Ray Charles's "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" is a landmark album from the Genius of Soul.
The album is composed of 12 country standards. Released in 1962, Charles, who helped patent soul music, jumped into a genre he was familiar with since growing up; listening to country tunes on the radio.
"Bye Bye Love" jump starts the album with a chorus of volume laden background singers to satisfy your ears. The songs smooth out before it gets back into the boogie with "Just a Little Lovin." "Born to Lose" is a beautiful rendition of the song that no other artist has come close to nailing it as good as Charles does. "Worried Mind" follows that same pattern.
Charles knew he was good and he fought to get the recognition and control that he wanted. He went as far as to be one of the first artists to own his own master copies of his recordings. He might not have been able to see with his eyes but his radar was sharp.
It is hard to compare Charles's career with other artists. He appeared at two presidential inaugurations in his lifetime. His hit, "I Got a Woman," brought him national exposure early in his career and he had numerous No. 1 hits all the way through.
This album gets back into motion at "Hey, Good Lookin" and closes peacefully with the bonus track, "That Lucky Old Sun," a painstakingly, stunning performance of a classic song that only a master could accomplish.
Ray Charles was a man who went through great ups and devastating downs. He had such a successful and long-spanning career that his name and his music have reached a legendary status. In the middle of his life, they called him a genius. By the end, he was a genius and a legend. Not too shabby.
Stefan Julian
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles's "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music" is a landmark album from the Genius of Soul.
The album is composed of 12 country standards. Released in 1962, Charles, who helped patent soul music, jumped into a genre he was familiar with since growing up; listening to country tunes on the radio.
"Bye Bye Love" jump starts the album with a chorus of volume laden background singers to satisfy your ears. The songs smooth out before it gets back into the boogie with "Just a Little Lovin." "Born to Lose" is a beautiful rendition of the song that no other artist has come close to nailing it as good as Charles does. "Worried Mind" follows that same pattern.
Charles knew he was good and he fought to get the recognition and control that he wanted. He went as far as to be one of the first artists to own his own master copies of his recordings. He might not have been able to see with his eyes but his radar was sharp.
It is hard to compare Charles's career with other artists. He appeared at two presidential inaugurations in his lifetime. His hit, "I Got a Woman," brought him national exposure early in his career and he had numerous No. 1 hits all the way through.
This album gets back into motion at "Hey, Good Lookin" and closes peacefully with the bonus track, "That Lucky Old Sun," a painstakingly, stunning performance of a classic song that only a master could accomplish.
Ray Charles was a man who went through great ups and devastating downs. He had such a successful and long-spanning career that his name and his music have reached a legendary status. In the middle of his life, they called him a genius. By the end, he was a genius and a legend. Not too shabby.
