Brother Ray hits the road
Ray Charles is dead at 73.
Ray Charles was a genius. His combination of blues, soul, gospel, jazz, swing, and barrelhouse piano was his alone, and although he is remembered best as a hacky spokesman for Diet Pepsi, he was a giant among giants. Nobody put the various threads of American music together like he did, especially not as early, and though he shied away from the spotlight in his last years, his live performances remained heartstoppers.
Man, I hate it when this happens.
Posted by
Johno
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J,
J,
I saw RC one time, at the Calvin, about 3 years ago. His band did all the heavy lifting, and we only got about 40 minutes out of him.
But damn, 40 swinging minutes.
I had no idea he was so small. He was escorted out of course, and led to the piano, but he also needed someone to lean on. A literal crutch. So old, and small. And I felt almost guilty for aminute, like I made this old man get out of bed and come way up here to please me because I bought tickets.
Best remembered as a shill for Pepsi...? Ouch. Did snark fluid from other ideas leak under your cerebral partition and make this post wet?
GL, the snark was fully
GL, the snark was fully intentional. It's no reflection on him that most people only know him because he sighed a contract to promote Pepsi. It's a reflection on the sad fact that one of America's most original, pioneering, iconic, and important musical figures spent the last twenty years of his life in the public eye selling sugar water.
Gotcha.
Gotcha.
Now, sugar water.... might be the kernel of a tune with a Ray Charles delivery there...
"Sweet sweet sugah watah..."