Ray Charles (1930-2004) is a renowned singer who pioneered soul music in the 1950s. Charles lost his eyesight by the age of seven due to glaucoma. He was sent to the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine where he learned to read and write music in braille. There he also learned to play clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, organ and piano. Through ABC Records he released his “Modern Sounds” album which incorporated R&B, soul, country and blues. With this record deal, Charles became one of the first black artists to be granted artistic control by a major record company. During his distinguished career, Charles earned the nickname “The Father of Soul.”
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