His early life was full of tragedy and misfortune, but Ray Charles never let this get in his way.

In this episode, we'll learn about how Ray Charles overcame adversity to become one of the most loved musicians in American history. 

• The early life of Ray Charles: born to a teenage mother in an institutionally racist country
• Ray Charles: "Even compared to other blacks we were on the bottom of the ladder looking up at everyone else. Nothing below us except the ground"
• The death of Ray Chales' younger brother
• Going blind and being sent to a school for the blind
• Learning to play the piano (while blind)
• The death of his mother and moving to Jacksonville
• Trying to make ends meet playing music
• Copying the style of Nat King Cole
• Deciding to move to Seattle
• Making a name for himself in Seattle and meeting Quincy Jones
• Getting his first record deal & "I Got A Woman"
• Ray Charles' style: a combination of blues, jazz & gospel
• Why Ray Charles was unpopular with many pastors
• Ray Charles as an excellent businessman
• Where his confidence comes from - “you’re blind, you ain’t stupid”
• Battling his heroin addiction
• Ray Charles and women
• Later life and legacy

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/ray-charles

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