Ray Charles Robinson

Ray Charles Robinson is my hero. He is, musically and professionally, the master of song in Hollywood. He is the inventor of rock and roll. He is famous for playing jazz as well.

Ray was born on September 23, 1930 in Albany. He lost his sight at the age of six. He learned many instruments at the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and the Blind. Sadly, he lost his mother at the age of 15. After he lost his parents, he went to Florida and worked as a musician.

The amazing thing about him is that although he was blind, he learned how to play the piano and the keyboard. He learned how to read Braille and how to type. He also learned how to compose and arrange music.

Throughout his musical career, he received nine separate Hall of Fame Awards and made 70 albums. He was honored by the NAACP Image Awards with its prestigious Hall of Fame Award in 1983.

Ray formed a group with Lowell Folsom’s band and played with singer Ruth Brown. He played the Apollo. Then he brought his own band. He was also the first black performer to own his own group.

Ray is an independent person. We find soul in all of his music. He sings about country and tradition. His “America the Beautiful” is so famous. I like him because he is the person who lost his parents in boyhood and who also lost his sight, but never gave up. He had confidence that he could do whatever he wanted. Now he is remembered as a great musician and nobody gets credit for that. He did it all by himself.