Ray Charles

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