Ray Charles Interview

We just went to see "Ray" last week, (starring Jamie Foxx - nominated for Best Actor, Golden Globe), and I thought it timely to dig out my interview I had with Ray, back in 1976 for my college newspaper, the Western Courier . . . Here it is, in it's entirety from my backstage notes . . . Steve: "Where did it all begin?"
Ray: "I was 14, 15, 16, 17 years old when I formed a trio. [McSon Trio] All a part of growing up. Started in a small group, (the trio). Then made a good record - Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand. (1950) Atlantic bought my contract. [From Swingtime for $2500] - Worked about 2 years until I Got a Woman - A stepladder like thing."

. . . He was with Atlantic from 1952 until 1959, then moved to ABC, from 1959-1961 . . . The ground-breaking contract giving him 75% of proceeds, plus retention of his master recordings, (which even Frank Sinatra did not have, at the time),

Steve: "Tell me, where do you get your songs?"
Ray: "Songs I wrote myself. I Got a Woman, Hallelujah, I Love Her So!"

[Ray was credited as the first to mix Gospel with Blues, making R&B (soul) which outraged many in the church.]

Steve: "Where do you go from here?"
Ray: "Going to St. Louis. Came from Europe, (9 months a year)."

Steve: "How did you get your first break?"
Ray: "Didn't really have a break. My thing was a small continuation." If you start at 0, go to 1,2,3,4 - deadly serious when I started, I worked with different ??? (lo_ _ y [lost this word - possibly lovely ladies - referring to the Raelettes, formerly "The Cookies"]. In 1954 I recorded I Got a Woman [Became a hit in 1958].

[Ray was born Sept 23, 1930, in Albany, GA, making him 46 years old at this interview. Lived in L.A.]

Ray: "I don't live in Beverly Hills, or in an exclusive area like that. But in the city." [Moved to Beverly Hills, later].

Note: Ray moved to LA from Seattle, WA, where he was a star on the local club scene, and where he met and nurtured a lasting relationship with a young song writer - Quincy Jones.

Steve: "Who are your influences?"
Ray: "I like Joe Cocker. I love Stevie Wonder. Rufus, Aretha, Tony Bennet, Isley Brothers, Jackson Bros." [His mother, also named Aretha, was the most important person in his life, and of whom he still had visual memories. It was at the age of 7, when he went blind, later thought to be the result of glaucoma.]

Ray with Aretha Franklin in the 70's

Steve: "You're married?"
Ray: "Married. She was a Della singer, then had kids and 3 boys, who all stayed off the road."

Steve: "What is it you're trying to accomplish?"
Ray: "When you're good, you're GOOD. Period! I'm not a blues singer. I do a lot of different things. Loved Art Tatum, Nat Cole. I played Beethoven, Chopin, Bach. But I liked to play boogie woogie. I loved Artie Shaw. The cause of me studyin' clarinet. We put in 6 months a year of cold-blooded work. Actual work.

I try to relate at the moment of the song. A good singer is the same as a good actor. To be effective he has to become what he is singing. My dream was I never cared about being famous. I wanted to be great. I felt I wanted my peers to admire me. I was 17 or 18 when I made my first record." I'd like to make a movie and star. Movie: Ballads and Blues. Title Song: Light out of Darkness. I just like to be able to work with people with raw talent."

- End of Interview

[Note: In 1963 Ray Charles starred in his first feature film Ballad in Blue (British). In 1980 he was a featured star of the film The Blues Brothers. In 1988 he appeared in the feature Limit Up, where he played the part of God.]

Review of the Concert: (My Notes)

17 member orchestra - 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, bass, lead, 4 saxes, drums, electric piano. 5 singers

- Song 1.) Vibrating bass rhythm, not very loud, featuring mellow sax solo and trumpet (soft).

- Song 2.) Slow, jumpy, a lot of sax in unison featuring a baritone sax solo, and trumpet solo, short, with a lot of runs. Bass solo jumped around in range. Very original. - repeat or echo in style.

- Song 3.) Spain Very sad, sorrowful opening featuring a sustained suspended cymbal - very good effect. 4 taps of the drumsticks introduced the classic melody. Good electric piano (simulated electric Rhodes88) - block chord rhythm, very fast. One section flowed into another. Trumpet played a good improv at a suitable dynamic level. Not too loud. No mike was used. A fluid sax solo with an embrochure that caressed his notes. A Chic Corea song. Resolved in a high crescendo to climax.

- Song 4.) Featured grand piano (with pickups) solo. Chordy. Not too many runs. A tenor sax solo with trombones interrupted with low, metrical growls. Lead guitar popped in a short solo. Very good.

- Song 5.) Slow, rainy day Shadow of Your Smile - schmaltzy sax solo. Eased into each note with a slide from another pitch. Improvised a rather long segment.

- Song 6.) Electric piano opened this piece as trumpet slid into melody, followed by unison saxes. Featured a sax soloist prone to repetition. Slide trombone took over where the sax left off, and displayed a good rock-y version.

- Song 7.) . . . The spotlight tried to find the next solo, but missed and hit the front row, before finding the electric piano. Ray was nearly finished with his solo! A good tune (slow). . . .

Ray Charles appeared out of the dark. Took his time. He bounced on stage slapping his leg [wearing a brown tux.]

He almost missed the piano bench. He hugged himself and broke into a song while accompanying himself on piano. He danced while still seated. WIRED as hell!

Tenor sax solo ended at the exact moment Charles started to sing again. He ended it in a short "All right!"

- Song 8.) A song of hard times. "I'm Busted Now" Had a lot of character.

- Song 9.) Minor. Georgia on my Mind
(by Stuart Gorrell and Hoagy Carmichael). . . Comes out sweet and clear. Featured a wide range of piano work. Runs, chords. High notes and chords. Low tremolo . . ."Peace I find that keeps Georgia on my mind."

[Note: Shortly after he signed with Atlantic Records, in the 1950's, he backed out of a concert in Augusta, Georgia, where blacks were protesting segregated seating, resulting in his being sued (lost) and "banned from the state of Georgia, permanently".

However, three years, after this interview, in 1979 Ray Charles' classic rendition of Georgia On My Mind
was approved as the official Song of the State of Georgia, and Charles was invited to be present on the floor of the State Capital to sing its first performance as such. That same year, Charles was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the first performer to be so honored. ]

. . . The audience was hypnotized. A single dynamic broke the uncanny silence, as an organ softly backed his voice with a suspended vibrato chord in high register.

- Song 10.) Somewhat less fascinating solo with full band accompaniment (not too loud, though.) Unusual vocal - guttural . . . "Sometime I might find a lady friend with a million dollars of her own." . . . "I'm gonna be a mean mother." Ended in low register.

- Song 11.) Very soft, slow song featuring some million-dollar chords. A very earthy "Felt like I could melt into heaven." soap opera organ chords. Too much vibrato. "What a Break for Heavens Sakes" . . . He cracked trying to extend the melodic line. . . "I realized tonight what a break, for Heaven's Sakes." . . . Swayed from one side to another. Ended as he fell over on the last drum beat!

- Song 12.) Had a 'Choo-choo Train' rhythm. A great acoustic guitar - echo solo. Very excellent! The whole audience gradually began to clap to the beat with no coaxing from anyone on stage. . . "Made me rather jittery, Ah - ooo, ooh." Excellent song - had a distant rhythm like it was from beyond. Guitar interrupted with an echo-ey solo, every now and then. Quite a range.

- Song 13.) Am I Blue ?
(by Harry Akst) - Resembled a mellow Barry Manilow with Chopin piano accompaniment. This accompaniment did not fit the vocal style. Trumpet burst into a 'meow' like solo and took over. Then duelled with the piano rhythmically. Trumpet spoke to us from somewhere beyond the realm of jazz. "Sad and Lonely One, Yes I am, yes I am. Lawdy, was I gay? Till Today. Now he's gone, and we're through, am I blue - ooh - hoo!" Came from the very guts of both Charles and trumpet player. "All Right." . . .

Liner Notes:

5 female singers (The Raelettes) . Mr. Dick Benson told me: "For the first time, this morning, the Music Industry presented him with the "First National Music Award" [for his instrumental role in Rock 'n' Roll]. Ray said "It's nice to hear good stuff."

The Original Raelettes: Top: Ethel (Darlene) McCrea Left: Margie Hendricks Right: Patricia Lyles Bottom: Gwendolyn Berry

The 5 Raelettes backed Charles up - "Hoo-ha-ooh, My Love Grows in the Dark." . . . "We're gonna journey to the horizon. The name of that song was Love Train
(New Horizon). His voice was hoarse - mixed well with trombone.

Song notes:

- I Can't Stop Lovin' You (by Don Gibson) - "I will remain the same. Which means to say, girl, I'll keep on lovin' you." He gyrated on the piano bench. He just started to ramble on. The girls sang with full band accompaniment. At a very soft level, though.

- I Can See Clearly Now - Egotistical singers did an unintentional "funky chicken" as the band provided a driving rhythm.

- Drums opened the Charles version of America The Beautiful. Slow, sustained chords rendered it a thing of beauty.

http://www.raycharles.com/flash/atb.swf

- Charles reached over and pulled himself over to the electric piano. This song has no apparent meter. Very rubato. Unusual Hard Times [Mississippi] Really long . . . "Just Enough For the City." Even threw in a political joke.

Note: Ray built his first office building in 1961, and began his own recording studio RPM Intl., L.A., and formed Ray Charles Enterprises, comprised of Tangerine Records and Music, and Racer Music.

Ray, center, shares a laugh with Clint Eastwood, Cicely Tyson and Los Angeles City Council President Alex Padilla at a ceremony proclaiming Ray Charles Studios a city historic landmark April 30, 2004.

- Sad, empty, low - It's Cryin' Time Again (Buck Owens)

- He kept starting over on his electric piano solo, saying "Don't Stop I believe it was all right. "Let's Do it." - An Elvis Presley tune - Tell me What'd I Say (Ray Charles).

"In recognition of both his artistic and humanitarian achievements, Ray Charles received a Star on Hollywood Boulevard's "Walk of Fame" December 16, 1981, joining a host of illustrious entertainers who have been judged worthy of this honor by the Hollywood Historic Trust. " - from the official Ray Charles website.

His #1 hits include Georgia (1960), Hit The Road Jack (1961) and Can't Stop Lovin' You (1962).
This reporter's favorite, Unchain My Heart, (ends the movie), reached #9 on the charts, back in 1961.

. . . The End

Ray Charles

Sept 23, 1930 - June 10, 2004

"Ray, God bless, we'll miss you!"

Lyrics to Ray Charles' greatest hits can be found here: http://www.thepeaches.com/music/raycharles

Your comments welcome!

Here is a photo of my spectacular ski trip to Heavenly in Lake Tahoe.  (This is where Sonny Bono bit it, btw). And, this is my ski instructor, Patti, who managed to get me on and off the ski lift without breaking my neck, and ski-ing some pretty substantial slopes.  Ski-ed the whole week with nary an incident.  Got home, and was practicing up in Alpine, in 'Sconsin, and I managed to get run over by an 8-year old, then single-handedly ended up on the wrong side of the only tree, there, due to melting, slushy, icy conditions.  (No traction). Finished a couple more runs, that day. Went to see a movie up in Highland Park, on the way home.  Got up at the end, and my knee had completely gone out.  I hobbled to the emergency room, and ended up in therapy for months for an old, but newly aggravated ACL tear.

Sangre Azul and Luis Miguel

21.Avril.2006 Edicion

In case you are living in the Western Hemisphere, and you haven't seen the article about Luis Miguel in this week's "Tv Y Novelas" magazine you might want to brush up.

Cover Story P1.

21.Avril.2006 Edicion

This was a SOLICITED interview. They came to him. Didn't sell the story. (Take note Fergie). It was granted in good faith with the magazine, because they were the first to break the story. And it was all so bizarre. El Sol de Mexico hasn't one drop of Spanish blood in his veins. (Madre=Italian. Padre=English as in HRH Spencer). lol

No one in North America even knows who you are. (Singing in English is considered "selling out", you know). Bro! Listen up. Americans have more Spanish in them, than Mexicans. Hellooooo!

Cover Story P2.

21.Avril.2006 Edicion

The author, (Top pic where it says "Yo embarace a Marcela"), who is the author of "The Romeo & Juliet Chronicles" (also pictured), IS the birth father. NOT LUISITO, who raised El Sol in Puerto Rico, and is commonly "considered" to be the real father. Uh uh uh. Not so, El Sol.  In fact, Luisito has swapped partners more than Lindsey's pop. Oh, and Luisito is 100% Spain-Spanish, anyway. Not Mexican, there, either.

I bring this up, because, not only is Spencer a very close friend, and a stand-up kinda guy, but, has a P.H.D. from U of Cgo's School of Divinity, and worked hard for the U.S. Govt., all his life, until he retired. And, is not prone to public displays of emotion or an attn. seeker, on any level. - all of a sudden, after the interview, reports are fluttering down like Cinco de Mayo confetti, from the Miguel camp, that the father was 1.) Some kind of evil minister,  And 2.) That he is even involved in lascivious sex sites on the Internet, and what have you.
All wild fabrications, aimed at discrediting the father. Nothing else. I will try to find a post of the article for you.

Luis Miguel

ICELAND TRIP - DAY 1

Day 1
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
6:30am

- We arrived at Keflavik Airport, Iceland, into a blazing sunrise over the North Atlantic Ocean. (66 degs. N)

We landed onto a moonscape, such that it was hard to tell how far from the ground you were. The wings looked as if they could brush the ground, yet, we were still nearly 8,000 ft. up! There were simply no reference points!

It wasn't until I saw a road carved out of the lava fields, that I could get a proper perspective.

There were no buildings, people, or trees, if you can imagine, near the landing field. Looking down, you just saw these strange clumps, for miles, but couldn't tell what they were.

I can't go without mentioning the Iceland Air flight crew. On the way over [from MNPLS, USA], they looked like they'd stepped out of a Hollywood movie. The most beautiful people - ultra-high cheekbones, tall, thin, golden-tanned skin, some were blond, some with French twists, wearing those classic high heels and Pan Am-esque pillbox hats! As they walked through the boarding lounge, ALL the heads turned!

The lady sitting next to me couldn't help but comment - "they must be Danish - they're all so beautiful, there!"

Side note: The crew who gets to come to America, gets at least a 24 hr. layover, (as opposed to other flights which require you to hop right back on a plane and go back) - so these are the cream of the crop of the Iceland Air crew.

Got through customs, took maybe 15 mins, then picked up the rental car, with little trouble - (Icelanders speak the most perfect English - closer to London English, though) - Stopped by the Cash Machine, just outside the Rental Car office, and withdrew some Krona.

We, then, tried to find coffee. But, ended up with vending machine coffee from the small cafeteria. (This was to be a rule, rather than the exception, we soon discovered)! Downed that, and stepped outside into the crisp 50 degree wind-chilled air. Fortunately, I bought a hooded sweatshirt at MNPLS airport - as all my jackets were buried in the suitcase! (It was in the 80's back in Chicago)!

I noticed that my breathing was unusually difficult, which stayed consistent, throughout the 5 days, there. The airport is at sea level, so that should have been no problem - so maybe it had something to do with the extreme northerly latitude - 66 degrees N.

Anyway, we piled into the rental car and drove E. in the direction of Reykjavik, where our hotel was, and decided to take a little side-trip, since we had several hours to kill before check-in.

We detoured S. to the Interior of the Reykjanes Peninsula (SW Iceland). The landscape was barren. Not a tree in sight. The winding blacktop road took us through a series of nonsensical roundabouts, with no signage, into a desolate region of black, volcanic lava fields, with these unusual lava formations, like statues or sculptures, sticking up out of nowhere.

There was zero traffic. No people. No noise. We maybe passed two cars, the entire morning. Soon, the road changed to gravel, as we entered this pristine, volcanic lake region - Lake Kleifarvatan - (Center of map), like unto another planet!

We came upon an enormous, still lake, devoid of trees and wildlife - said to be home to a giant worm-monster, according to local legend. Was this an Icelandic twist on the Lochness Monster?

The lake was surrounded by high, jagged cliffs, and went on for what seemed to be miles and miles! We pulled up at a turn-out and parked. We walked the wooden planks, over boiling hot-pots of mud, steaming cauldrons of 120 deg. geothermal heat, from thousands of feet below the surface.

Then, climbed a wooden stairway, in the steam, leading to a high, deserted platform overlooking the lake.

Fact: The entire country is powered from these sources, and there is zero pollution, as there are no fossil fuels, burned! Everything is powered by steam from these geothermic sources from the Earth.

We continued our hike, in a stiff 50 deg. wind sheer, up a cliff to a lookout. We stood gazing at the deep blue lake, surrounded by eerie puffs of sulfuric steam! Very surreal! No people. Absolute stillness. Just the bubbling of these hotpots, echoing off the craters!

We hiked back to the car, and resumed our drive, cutting across to the other side of the peninsula, following the gravel road amid slate-black volcanic cliffs and lava fields until we reached the black-sanded shore. There, we spied the black spire of a lone church, out in the middle of nowhere.

We drove down a dirt path, towards it, to get a closer look. We passed some Icelandic horses, (short legs, and long manes), grazing at a farm, nearby, along with many Icelandic sheep, ambling amicably in open pastures.

There was a small restaurant-type building, (with a "Closed" sign on the door), and what looked to be a caretaker's house, nearby. But, no sign of anyone home. Another half-mile, and we came to the church. The name on the gate proclaimed "Strandarkirkja" (Strand church).

Language Note: We quickly learned the secret to Icelandic language is the accent is ALWAYS on the first syllable, and it is similar to German - the first word describes the second.

Thereupon, finding the gate unlocked . . .

. . . We entered and proceeded up to the front door. Finding it, likewise unlocked, we entered, tentatively!

To our amazement, we discovered the lights ablaze, as if we had been expected! (Save for an empty car, some 30 miles, back at the boardwalk, the sheep and horses, we had not encountered another soul since we left the airport, some 60 mi back)!

Once inside the Strandarkirkja, we found it quite similar to our Protestant Lutheran Churches, back home, save for the meticulously preserved antique furnishings. There was a dark, old, antique pump organ beside the altar in the sanctuary, with a book of Icelandic hymns opened up, as if it had recently been sung from. The wooden bulletin above it, provided the latest totals for what appear to be Worship Service attendance, or perhaps the offering before and after - in Icelandic. The number 1865 at the top, was probably the year the church was built.

Curiously, we climbed a narrow, winding staircase to the organ loft, which also contained an organ, this one a modern pipe organ. The loft doubled as the bell tower, affording a spectacular view of the moon-scaped-coastline we had just traversed. Out of the spired window, we saw the meticulously kept cemetery, below, and a large statue of what looked to be a pioneer woman, just a few meters down a gravel path.

Note: I have no idea what that black object in the front of the statue is, in the picture, above, it did not appear in any of the other photos - at first it looked like a specter - but probably just a spot on the glass.

We walked back downstairs, and out to the "kirkja" grounds, and out to the statue, and found everything was so well-kempt, neat as a pin! Another noticable German trait.

. . .Continuing on -We walked down a jagged staircase of rock to the shoreline, behind the "kirkja" to hear the absolute stillness, save for the gently crashing waves upon black rock.

The water was crystal clear, and icy, I couldn't resist running my fingers through it! A beautiful experience!

Stayed a few more minutes, then continued on our journey around the coast. And I do mean AROUND! We drove for miles and miles, encountering maybe two cars, and a couple of small fishing hamlets, both looked to be deserted.

The gravel road kept us below 50 mph, the entire way, but the mountains and volcanoes along the shore were certainly worth the extra time!

We finally met the highway into Reykjavik, and began to see some signs of life. We noticed dozens of cranes, putting up new housing, just outside of the city, much like a boom town.

We arrived in the city, itself around noon, and found the hotel, tucked cozily down a narrow, winding street, in this most picturesque European city!

The city was immaculate, with brightly painted houses and buildings, (mostly constructed of tin and concrete, as timber is in short supply, there), verdant parks and ponds, birds, bright flowers, and trees. (Trees are not abundant in most other parts of Iceland - due to the glacial and volcanic landscape over most of the island).

We parked the car, and walked over to the beautiful Borg Hotel, in the center of town, across from the main square, (which is central to the university, City Hall, the main business district, as well as Althing (Parliament).

Still, too early to check in, we dropped our bags at the front desk, and went to find a much-needed cup of coffee! Luckily, the Paris Cafe was situated across the street, so we stopped in for a java and a sandwich. We hit the jackpot! We were served Americanos (don't even THINK of asking for any deviation from the norm), and sandwiches on the freshest baguettes, ever! (This place would be a keeper)!

After lunch, we went to get more cash for shopping, at the bank-across-the-street's cash machine, and then went to the post office, across from that, to pick up stamps and postcards.

Walked around the downtown, to get familiar with shops and restaurants, and the like, and finally checked back into the hotel. The front desk was efficient, if pleasant. Not exactly over-friendly. But, not rude, either. Their English was more London English, cultured and perfect-sounding. Not US, though. Very impressive. Another blond bombshell at the front desk. Almost intimidating, with the cool attitude. Very arresting, slightly annoying, indeed! One thing we grew more than a little annoyed with, was the over-use of the word "PLEASE" - when said wrong, it sounded mildly demanding.

We were left to carry our own bags upstairs, due to minimal staff, and using a vintage cage elevator we managed to see ourselves into the room. The ceilings were unusually high, but this was the hotel of 3 US presidents, the finest the city had to offer. The room was huge, and the finest fixtures had been added to the bathroom. Large windows, with icicle-looking frosting on the lower halves- opening out to what would be the Leif Erikson church and statue, had we been one floor higher!

After unpacking, and freshening up, we tried to plug in the laptop - and ended up blowing the power to the entire floor, if you can believe THAT!

When we walked outside, I saw a plumber's van, and just had to laugh, wondering what kind of place this was!!!

Well, after checking with the front desk, we learned that we'd blown a fuse (and we were told that sometimes plugging in more than 3 appliances in the room, would cause this). Who knew? We left the hotel, for a walk, and when we returned, everything was fine. Whew!
We went walking around the Old Town, shopping and sightseeing.

Stopped by the Cafe Cosy for a coffee, then more sightseeing, then back to the Cosy for a pint of Viking beer, and watched the sun go down. Called it an early night, and went back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep.

Reflections on the End of Day 1 in Iceland!