New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Tangerine Records has announced True Genius: Sides of Ray, a double vinyl disc collection to be released on November 19th. The collection illustrates Charles' many musical "sides" by focusing each album side on the genre categories he visited most: soul, jazz & blues, country, and pop. True Genius: Sides of Ray is currently available for pre-order here.
Ray's unique mastery of music allowed him to continue to explore all forms of music, freely floating between jazz, blues, pop, rock, soul and country while continuing to combine them in new, unprecedented ways. His dramatic expansion of the boundaries of country music was celebrated in August 2021, when he was officially inducted into the Country
Music Hall of Fame.
True Genius: Sides of Ray follows the
September 2021 release of True Genius, a newly remastered, limited edition CD set featuring 90 of the greatest songs from his legendary career and all of Ray's biggest hits. The collection was met with wide acclaim in publications including Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, Goldmine, and more. True Genius is currently available for purchase here.
Ray Charles's recordings are major landmarks in American culture. By blending country and roots with other popular sounds, this visionary singer, songwriter, pianist and composer brought his expansive musical vision to a worldwide audience. Charles' albums, released during the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, broke down both racial and genre barriers. The incredible crossover success of
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Volumes 1 & 2 led Willie
Nelson to remark, "Ray Charles did more for country music than any other artist." Ray continued to do something no other artist had done before or since, conquering all genres of music, from gospel and R&B to soul, country, jazz, blues, and pop, which led
Frank Sinatra to dub Ray Charles, the only "True Genius" in music.
Ray further helped bring Americans together with his rendition of "America the Beautiful," and he remains the only artist in history to create and define a national anthem. Charles was also one of the first recording artists to have ownership of his masters as well as complete creative freedom.
Charles' staggering achievements over a 58-year career include 17 GRAMMY Awards, induction into both the Rock and Roll and Country Hall of Fame, a Lifetime Achievement and the President's Merit Award, the Presidential Medal for the Arts, France's Legion of Honor, the Kennedy Center Honors, the NAACP Image Awards' "Hall of Fame Award," and numerous other music Halls of Fame, including those for Jazz and Rhythm & Blues, all testament to his enormous influence. In 2019, he was honored by the Grand Ole Opry with An Opry Salute to Ray Charles, which was broadcast across PBS stations.
One of the greatest artists of all time, Charles successfully mastered and forever changed the blues, jazz, gospel, rock, pop, and country music landscapes. He teamed up with the best of the best in each stylistic genre, including B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, Hank Williams Jr, Willie Nelson, Stevie Wonder, and countless others. As he described himself. "I'm not a country singer. I'm a singer who sings country songs. I'm not a blues singer, but I can sing the blues. I'm not really a crooner, but I can sing love songs. I'm not a specialist, but I'm a pretty good utility man. I can play first base, second base, shortstop. I can catch and maybe even pitch a little."
Ray Charles was more than just the Genius of Soul; he was the Genius of Music.
Side One - Soul
1. Hit The Road Jack
2. I Don't Need No Doctor
3. Unchain My Heart
4. No One
5. Hide Nor Hair
6. I've Got A Woman (Live)
Side Two - Jazz & Blues
1. Let's Go Get Stoned
2. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
3. Smack Dab In The Middle
4. Them That Got
5. One Mint Julep
6. I've Got News For You
Side Three - Jazz & Blues
1. Here We Go Again
2. You Are My Sunshine
3. Crying Time
4. Take These Chains From My Heart
5. Ring Of Fire
6. I Can't Stop Loving You
Side Four - Jazz & Blues
1. Georgia On My Mind
2. Eleanor Rigby
3. Busted
4. Till There Was You
5. Hallelujah I Love Her So (Live)
6. A Song For You
