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Historical event

Ray Charles · 1961

Ray Charles

Historical music event in the Radio Music History database.

October 9, 1961Chart⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Description

Ray Charles started a two-week run at No. 1 on the US singles chart with "Hit the Road Jack." The song reached No. 6 in the UK, also topped the charts in New Zealand and Sweden, and earned Charles a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Recording. It became one of his signature songs and was ranked No. 387 on Rolling Stone's 2010 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Related events

  1. Ray CharlesOctober 2, 1961
    Chart⭐⭐⭐
    Ray Charles reached No. 1 on the R&B chart with “Hit the Road, Jack.”
  2. Ray CharlesOctober 5, 1961
    Chart⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Ray Charles reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Pop chart with “Hit the Road Jack.”
  3. Ray CharlesAugust 6, 1955
    Chart⭐⭐⭐
    “A Fool for You” by Ray Charles and his group reached No. 1 on the R&B chart.
  4. Ray CharlesSeptember 1, 1952
    Business⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Atlantic Records bought Ray Charles's contract from Swingtime Records. He thereby moved to a label that began steering him toward harder rhythm and blues rather than the polished pop and West Coast blues in which he had previously recorded.
  5. Ray CharlesOctober 6, 1991
    Award⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Ray Charles was honored in a special Fox television program, “Ray Charles: 50 Years Of Music.” Highlights included Charles performing “Living For The City” with Stevie Wonder and “Busted” with Willie Nelson.
  6. Ray CharlesAugust 11, 1992
    Concert⭐⭐⭐☆☆
    Ray Charles performed at the opening of the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, singing his famous version of “America The Beautiful.”
  7. Ray CharlesAugust 31, 2004
    Album⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Ray Charles' album "Genius Loves Company" was released posthumously by Concord Records. It was the last album Charles recorded and completed before his death in June 2004. It featured recordings with guest musicians including Natalie Cole, Elton John, James Taylor, Norah Jones, B. B. King, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson and Bonnie Raitt. The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and won eight Grammy Awards in 2005, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year.
  8. Ray CharlesOctober 8, 2004
    Chart⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Ray Charles, who died in June of the same year, earned his first platinum album. “Genius Loves Company,” released in September, sold more than one million copies.
  9. Ray CharlesOctober 8, 2004
    Concert⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Stevie Wonder, Usher, Mary J. Blige, and Reba McEntire performed at the Staples Center in Los Angeles at a memorial concert dedicated to the late Ray Charles.
  10. Ray CharlesAugust 26, 2005
    Other⭐⭐⭐
    A post office near the Los Angeles studio where Ray Charles recorded much of his music was renamed in his honor. The federal bill renaming the post office was signed by US President George W. Bush.