Farewell To Ray Charles In L.A.

[moof]

Fellow artists Stevie Wonder, Willie Nelson and BB King
performed musical tributes at the First African Methodist
Episcopal Church service.



Hundreds of floral tributes, including a huge wreath of
chrysanthemums spelling out the letters RC, surrounded the
church.

Many of the congregation had to queue for two hours due to
tight security. Streets around the church were closed off, and
police helicopters monitored the situation from above.
Recorded tributes from producer Quincy Jones, and comedian
Bill Cosby were played during the service.
After the funeral, Charles' cortege was due to pass in
front of his Los Angeles recording studio and pause for
a minute's silence, before travelling to Inglewood,
California, for a private burial.
On Thursday, Charles' body went on public display at the
Los Angeles Convention Centre to allow thousands of fans to
pay their respects.

Charles' publicist Eric Raymond said the star's family had
requested he be put on display as a final tribute to his fans.

Fans filed slowly by the coffin that stood on a catafalque - a
raised platform - inside the Convention Centre, many of them
stopping to sign the condolence book or write a message on a
huge poster of Charles in performance.

One of the star's trademark black and silver jackets sat on the
empty seat of the piano.

Thanks for the music Ray
Thanks for the Ten thousand concerts
Thanks for Georgia on My Mind
Hit the Road Jack
I Can't Stop Loving You

That great night on Austin City Limits
Your wonderful work in Blues Brothers
" Baby It's cold outside" in " When Harry Met Sally"
All the help and money you gave behind the scenes for civil rights
and The Laboratory For Auditory Research


It'll be difficult to hear your music for a while without tears
The world has lost a genius that can never be replaced.


You the Man Ray

[Wickerman]

1. NPR has some nice audio of it

Hearing Willie break down while singing Georgia was very moving.

RIP Ray

[moof]

2. Does anyone know if Ray had made any appeals or

was waiting for a transplant or something that could have saved him?

He looked in such good shape at his studio's historical site shindig.

It was a real shock to hear he was

, well was everything done that could have been done for him ?

Why didn't somebody say Ray needed some good vibes ?

[moof]

3. The Rayettes

Billy Joel said many artists had tried to emulate Charles, "among
them myself, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood and
countless others. Ray Charles defined rhythm and blues, soul, and
authentic rock 'n' roll."

[moof]

4. Polar award

May 12, Singer Ray Charles and sitar master Ravi
Shankar received the Polar Music
Prize from King Carl Gustav XVI in Sweden. The award
was established by Stig
Anderson, manager of the Abba pop group.