Artist

Ray Charles

Wins

17

Nominations

37

Category

Country General Gospel & Contemporary Christian Music Historical Jazz Pop R&B

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 Winner

    Genius Loves Company

    Joel Moss, Doug Sax, Phil Ramone, Ed Thacker, John R. Burk, Robert Fernandez, Ray Charles, Don Mizell, Robert Hadley, Terry Howard, Pete Karam, Al Schmitt, Seth Presant, Mark Fleming, John Harris, Herbert Waltl

  • Best Pop Vocal Album Winner

    Genius Loves Company

    John R. Burk, Ray Charles, Al Schmitt

  • Record Of The Year Winner

    Here We Go Again

    John R. Burk, Ray Charles, Terry Howard, Norah Jones, Al Schmitt, Mark Fleming

  • 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 Winner

    Heaven Help Us All

    Ray Charles, Gladys Knight

  • Pop Collaboration With Vocals Winner

    Here We Go Again

    Ray Charles, Norah Jones

  • Best Historical Album

    Ray Charles - The Complete Country And Western Recordings (1959-1986) (Album)

    James Austin, Michael Wesley Johnson, Doug Sax, Ray Charles, Terry Howard

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance Winner

    A Song For You

    Ray Charles

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

    I'll Be Good To You

    Ray Charles, Chaka Khan

  • Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo Or Group

    Save The Bones For Henry Jones (Track)

    Lou Rawls, Ray Charles

  • 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 Winner

    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)

    Sid Feller, Ray Charles

  • Best Contemporary Song

    Yesterday (Single)

    Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording Winner

    Crying Time

    Ray Charles

  • Male R&B Vocal Performance Winner

    Crying Time

    Ray Charles

  • Male Pop Vocal Performance

    Busted (Single)

    Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording Winner

    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 Winner

    I Can't Stop Loving You

    Ray Charles

  • Album Of The Year

    Genius + Soul = Jazz (Album)

    Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording Winner

    Hit The Road Jack

    Ray Charles

  • Record Of The Year

    Georgia On My Mind (Single)

    Ray Charles

  • Male Pop Vocal Performance Winner

    Georgia On My Mind

    Ray Charles

  • Best Contemporary Song Winner

    Georgia On My Mind

    Ray Charles

  • Male Pop Vocal Performance Winner

    The Genius Of Ray Charles

    Ray Charles

  • Best Rhythm & Blues Recording Winner

    Let The Good Times Roll

    Ray Charles

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