Photo ©Kevin McClellan

Ray Charles died in his Los Angeles home at age 73, following a long illness this past June, but his legacy lives on. With huge hits such as “Georgia,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “Born To Lose,” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” the American icon’s music has reached a level it had not seen in 40 years: an album on the top ten billboard chart. The album, “Genius Loves Company,” has been on the charts for 6 weeks and peaked at the number 2 position. Mr. Charles rocked the world with his special mix of gospel, blues, jazz and country and western, creating a style that was distinctly and inimitably Ray.

Whether your preference is Hip Hop, R&B, Jazz, Blues, country and western or Funk, Ray Charles has covered and put his own stamp on the genre.

Music Superstars Mary J Blige, Kenny Chesney, Al Green, Elton John, Norah Jones, B.B. King, Reba McEntire, Usher and Stevie Wonder were among the artists who performed to pay tribute to Ray Charles in "Genius: A Night for Ray Charles".

During the concert extravaganza, the many artists who had been influenced by Ray took the stage to celebrate the “genius” of America’s own music and cultural hero. Mos Def, Quincy Jones and Bruce Willis were among the stars who gave special introductions to the musical performances.

Songs that were performed on the special included “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit The Road Jack,” “Night Time Is The Right Time,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” and “Unchain My Heart,” among others. Video clips of Ray’s long and varied career were interspersed with clips from the upcoming feature film, Ray, in which host Jamie Foxx portrays the American legend. There has also been talk about an Oscar nomination for his role.

The special traced Charles’ rise to superstardom from his poverty stricken roots. It also celebrated the major influence he had on several generations of music fans and musicians. His longtime friends and co-musicians, Quincy Jones, B.B. King and David “Fathead” Newman reminisced about Ray’s life.

The Ray Charles special tribute aired on Friday October 22 at 9 pm. To get information about the encore presentation, go to http://www.cbs.com/specials/ray_charles.

Cliffton Bailey is a participant in the Young Publishers Club sponsored by the Michigan Bulletin which meets at the Magic Johnson Foundation Creation Station located at the Black Child and Family Institute - 835 W. Genesee, Lansing MI.

Web Editors Note: The Movie - "Ray" is due out in theaters on Friday, October 29th. For more information on Ray Charles and the movie, check out the official web site at: http://www.raycharles.com/news.htm