Ray Charles

Actor · 1930–2004 · Albany, Georgia, USA

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?"

Acted in 14

2000s

2000
Blue's Big Musical Movie
G-Clef (voice)

1990s

1996
Spy Hard
Busdriver
38
1994
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
Movie
1993
The Nanny
Sammy · 4 episodes
74
The John Larroquette Show
Ray Charles · 1 episode
71
1990
Lennon: A Tribute
Movie
Wings
Ray Charles · 1 episode
72

1980s

1989
Limit Up
Julius
Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
Ray Charles
1985
Moonlighting
Ray Charles · 1 episode
76
1984
Who's the Boss?
Ray Charles · 1 episode
68
1982
St. Elsewhere
Arthur Tibbits · 1 episode
73
1980
The Blues Brothers
Ray
73

1970s

1975
The Smothers Brothers Show
TV

Sound 4

2020s

2024
CATFISH
Music

1960s

1968
Albert, the Rockefeller
Theme Song Performance
72
1967
In the Heat of the Night
Vocals
82
1962
Cosmic Ray
Music

Appearances99

2020s

2025
Quincy Jones, Music Man
Self (archive footage)
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self (archive footage)
85
Merci Dorothée !
Self (archive footage)
2024
The Greatest Night in Pop
Self (archive footage)
84
2023
They All Came Out to Montreux
Self (archive footage)
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
Self (archive footage)
82
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2022
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self (archive footage)
79
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
2021
Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
Self (archival footage)

2010s

2014
Face of Unity
Self
2013
Cachitos de hierro y cromo
Self (archive footage) · 1 episode
2011
Ray Charles - Live in France 1961
Self

2000s

2009
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Self (archive footage)
2008
Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 1997
Self
Jazz Evolution
Self - Piano, Vocals
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
Self
2007
Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
Self
Rolling With the Blues
Self (archive footage)
Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
Self
Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans
Self
Fats and Friends
Self
2006
Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia
Self
Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
Self
Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
Self
2005
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
Self (archive footage)
Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
Self · 6 episodes
2004
Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963
Self
Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land
Self
Tom Dowd & The Language of Music
Self
Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues
Self (archive footage)
Rockin' Pianos
Self
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
2003
Piano Blues
Self
The Blues
Self · 1 episode
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
Self
2002
The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
Self
CMT Crossroads
Self · 1 episode
Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival
Self
2001
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Self
83
Star Academy
Self · 1 episode
41
Ray Charles - In Concert
Self
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)

1990s

1998
Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years
Self
1995
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
Self - Performer
1994
The World of Jim Henson
Self (archive footage)
Love Affair
Self
51
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
Self (archive footage)
1993
Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration
Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror")
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
Self
1991
Montreux Jazz Festival 1991
Self
1990
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Self
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
Self