Sheila Raye celebrates Fathers 82nd Birthday in hometown
Pianist/Singer/Composer/Arranger/Bandleader/Recording Artist/Philanthropist RAY CHARLES was born in ALBANY, GA, in 1930 and today would be celebrating his 82nd Birthday and daughter Sheila Raye Charles was in his hometown today celebrating her father and his legacy at THE ALBANY'S RAY CHARLES MUSIC FESTIVAL's Birthday Party Sunday at the Ray Charles Plaza in Albany, Georgia. Born RAY CHARLES ROBINSON , he lost his sight completely at age 7 due to Undiagnosed GLAUCOMA. As an adult, he dropped Robinson from his name to avoid confusion with World Champion Boxer RAY "SUGAR RAY" ROBINSON. Statue of RAY CHARLES in his native ALBANY, GA RAY CHARLES was a pioneer of SOUL Music during the 1950s by fusing JAZZ, R&B, BLUES, and GOSPEL into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. RAY CHARLES helped racially integrate COUNTRY & WESTERN and POP during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his M...