The Ray Charles Story – RAY CHARLES*****

The Sun’s Gonna Shine Again/Losing Hand/Mess Around/It Should’ve Been Me/Don’t You Know/Come Back Baby/I’ve Got A Woman/A Fool For You/This Little Girl Of Mine/Mary Ann/Hallelujah I Love Her So/Lonely Avenue/Doodlin’/Sweet Sixteen Bars/Ain’t That Love/Rockhouse/Swanee River Rock/Talkin’ ‘Bout You/What Kind Of Man Are You/Yes Indeed/My Bonnie/Tell All The World About You/The Right Time/What’d I Say/Just For A Thrill/Come Rain Or Come Shine/Drown In My Own Tears/Let The Good Times Roll/I’m Movin’ On

This double album compilation The Ray Charles Story comprised the best of his releases with Atlantic during the 1950s, where almost single handed he defined the sound of soul music. (US:14)

“This brings together his best songs from his years at Atlantic Records in the 1950s. It represents the crucial and groundbreaking period when he defined soul music, even if the term was not in use when most of these songs were recorded.”

“If you want to point to a specific song and say this is where soul music began then it would have to be 1954's I've Got A Woman, where Charles blends rhythm & blues music with gospel singing. There is also a cover of Drown In My Own Tears which became one of Charles' signature songs. What I'd Say is another obvious classic that made Ray Charles a household name (in the right households, anyway).”

“If you want to listen to the sound of Ray Charles creating the sound of soul music, this is the one album that best accomplishes that goal.”

“Ray Charles at Atlantic is where it all began in his recording career. These songs are mixtures of jazz, blues, jump blues and R & B.”

“His tenure at Atlantic records began in 1954. Ray Charles' previous recordings would remind you of The King Cole Trio. But Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler would scrap that sound and opt instead for a more jazz and blues oriented approach. The decision would pay immediate dividends. Ray Charles would become a fixture on the R & B charts for the rest of the decade.”

“The Atlantic years were where the real action was, when he found his own unmistakable voice, when he practically invented soul, when he honed his delivery as an entertainer. The standards you must have are all here, and plenty more. A priceless piece of rock and soul history. It wasn't watered down top 40 pop radio material which is why this stuff is so addictive to listen to.”