After he allows black and white audience members to dance together onstage during a concert in Indianapolis, his hotel room is raided by police. Deciding not to play at the segregated venue, he cancels the concert and is banned from playing in Georgia. In 1961, Ray encounters civil rights protestors outside his concert in Augusta, Georgia. He writes ' Hit the Road Jack' with a solo by Margie, who uses her newfound recognition to embark on a solo career, while Ray struggles with his addiction. Margie reveals she is pregnant, and cuts off their affair when Ray demands she end the pregnancy. Ray continues to experiment with his music, recording such hits as ' Georgia on My Mind'. In 1960, he signs a better contract with ABC Records, negotiating to own his master tapes. His popularity rises through the 1950s and he moves his family to Los Angeles but continues to use heroin, straining his relationships with Della and Margie. They begin their own affair, and a jealous Mary Anne leaves.Ī few years later, when Ray's band finishes a set early and the club’s owner demands they play the remaining time, Ray performs ' What'd I Say' on the spot.

In 1956, as Ray's popularity grows, he hires a trio to become ' The Raelettes' and immediately falls for lead singer Margie Hendrix. They reconcile after the birth of their first child, but Ray begins an affair with singer Mary Anne Fisher. Though she and others are unhappy about Ray mixing gospel with his music, he marries Della and continues to gain fame with ' I Got a Woman' and ' Hallelujah I Love Her So'.Ī pregnant Della finds Ray’s drug kit and confronts him.

In Houston, Ray falls in love with Della Bea, a preacher's daughter. Ray is discovered by Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records and records his first hit with Ertegun's song ' Mess Around'. Touring on the Chitlin' Circuit as 'Ray Charles', he is introduced to heroin. After discovering he is being exploited, Ray signs his own record deal and leaves the band. Two years later, he travels to Seattle and joins a nightclub band, though the club's owner demands sexual favors and controls his money and career. In 1946, Ray joins a white country band and wears sunglasses to hide his damaged eyes. Aretha teaches him to be independent, eventually sending him to a school for the deaf and blind. Ray loses his vision by age seven and becomes completely blind. Learning to play piano at an early age, Ray is haunted by the accidental death of his younger brother George, who drowns in their mother's washbasin. Ray Charles Robinson is raised in poverty in Florida by his mother, Aretha. For his performance, Foxx won the Academy Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild, and Critics' Choice, becoming the second actor to win all five major lead actor awards for the same performance, and the only one to win the Golden Globe in the Musical or Comedy category, rather than in Drama.Ĭharles had planned to attend a screening of the completed film but died of liver disease in June 2004, months prior to the premiere. Ray received many accolades and nominations and was nominated in six categories at the 77th Academy Awards. It was also a commercial success, grossing $124.7 million worldwide against a production budget of $40 million. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for Foxx's performance. It was released on October 29, 2004, by Universal Pictures. Along with Hackford, the film was also produced by Stuart Benjamin, Howard Baldwin and Karen Baldwin. It stars Jamie Foxx in the title role, along with Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, Harry Lennix, Terrence Howard, Larenz Tate, Richard Schiff and Regina King in supporting roles.

White from a story by Hackford and White. The independently produced film was co-produced and directed by Taylor Hackford, and written by James L. Ray is a 2004 American biographical musical drama film focusing on 30 years in the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles.

Ray charles greatest hits