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Ray Charles

National Portrait Gallery

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Object Details

Artist
Michel Salou, active mid 20th Century
Sitter
Ray Charles, 23 Sep 1930 - 10 Jun 2004
Exhibition Label
Blinded at five, singer-composer Ray Charles learned the rudiments of his musicianship at a school for the deaf and blind in his native Florida. In his early performing career, he modeled his style largely on singer Nat "King" Cole. By the early 1950s, however, he was developing his own original blend of blues and gospel that would lead to his first major hit recording, "I've Got a Woman," and ultimately make him the "father of soul music." The winner of eleven Grammy Awards and a Kennedy Center Honors award, Charles had many hits that have long since become classics of pop music, including "Georgia on My Mind" and "Hit the Road, Jack." He also exercised enormous influence on other performers, and many experts number him among the most important American musicians of his time.
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
c. 1961
Object number
NPG.2000.23
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Photograph
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
Image/Sheet: 17.9 x 23.9 cm (7 1/16 x 9 7/16")
Mat: 55.9 x 40.6 cm (22 x 16")
Place
France\Île-de-France\Ville de Paris, Départment de
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
National Portrait Gallery
Topic
Music\Musical instrument\Piano
Equipment\Sound Devices\Microphone
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Bench
Interior\Performing Arts
Ray Charles: Male
Ray Charles: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Composer
Ray Charles: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Singer
Ray Charles: Performing Arts\Performer\Musician\Pianist
Ray Charles: Society and Social Change\Physically disabled\Blind
Portrait
Record ID
npg_NPG.2000.23
Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)
Not determined
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4c70ba916-2e63-4a0c-b61b-2b937595a3fe

Related Content

  • Playing the Piano

  • The Blues

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IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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