
2002

The Carol Burnett Show
1967

The John Larroquette Show
1993

Champs-Elysées
1982

The Dick Cavett Show
1968

Star Academy
2001

Le monde est à vous
1987

Kraft Music Hall
1958

The Mike Douglas Show
1961

Téléthon
1987

Sacrée Soirée
1987

Super Dave
1987

The Smothers Brothers Show
1975

Saturday Live
1996

Unsere kleine Show - Musik zur blauen Stunde
1969