Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.” Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?"
Filmography · 109
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962 · Self
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self - Co-Host
Saturday Night Live
1975 · Self - Host & Musical...
The Nanny
1993 · Sammy
Wings
1990 · Ray Charles
Champs-Elysées
1982 · Self
St. Elsewhere
1982 · Arthur Tibbits
Sacrée soirée
1987 · Self
The Dick Cavett Show
1968 · Self - Guest
The Carol Burnett Show
1967 · Self - Guest
Le monde est à vous
1987 · Self (archive footage)
Moonlighting
1985 · Ray Charles
Who's the Boss?
1984 · Ray Charles
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948 · Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956 · Self
Kraft Music Hall
1958 · Self
The Midnight Special
1972 · Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978 · Self
Victoires de la musique
1985 · Self
The John Larroquette Show
1993 · Ray Charles
Star Academy
2001 · Self
CMT Crossroads
2002 · Self
Téléthon
1987 · Self
Musikladen
1972 · Self
The Flip Wilson Show
1970 · Self
Cachitos de hierro y cromo
2013 · Self (archive footage)
The Hollywood Palace
1964 · Self - Singer
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
1969 · Self
The Blues Brothers
1980 · Ray
Shindig!
1964 · Self - Singer
The Johnny Cash Show
1969 · Self
The Blues
2003 · Self
Super Dave
1987 · Self
Spy Hard
1996 · Busdriver
Cher
1975 · Self
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
1980 · Self
The Greatest Night in Pop
2024 · Self (archive footage)
Love Affair
1994 · Self
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
2001 · Self
The World of Jim Henson
1994 · Self (archive footage)
Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans
2007 · Self
The Smothers Brothers Show
1975
Piano Blues
2003 · Self
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
1995 · Self - Performer
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025 · Self (archive footage)
Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
2005 · Self
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
2022 · Self (archive footage)
Lynda Carter's Celebration
1981 · Self
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
1994 · Self (archive footage)
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
1990 · Self
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
2023 · Self (archive footage)...
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
1985 · Self
Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration
1993 · Self (segment "Monster...
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
1993 · Self
Rat Pack
2022 · Self (archive footage)
Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Blue's Big Musical Movie
2000 · G-Clef (voice)
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
1986 · Self (archive footage)
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
2022 · Self (archive footage)
Jazz Evolution
2008 · Self - Piano, Vocals
Face of Unity
2014 · Self
I Love Quincy
1984 · Self
Quincy Jones, Music Man
2025 · Self (archive footage)
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
2009 · Self (archive footage)
The Statue of Liberty
1985 · Self - Composer
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 · Self (archive footage)
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
2003 · Self
Limit Up
1989 · Julius
Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues
2004 · Self (archive footage)
Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
1989 · Ray Charles
Like a Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
2021 · Self (archival footage...
Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival
2002 · Self
Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
2007 · Self
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
1990 · Self
Merci Dorothée !
2025 · Self (archive footage)
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994
Rolling With the Blues
2007 · Self (archive footage)
Ballad in Blue
1965 · Self
The Big T.N.T. Show
1965 · Self
Quincy Jones... The First 50 Years
1998 · Self
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
1978 · Self
Fats and Friends
2007 · Self
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
1988 · Self
Montreux Jazz Festival 1991
1991 · Self
Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
2006 · Self
Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris
1968 · Self
Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land
2004 · Self
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
2001 · Self (archive footage)
Swingin' Along
1961 · Self
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
2005 · Self (archive footage)
John Schneider: Back Home
1980 · Self
Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963
2004 · Self
Ray Charles - In Concert
2001 · Self
The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki
1987 · Self
The Second Barry Manilow Special
1978 · Self
Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony
1981 · Self
Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia
2006 · Self
Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me
1979 · Self
Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
2007 · Self
Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments
1973 · Self
Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
2006 · Self
Ray Charles - Live in France 1961
2011 · Self
The Beatles Forever
1977 · Self
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
2008 · Self
Tom Dowd & The Language of Music
2004 · Self
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
2001 · Self (archive footage)
Rockin' Pianos
2004 · Self
Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 1997
2008 · Self
The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
2002 · Self