Artist

Ray Charles

Wins

17

Nominations

37

Category

R&B Pop General Jazz Country Historical

Biography

"I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great."

  • Born Ray Charles Robinson on Sept. 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. Died June 10, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California
     
  • Ray Charles' 1960 hit "Georgia On My Mind" was the first of his three career No. 1 hits. His 1962 album, Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, became his first album to top the Billboard 200.
     
  • Charles won his first four career GRAMMYs at the 3rd GRAMMY Awards, including Best Vocal Performance Album, Male and Best Rhythm & Blues Performance for The Genius Of Ray Charles and "Let The Good Times Roll," respectively.
     
  • In 1967 he performed "Crying Time" on "The Best On Record," a TV special commemorating the 9th GRAMMY Awards, marking his GRAMMY stage debut.
     
  • Did you know? Charles was an accomplished chess player, and used a special board with raised squares and holes for the chess pieces in order to play.
     
  • Charles was honored with a Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987; 10 of his recordings have been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.
     
  • Founded in 1986, the Ray Charles Foundation provides support in the area of hearing disorders, in addition to stewarding donations and support to institutions and organizations for educational purposes.

 

All Grammy Awards and Nominations for Ray Charles

  • Album Of The Year

    Genius Loves Company. Ray Charles

  • Best Pop Vocal Album

    Genius Loves Company. Ray Charles

  • Record Of The Year

    Here We Go Again. Ray Charles, Norah Jones

  • Pop Collaboration With Vocals

    Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. Ray Charles, Elton John

  • Best Traditional R&B Performance

    Sinner's Prayer. Ray Charles, B.B. King

  • Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

    Heaven Help Us All. Ray Charles, Gladys Knight

  • Pop Collaboration With Vocals

    Here We Go Again. Ray Charles, Norah Jones

  • Best Historical Album

    Ray Charles - The Complete Country And Western Recordings (1959-1986) (Album). James Austin, Ray Charles, Terry Howard, Michael Wesley Johnson, Doug Sax

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance

    A Song For You. Ray Charles

  • R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals

    I'll Be Good To You. Ray Charles, Chaka Khan

  • Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group

    Save The Bones For Henry Jones (Track). Ray Charles, Lou Rawls

  • Male Country Vocal Performance

    Born To Love Me (Single). Ray Charles

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance

    Some Enchanted Evening (Single). Ray Charles

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance

    I Can See Clearly Now (Single). Ray Charles

  • Best Jazz Vocal Album

    True To Life (Album). Ray Charles

  • Best Jazz Vocal Album

    Porgy And Bess (Album). Ray Charles, Cleo Laine

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance

    Living For The City. Ray Charles

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance

    What Have They Done To My Song Ma (Single). Ray Charles

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance

    Doing His Thing (Single). Ray Charles

  • Male Pop Vocal Performance

    Yesterday (Single). Ray Charles

  • Best Contemporary Song

    Yesterday (Single). Ray Charles

  • Best Contemporary Song

    Yesterday (Single). Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording

    Crying Time. Ray Charles

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance

    Crying Time. Ray Charles

  • Male Pop Vocal Performance

    Busted (Single). Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording

    Busted. Ray Charles

  • Male Pop Vocal Performance

    I Can't Stop Loving You (Album). Ray Charles

  • Record Of The Year

    I Can't Stop Loving You (Single). Ray Charles

  • Album Of The Year

    Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music, Vol. I (Album). Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording

    I Can't Stop Loving You. Ray Charles

  • Album Of The Year

    Genius + Soul = Jazz (Album). Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording

    Hit The Road Jack. Ray Charles

  • Record Of The Year

    Georgia On My Mind (Single). Ray Charles

  • Male Pop Vocal Performance

    Georgia On My Mind. Ray Charles

  • Best Contemporary Song

    Georgia On My Mind. Ray Charles

  • Male Pop Vocal Performance

    The Genius Of Ray Charles. Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording

    Let The Good Times Roll. Ray Charles

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