Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was a singer, composer, and pianist from the United States. He is regarded as one of the most famous and influential singers in history and was often referred to as “The Genius” by his contemporaries. He favored the moniker “Brother Ray” among his friends and other artists. Charles was blinded as a child, possibly as a result of glaucoma.
Who is Ray Charles?
Ray Charles was born in Albany, Georgia on September 23, 1930. He was born in Greenville, Florida, to laborer Bailey Robinson and laundress Aretha (or Reatha) Robinson (née Williams).
Aretha’s mother died while she was a child. Her father was unable to keep her. Bailey, a coworker of her father’s, took her in. Aretha was informally adopted by the Robinson family—Bailey, his wife Mary Jane, and his mother, and acquired the surname Robinson. Aretha fell pregnant by Bailey a few years later. She departed Greenville late in the summer of 1930 to be with family in Albany during the impending scandal.
She and the infant Charles returned to Greenville after the birth of their kid, Ray Charles. Charles was raised by Aretha and Bailey’s wife, who had lost a son. The father abandoned the family, moved away from Greenville, and married another lady. Charles had a brother, George, by his first birthday.
Charles was strongly attached to his mother and subsequently remembers her resilience, self-sufficiency, and pride as guiding lights in his life, despite her bad health and difficulty.
Charles had an early interest in mechanical devices and would frequently see his neighbors working on their cars and agricultural machines. At the age of three, he was piqued by Wylie Pitman’s Red Wing Cafe, where Pitman performed boogie woogie on an antique upright piano; Pitman later taught Charles how to play the piano. Charles and his mother were always welcomed at the Red Wing Cafe, and they even lived there when they were in financial trouble. Pitman would also look after Ray’s younger brother George, relieving their mother of some of the stress. When George was four years old, he drowned by accident in his mother’s laundry tub.
What are some of Ray Charles Philanthropy works?
The renowned pianist was very passionate about giving back to the community and inspiring the less privileged ones.
Charles recognized the distinction between handicap and potential and began to make contributions, often anonymously, to help fund cochlear implants for those who could not afford the surgery, and soon after began to support educational institutions for those who could not afford an education.
What are some of Ray Charles Charity donations?
The renowned singer was very passionate about charity donations. Due to that, he inaugurated The Ray Charles Foundation.
The Ray Charles Foundation was founded in 1986 to financially support institutions and organizations involved in the research of hearing problems. It was renamed The Robinson Foundation for Hearing Disorders in 2006 after providing financial grants to various institutions involved in hearing loss research and teaching.
The foundation’s mission has been to “administer funds for scientific, educational, and charitable purposes; to encourage, promote, and educate, through grants to institutions and organizations, as to the causes and cures for diseases and disabilities of the hearing impaired, and to assist organizations and institutions in their social, educational, and academic advancement of youth programs, and to carry on other charitable and educational activities associated with hearing impairment.”
Donations have been made to Benedict College, Morehouse College, and other universities. The foundation has taken action against gift recipients who do not use funds per the foundation’s mission statement, such as Albany State University, which was forced to return a $3 million donation after it had not been used for over a decade.
The foundation’s executive offices are located in the historic RPM International Building, which was previously home to Ray Charles Enterprises and is now also home to the Ray Charles Memorial Library on the first floor, which was founded on September 23, 2010 (his 80th birthday).
The library was established to “provide an avenue for young children to experience music and art in a way that will inspire their creativity and imagination,” and it is not open to the public without reservation, as its primary goal is to educate large groups of underprivileged youth and provide art and history to those who do not have access to such documents.
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
Categories: News
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
