When a person today hears the name Ray Charles, he or she immediately thinks, “Oh yeah, he’s the bling guy who played the piano.” What they do not realize is that he is most likely the idol and inspiration to their favorites song artist. Ray could do much more than just play the piano. “The man had range. He wasn’t in a bag. He had his own bag...[h]e was the first true crossover artist...(he) was rock and roll. He was rhythm and blues. He was country. The man had such range” (Richards p.2). The “blind guy” was the arguably the father of soul music, and with this claim came courage as man, determination as a performer, and ferocity as a businessman never before seen in an artist. Together, these traits drove Ray Charles to test new
