OMG! Ray Charles has died.

[Gothic Sponge]

It's Breaking News on CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/

[slinkerwink]

1. that's just sad....

now truly a death to mourn :-(

[GOPisEvil]

2. What?!?! Noooooooooo!!!!

Aw, crap! :-(

[tsakshaug]

3. NO!!!

Not now!!

[cjbuchanan]

4. How sad

Sorry to see him go.

[m-jean03]

5. Now that's sad!

RIP, Mr. Charles, you will be a legend for all time .

[Lavender Brown]

6. I can't believe it!

He wasn't that old, was he? :(

[hlthe2b]

13. 73 years young.....

Now that is a loss...

[Shakespeare]

7. He's the only person who could sing America, the Beautiful & make me weep.

:cry:

[commander bunnypants]

8. man

that is truly sad

DDQM

[Sporadicus]

9. A Great Musician

I'm truly saddened.

[Political_Junkie]

10. Now that's truly a loss.

eom

[phillybri]

11. That's a bummer...These usually come in 3's...

Reagan...Charles...who'll be the third?

[MallRat]

15. You beat me to it.

Usually, when the first two are really big names, the third is more obscure.

Probably will be some character actor, or maybe a professional athlete that only hardcore sports fans will know.

-MR

[Magrittes Pipe]

19. Elvin Jones died not long ago.

[7th_Sephiroth]

29. with any luck

cheney's heart will finally give out

[phillybri]

42. Jesse Helms just had gallbladder surgery!

I keed, I keed!!!

[drdtroit]

54. He was the third:

In the world of Jazz.

Some of my fellow musicians and myself were wondering just yesterday at a rehearsal who was next to go because we had already lost Elvin Jones (created a more afro-centric style of jazz drumming most notably with John Coltrane).

Then Steve Lacy (soprano saxophonist whose career involved the understanding and development of the music of Thelonious Monk) passed just a few days ago (I guess he would be the slightly more obscure of the three).

And now Brother Ray.

He's just freer than ever now. O8)

Peace Out

By the way, how do you become a "Raylette"?

Let Ray!

[klook]

55. R.I.P. Steven Lackritz

I guess I'm totally out of it, because I just heard this morning on the radio that Steve Lacy died last week. I also heard that there will be a re-broadcast of Terri Gross's 1997 Fresh Air interview with Lacy sometime--did I hear right that it's today?

Lacy's death is terrible news. I was already bummed about Elvin Jones, and then Ray Charles. For me, Steve Lacy had a more personal connection.

I'm a big jazz fan and an amateur jazz pianist. I was fortunate enough to see Lacy perform several times--with his sextet (including cellist/bizarre vocalist Irene Aebi, saxophonist Steve Potts, pianist Bobby Few, et al.); with just bass and drums; and in a duo with pianist Mal Waldron.

I have a number of his recordings, including the incredible Reflections (interpretations of Thelonious Monk compositions, featuring Buell Neidlinger on bass, Mal Waldron on piano, and Elvin Jones on drums). Another album that stands out is the "progressive Dixieland" recordings he made with Dick Sutton (who was the leader) and Roswell Rudd in 1954, re-released as The Complete Jaguar Sessions under Lacy's name in 1986.

Once in the 1980s I was in Boston for a boring work-related conference. As soon as I hit town I picked up a copy of the weekly Boston Phoenix. Since I had never been to Boston before, I wanted to see what was going on. Among the event listings I saw that Steve Lacy was going to be speaking at Harvard the very next afternoon! I don't always get my priorities straight, but this time I knew I needed to skip the meeting and head over to Cambridge. It was great. He talked about how he had been working on Monk tunes with the students the previous night, taking them apart, analyzing each little section, and then putting it all together. A very enlightening afternoon. Lacy had a very thoughtful demeanor, and you could tell (in case it's not clear from his work!!) he was a very serious and disciplined musician--albeit one with a nimble sense of humor.

The last time I saw Lacy play was at the Red Light Cafe in Atlanta. Afterward, he was hanging around with fans near the door, and on the way out, I leaned over to tell him how much I had enjoyed the evening's music. He thanked me and smiled, not at all the jaded response you see from some musicians. I said, "I've heard you play a number of times, and I always enjoy it. You get better every time." "Yeah?" he said, smiling even bigger than before. "Yeah, man," I said, and left the club.

I'm sure glad I got a chance to tell him that.

[librechik]

12. Why can't we devote a full week to Ray's good works and accomplishments?

he was a much more positive influence that Ronnie ever was. And more popular.

[ronnykmarshall]

14. Oh no!

I love Ray Charles.

This is so sad.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/10/obit.ray.charles.ap/index.html

[GreatScott]

16. What A Voice

I saw him at the Fair St Louis a few years ago and he was just tremendous.

[GainesT1958]

17. Oh Nooooooo!

Not my man, Ray!:-(

God Bless ya, Ray....you were--and always will be--the best! Uh-HUH!!!

B-)

[meti57b]

18. We have lost a true gift of g-d and national treasure.

[Gothic Sponge]

20. Those bastards at CNN just put up the story on Ray Charles

However, they couldn't bump the damn Reagan casket story and make Ray Charles the top story! I HATE CNN!

[mark0rama]

25. They just did, if that's any consolation. *NT*

[Gothic Sponge]

28. Okay thanks!

I was about to be mad all night. ;)

[mark0rama]

21. A towering figure in several genres of music,

including one or two he invented himself.

His contribution to American culture can scarcely be overstated. I was fortunate to attend two of his concerts over the past decade, but today it doesn't seem like enough.

[playahata1]

40. I debated my brother and his best friend recently over who was the

greater musician: Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder. Ray Charles gets the nod from me because of that ability to move among genres.

RIP, Ray.

[tsakshaug]

22. He deserves a state funeral

I am at a loss for words

[capriccio]

23. Charlestown!

Let's rename Georgia.

[dolo amber]

24. If there is a Heaven where all are healed...

Imagine what he's seeing right now. ;)

RIP Ray. :loveya:

[dawg]

30. Awwww! That is so sweet.

That made me smile. :)

[colonel odis]

33. that's a great notion.

maybe he's looking at the keyboard of a nice steinway grand right now.

[buddhamama]

26. a loss to humanity.

i am profoundly saddened by his passing :cry:

May You Rest In Peace, Ray!

[dr.strangelove]

27. Friday's National Day of Morning is for Ray Charles

At least in my mind.

[Hawkeye-X]

31. Yeah. Fuck Reagan. I'm mourning Ray Charles.

Reagan is a turd that deserves to be flushed. However, Ray Charles is the true national treasure.

Hawkeye-X

[Misunderestimator]

34. Hear, Hear! n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

32. Here was a man who proved to the world

that one can lack sight and still have clear vision.

Thanks for your gift, Ray! I'll miss you...:cry:

[AspenRose]

56. That was beautifully said.

:cry:

Gotta go back to class now. See y'all later.:grouphug:

[ronnykmarshall]

35. Oh woman, oh woman

doncha treat me so mean, you're the meanest old woman that I ever seen.

Don't CAAARRREEE if you do, cuz it's understood. You ain't got no money you just ain't no good.

[MissMillie]

36. I wonder if we can get a week's worth of

TV coverage for that.

[Tom_Foolery]

37. Let's put Ray Charles' image on all our money...

then we'll have the coolest money in the world.

[adriennel]

38. I'm bummed

I met Ray Charles once after a concert in MI...he was very nice and said something to me like "hey sister, how's it going?" and I was in awe of this fabulous musician, plus he seemed like a nice guy

O8)

[VelmaD]

39. I don't usually cry...

over celebrity deaths but this one I'll make an exception. As a musician, and a pianist especially, I stood in awe. He was amazing.

That heavenly choir just picked up one helluva accompanist. :)

[playahata1]

41. Does anyone remember the "Cosby Show" episode where the

Huxtables lip-synched to Charles' "Night & Day?" Now THAT was a hoot!

[ronnykmarshall]

45. I loved that one.

The youngest daugter was riot.

[ronnykmarshall]

43. Ray w/ Bill and Hillary and w/ Nancy

[VelmaD]

44. That is the face of a man with JOY...

in his heart.

And how surreal is it to see Nancy Reagan with Ray Charles and Willie Nelson?

[ronnykmarshall]

46. He just glowed all the time.

[OneBlueSky]

47. did more for this country than Reagan could ever dream of . . .

just by singing "America the Beautiful" . . . once . . . what a sad day for those who love good music and good people . . . rest in peace, Brother Ray . . . you will be missed . . .

[NightTrain]

48. Right on!

Ronald Reagan's death has not affected me in the least. But losing Ray Charles is an entirely different story! :cry:

[mosin]

49. I heard on my way home from work.

When I got home, I immediately put on a Ray Charles CD. It made me feel a bit better to think about his wonderful musical legacy.

[robertpaulsen]

50. Coming Home.

Bathroom graffiti I remember:

God is Love

Love is Blind

Ray Charles is Blind

Ray Charles is God



And God bless us, everyone! We'll miss you down here!

[mopaul]

51. .

[mopaul]

52. .

[mopaul]

53. ...........