Only a few names, like Ray Charles, have echoed through time in soul music. A musical icon and genius, Charles was often referred to as “The Genius” by contemporaries. With his professional career starting in 1947, Charles had a successful 57-year musical career.
Until his death, Ray Charles continued to perform. Throughout his career, Charles enjoyed fame and wealth, receiving several accolades for his talents as well as national honors. Charles was one of his generation’s revered musicians who left behind a substantial estate along with a legacy. Here’s more about Ray Charles’ life, career, and net worth.
Ray Charles’ Early Life and Career
Although his blindness and dark sunglasses would become a defining feature in his musical career, Ray Charles wasn’t born blind. Charles was born Ray Charles Robinson in Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1930. He was born to a laundress, Aretha Robinson, and Bailey Robinson, a laborer. Charles’ mother had to live with his father when she was young after the death of her mother. Bailey Robinson, who was married at the time, raised Aretha until she was of age. Soon afterward, Aretha became pregnant with Charles for her adoptive father, Bailey Robinson. Despite the ensuing scandal, which saw her leave Bailey’s home, Aretha returned to raise Charles as Bailey’s son.
Charles’ father abandoned the family and was later married to another woman. Although Charles had a younger brother, George Robinson, George died when he was four after accidentally drowning in their mother’s laundry tub. Charles began having eye problems when he was around 5 years old. By age 7, Charles was blind as a result of glaucoma. His mother, desperate to ensure her son had a good education, enrolled him at Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. At age 14, Charles became an orphan after his mother died in 1945. Having stayed in school because of his mother, Charles never returned to school after her funeral.
Years earlier, Ray Charles had shown an interest in music. It was one of the things he developed while at school. Charles had been taught to play the piano by Wylie Pitman, the owner of the local Red Wing Cafe. He was a friend of his mother’s and often allowed them to stay over at the cafe whenever they had financial issues. After the death of his mother, Charles moved to Jacksonville and began playing the piano for several bands at LaVilla’s Ritz Theatre, earning $4 a night. It was when he moved to Seattle, Washington, in 1948 that he first met his long-time career friend, the then 15-year-old Quincy Jones. Soon, Charles was part of his first musical band, The McSon Trio, with Gossie McKee playing the guitar and Milton Garred on bass.
How Ray Charles Built His Net Worth With His Thriving Musical Career
Ray Charles’ popularity grew in the early 50s after he was signed to Atlantic Records in 1952. While at the record label, he made his debut on the music charts. However, his biggest initial career success came after he was signed to ABC-Paramount in 1959. Charles chose not to renegotiate his contract with Atlantic Records after it expired in 1959. ABC-Paramount offered Charles the most lucrative deal available at the time. Besides granting Charles ownership of his master tapes, he was offered higher royalties and a $50,000 annual advance fee (an equivalent of over $500,000 today).
It was with ABC-Paramount that Charles released his Billboard-topping version of “Georgia on My Mind.” Charles recorded the song in May 1960 and released it in September 1960. Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind” peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song gave Charles two Grammy Awards wins – Best Performance by a Pop Single Artist and Best Vocal Performance Single Record or Track, Male. Throughout his lifetime, Charles received 38 Grammy nominations, winning 19 (both competitive and honorary). Of the 38 nominations, 11 were shared with other musicians he featured or collaborated with.
Ray Charles received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in the Recording category on December 16, 1981. Charles’ star is located at 6777 Hollywood Blvd. Charles was one of the first inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, being inducted in 1986. In the same year, Charles received the Kennedy Center Honors. Besides the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Ray Charles is an inductee of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Rhythm & Blues Foundation, Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, and Country Music Hall of Fame.
Ray Charles Shared His Estate Between His 12 Children and His Foundation
Ray Charles struggled with heroin addiction for 17 years. While he admits cigarettes and heroin were addictive habits he struggled with, Ray Charles openly admitted his obsession centered on women. Ray Charles was married twice, with both ending in divorce. His first marriage to Eileen Williams in 1951 lasted for a year. He remarried Della Beatrice Howard three years later, in 1955. The couple stayed married for 22 years before Howard filed for divorce, having had to deal with Charles’ heroin addiction for years. The divorce was finalized in 1977.
Besides his marriage to Williams and Howard, nine other women bore Ray Charles’ children. Louise Flowers gave birth to Ray Charles’ first daughter and child, Evelyn Robinson, in 1949. Della Beatrice Howard gave birth to Charles’ first son, Ray Charles Robinson Jr., on May 25, 1955. The couple had two other children, David Robinson and Robert Robinson, in 1958 and 1960, respectively. Charles had a son, Charles Wayne Hendricks, with the Raelettes’ Margie Hendricks on October 1, 1959. Mae Mosely Lyles bore him a daughter, Renee Robinson, in 1961. Sandra Jean Betts gave birth to a daughter, Sheila Robinson, in 1963.
Ray Charles’s eighth child, Reatha Butler, born in 1966, was named after Charles’s mother. In 1968, Charles’ ninth child, Alexandra Bertrand, was born to another of his mistresses, Mary-Chantal Bertrand. His last three children, Vincent Kotchounian, Robyn Moffett, and Ryan Corey Robinson den Bok, were born in 1977, 1978, and 1987, respectively. They were all born by three of Ray Charles’ mistresses, Arlette Kotchounian, Gloria Moffett, and Mary Anne den Bok. Reportedly, Ray Charles held a luncheon with all of his children two years before his death. Although two of the children did not attend, Charles informed them of his failing health and a trust of $500,000 for each of them. Ray Charles willed the rest of his estate to his foundation, Ray Charles Foundation.
What Was Ray Charles’ Net worth?
Ray Charles reportedly had a net worth of $75 million at his death. Ray Charles was a singer, pianist, songwriter, and composer. Besides his successful musical career, Charles starred in a few on-screen roles as Himself and as a character. The bulk of Charles’ net worth went to his foundation. Charles had established the foundation as a charity to support children with vision and hearing impairments. Although his children later sued for access to Ray Charles’ song rights and master tapes, a 2015 court ruling favored the Ray Charles Foundation counter-sue. The foundation counter-sued that not only does it fall within their trust, but it breaches the trust fund agreement set up for the children by the late singer. The Ray Charles Foundation has remained profitable over the years, generating about $3 million in revenue.
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