More On Brother Ray - Page 4

Early last summer, he performed his 10,000th career concert at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.

In May, 2003, he also received his fifth doctorate from Dillard University in New Orleans.

In 2002, Charles and Adams endowed both Morehouse College and Albany State Univ., in Charles' birthplace of Albany, GA, with substantial contributions, exceeding $1 million each.

Sixteen years ago, Charles established the Ray Charles Robinson Foundation for the hearing impaired.

Since its creation, the foundation, with Charles' encouragement and generous, on-going funding, has blazed a trail of discovery in auditory physiology and hearing implantation.

Each such implant procedure costs upwards of $40,000, which the Foundation pays to have done.

Of some 145-celebrity charities, the Ray Charles Foundation is rated by non-profit experts as one of the top five most efficient with zero administrative overhead.

Recently, a series of slot machines were designed in Charles' name for the visually handicapped and the legendary performer was also named a "living legend" by the Library of Congress in 2002.

He also starred in a concert in May, 2002, at the Colosseum in Rome, the first musical performance there in 2,000 years.

Charles once told an interviewer from USA Today, "Music to me is just like breathing. I have to have it. It's part of me."

Despite recent health challenges, Charles was planning to again start touring in mid-June and the sudden setback in his recovery was a great shock to all.
Eleven children, 20 grandchildren and five great grandchildren survive Charles, who will be remembered late next week at a memorial service at the FAME Church in central Los Angeles with interment at Inglewood Cemetery in Inglewood, Calif.

Willie checks in:

WILLIE NELSON REFLECTS ON THE PASSING OF FRIEND AND MUSIC LEGEND RAY CHARLES

"I lost one of my best friends and I will miss him a lot," Willie Nelson said. "Ray could kick my ass any day in a chess game. He gloated over that. Last month or so, we got together and recorded "It Was A Very Good Year," by Frank Sinatra. It was great hanging out with him for a day."

Willie is the only figure in American music with anything close to Ray's reach and scope - they are similar in many ways, although entering a common room of material through different doors.

The classic country guys really dug Brother Ray - here's Travis Tritt:

TRAVIS TRITT REMARKS ON THE LIFE OF FELLOW MUSICIAN AND FRIEND RAY CHARLES
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