Ray Charles

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?"

Known For

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Saturday Night Live

The Mike Douglas Show

The Nanny

Wings

St. Elsewhere

Moonlighting

Sacrée soirée

All Movies (82)

• Quincy Jones, Music Man2025 · as Self (archive footage)
• Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music2025 · as Self (archive footage)
• Merci Dorothée !2025 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Greatest Night in Pop2024 · as Self (archive footage)
• They All Came Out to Montreux2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan2023 · as Self (archive footage)
• Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love2023 · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• Piano Greats at the BBC2022 · as Self (archive footage)
• 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony2022 · as Self (archive footage)
• Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues2022 · as Self (archive footage)
• Rat Pack2022 · as Self (archive footage)
• Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres2021 · as Self (archival footage)
• Face of Unity2014 · as Self
• Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra2012 · as Self
• Ray Charles - Live in France 19612011 · as Self
• O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar2009 · as Self (archive footage)
• Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 19972008 · as Self
• Jazz Evolution2008 · as Self - Piano, Vocals
• Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On2008 · as Self
• Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built2007 · as Self
• Rolling With the Blues2007 · as Self (archive footage)
• Glen Campbell | Good Times Again2007 · as Self
• Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans2007 · as Self
• Fats and Friends2007 · as Self
• Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia2006 · as Self
• Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir2006 · as Self
• Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 19762006 · as Self
• The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music2005 · as Self (archive footage)
• Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 19632004 · as Self
• Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land2004 · as Self
• Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company2004 · as Self
• Tom Dowd & The Language of Music2004 · as Self
• Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues2004 · as Self (archive footage)
• Rockin' Pianos2004 · as Self
• TV in Black: The First Fifty Years2004 · as Self (archive footage)
• Piano Blues2003 · as Self
• Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'2003 · as Self
• The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles2002 · as Self
• Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival2002 · as Self
• Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration2001 · as Self
• Ray Charles - In Concert2001 · as Self
• The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 12001 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 22001 · as Self (archive footage)
• Blue's Big Musical Movie2000 · as G-Clef (voice)
• Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years1998 · as Self
• Spy Hard1996 · as Busdriver
• Sinatra: 80 Years My Way1995 · as Self - Performer
• The World of Jim Henson1994 · as Self (archive footage)
• Love Affair1994 · as Self
• Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!1994 · as Self (archive footage)
• Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice1994
• Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration1993 · as Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror")
• Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O1993 · as Self
• Montreux Jazz Festival 19911991 · as Self
• The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson1990 · as Self
• Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones1990 · as Self
• Limit Up1989 · as Julius
• Legends of Rock 'n' Roll1989 · as Ray Charles
• Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration1988 · as Self
• The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki1987 · as Self
• Billy Joel: Building the Bridge1986 · as Self
• The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years1986 · as Self (archive footage)
• The Statue of Liberty1985 · as Self - Composer
• We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song1985 · as Self
• I Love Quincy1984 · as Self
• Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul1983 · as Ray Charles
• Hallelujah Gospel1983 · as Self
• Lynda Carter's Celebration1981 · as Self
• Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony1981 · as Self
• John Schneider: Back Home1980 · as Self
• Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival1980 · as Self
• The Blues Brothers1980 · as Ray
• Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me1979 · as Self
• NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney1978 · as Self
• The Second Barry Manilow Special1978 · as Self
• The Beatles Forever1977 · as Self
• Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments1973 · as Self
• Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris1968 · as Self
• The Big T.N.T. Show1965 · as Self
• Ballad in Blue1965 · as Self
• Swingin' Along1961 · as Self
• Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer— · as Self (archive footage)

All TV Shows (39)

• Cachitos de hierro y cromo2013 · as Self (archive footage)
• Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music2005 · as Self
• The Blues2003 · as Self
• CMT Crossroads2002 · as Self
• Star Academy2001 · as Self
• Saturday Live1996 · as Self
• The Nanny1993 · as Sammy
• The John Larroquette Show1993 · as Ray Charles
• Wings1990 · as Ray Charles
• Téléthon1987 · as Self
• Super Dave1987 · as Self
• Le monde est à vous1987 · as Self (archive footage)
• Sacrée soirée1987 · as Self
• Victoires de la musique1985 · as Self
• Moonlighting1985 · as Ray Charles
• Who's the Boss?1984 · as Ray Charles
• St. Elsewhere1982 · as Arthur Tibbits
• Champs-Elysées1982 · as Self
• Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters1980 · as Self
• The Kennedy Center Honors1978 · as Self
• Bio’s Bahnhof1978 · as Self
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host & Musical Guest
• Cher1975 · as Self
• The Smothers Brothers Show1975
• Musikladen1972 · as Self
• The Midnight Special1972 · as Self
• The Flip Wilson Show1970 · as Self
• The Johnny Cash Show1969 · as Self
• The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour1969 · as Self
• Unsere kleine Show - Musik zur blauen Stunde1969 · as Self
• The Dick Cavett Show1968 · as Self - Guest
• The Carol Burnett Show1967 · as Self - Guest
• Shindig!1964 · as Self - Singer
• The Hollywood Palace1964 · as Self - Singer
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1962 · as Self
• The Mike Douglas Show1961 · as Self - Co-Host
• Kraft Music Hall1958 · as Self
• The Dinah Shore Chevy Show1956 · as Self
• The Ed Sullivan Show1948 · as Self