Ray Charles

from Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story, page 168:

This was the happiest period of my life so far [on tour in the 1950’s]… [I] secretly held the hope that I'd [someday] get to sing with violins and cellos ever since I'd heard Frank Sinatra do "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)." I was crazy about the song; the strings sounded so lush and beautiful. And I knew it'd be a thrill to hear all those romantic instruments behind me. There weren't that many black singers back then who recorded with strings. I remember Nat Cole doing "Nature Boy," but us rhythm-and-blues musicians had had a label slapped on us--strings were out.
cite as

David Ritz and Ray Charles, Brother Ray: Ray Charles' Own Story (New York, 2003), p. 168. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1427806819826 accessed: 29 March, 2024

Listeners

Ray Charles
Pianist, Singing, Songwriter, Writer
1930-2004

Listening to

hide composers
'Nancy with the Laughing Face' performed by Frank Sinatra
'Nature Boy' performed by Nat King Cole

Experience Information


Originally submitted by 5011Henning on Tue, 31 Mar 2015 14:00:20 +0100
Approved on Thu, 27 Aug 2015 14:41:47 +0100