Ray Charles

In this unit, kids discover why almost everyone in the music industry calls Ray Charles the “Genius.” His versatility, singlemindedness, and creativity are some of the reasons, but there are many more. Kids take a deep dive into early experiences that paved the way for his long and successful career: How, at the age of three, he climbed onto a piano stool at a nearby café and first “mashed” the keys. How he learned to read and write – and arrange music – in Braille. How he set out to Seattle from Florida to find his way, musically.

Kids wanting to find out more about music genres will enjoy poring over the back stories of R&B, gospel, and country music. Those interested in the civil rights movement will want to explore Charles’s involvement, which included giving concerts to raise money for the cause and taking a public stand against segregation by refusing to perform for a segregated audience. Future songwriters will be interested to learn the impetus of one of Charles’s best-selling songs, while visually oriented kids will enjoy photos from the 1960s and old album covers. Future performers will be fascinated to learn how Charles chose the songs he performed. And most everyone will be impressed to find out the connection between Ray Charles and the game of chess.