Table of ContentsIntroductionBodyConclusionIntroductionRay Charles was a multi-musical icon of the 20th century. Even though he was a successful musician, he endured many hardships when he was young. He lost many family members at a young age and became completely blind at the age of seven. Charles used music as a coping mechanism for his early difficulties, most notably his talents as a pianist. Ray Charles overcame adversity as a blind musician, former drug addict, and African American in the late 1900s. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayBodyRay Charles was born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. Ray Charles didn't have the childhood many people dream of. He had to face many difficulties and obstacles to become a well-established and successful singer and pianist. During his childhood, Ray experienced many traumatic deaths. At the age of five, he lost his younger brother, drowned in a bathtub. At the age of ten, he lost his father, soon followed by his mother at fifteen. Ray Charles did not live a wealthy life; in fact, his parents were poor, which meant they couldn't afford medical care. At the age of five, shortly after the death of his brother, Ray was diagnosed with degenerative glaucoma of the eyes. Because his parents were so poor, they couldn't afford treatment. His condition eventually led to him becoming completely blind at the age of seven. After Ray lost all of his siblings and parents, he began to rely on himself and his music. Her mother always told her, “You might not be able to do things like a sighted person.” But there are always two ways to do everything. You just need to find the other path (Gale 1). This statement would later inspire him to overcome adversity and become one of the most important singing pianists of the 1950s and the rest of his career. After Charles' mother died, Charles began traveling. He had adapted to the blindness that had struck him eight years earlier. At the age of fifteen, Charles participated in the “Chitlin Circuit” in the south (Ray, 1). A year later, Charles moved from Greenville, Florida to Seattle, where his music career would finally take off. He began performing with different musical groups and initially drew most of his musical influence from Charles Brown and Nat King Cole. He idealized both men, as they had distinctive musical styles. In fact, Charles' original sound would be influenced by these two, as well as many other musicians and musical factors. Around the age of nineteen, Charles released his first song “Confession Blues” accompanied by the Maxin Trio. It was Charles' first single, and it did surprisingly well. Additionally, years later, Charles released many other singles that would also chart on popular R&B music charts. Despite his blindness, Charles' career begins to take off and the public adores him. At the age of twenty, Charles would reach number one on the charts with his single "I Got a Woman" (Ray 2). After the release of this single, the idea of ​​its mixed musical model began to become very popular during this period. This new model was known as “Soul Music”. Ray Charles, born in the 1930s, grew up in a world of racial segregation. Charles would have to overcome adversity to achieve his dreams. Ray Charles is particularly known for promoting the cultural practices of African-Americans. He used these practices in his songwriting and performances. Charles' musical legacy consisted of various.”.