Uh Huh! The Story Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles Robinson was born to a poor single mother trying to scratch out a living from the tough red clay of the Florida Panhandle. Though just a teenager herself, Retha Robinson raised her son to be brave and independent. The family was crushed by the drowning death of younger brother George when Ray was just five years old, then further challenged when Ray went blind shortly after his brother's death. When Ray was fifteen, Retha died, leaving the fiercely independent young man to make a living entertaining audiences he couldn't see. Ray soon tired of being pigeonholed as a blind boy with a cute Nat "King" Cole impersonation. He began experimenting with his natural singing voice, influenced by music from his rural Southern boyhood. This new sound would slingshot its owner to stardom, making him one of the most popular entertainers of our time. But there was a downside to fame, as Charles struggled to beat drug addiction and fathered a number of children outside his marriage. His womanizing eventually led to divorce, but from behind his trademark sunglasses, the man hailed as the genius of soul proved to be an unstoppable force. The winner of twenty Grammy Awards and the subject of a recent film biography, Ray Charles will always be remembered for the way he loved to play. Book jacket.Duggleby, John is the author of 'Uh Huh! The Story Of Ray Charles', published 2005 under ISBN 9781931798655 and ISBN 1931798656.