Celebrating Black History Month – Ray Charles
Friday, February 19th, 2010Ray Charles Robinson was born n 1930 in Albany, GA, but as an infant moved to Greenfield, FL. At the age of five, Charles began to lose his sight and by the age of 7 was completely blind. It is thought cause of his blindness was due to an infection caused by soapy water. From 1937 to 1945 Charles was a student at the Florida School For the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, just located down the street from Old Town Trolley Tours. It was while at the Florida School For the Deaf and Blind that his musical talent began to develop. At school Ray was taught classical music, but it was the jazz he heard on the radio that he really wanted to play and established his first group, RC Robinson and the Shop Boys. (more…)