I did it to myself. It wasn't society... it wasn't a pusher, it wasn't being blind or being black or being poor. It was all my doing.
From Ray Charles
I am very into lyrics. I start with what the words are saying, what the storyline is saying, like a good script. It should really capture me, do something for me. If I don't get it, it's not going to move people, and if it's not going to move people, it's not going to happen.
People couldn't understand why my mama would have this blind kid out doing things like cutting wood for the fire. But her thing was: He may be blind, but he ain't stupid.
To me, music is entertainment - what else can it be? In fact, it's the only language I know of that's universal.
What is a soul? It's like electricity - we don't really know what it is, but it's a force that can light a room.
Learning to read music in Braille and play by ear helped me develop a damn good memory.
I never wanted to be famous. I only wanted to be great.
What makes my approach special is that I do different things. I do jazz, blues, country music and so forth. I do them all, like a good utility man.
Music's been around a long time, and there's going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead. I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind. If it's a big record, that's the frosting on the cake, but music's the main meal.
Love is a special word, and I use it only when I mean it. You say the word too much and it becomes cheap.
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