Happy Birthday Ray Charles

Ranking #10 on Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", Ray Charles Robinson, known as Ray Charles professionally, was born September 23, 1930 in Albany, Georgia to parents Aretha and Bailey Robinson.  I was always under the impression that Ray was born blind.  However, during my research for this article, I learned that he started losing sight when he was four years old, ultimately becoming blind as a result of glaucoma at age seven.  It would take paragraphs to list all of Ray Charles' blockbuster hits.  Included in that long list are "Hit The Road Jack", "What'd I Say", Grammy winning "Georgia on My Mind"; "Seven Spanish Angels" recorded with Willie Nelson; "I Can't Stop Loving You", and "Baby Grand" with Billy Joel.  Awards and honors came easily to Ray.  Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Induction into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.  Grammy Awards.  National Medal of Arts.  The United States Postal Service even honored him with a forever stamp in 2013.  Ray Charles passed away June 10, 2004 at his home in California at the age of 73 years, the result of acute liver disease.  His legacy continues to live on through the Ray Charles Foundation which financially supports research of hearing disorders.  Here's a link to my favorite Ray Charles song "Baby Grand" with Billy Joel. Happy birthday, Ray.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUNOmN3YVL0