Top Ray Charles Quotes - Quotesmemo.com

Ray Charles Biography

Ray Charles Robinson[note 1] (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), known professionally as Ray Charles, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and composer. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred being called "Brother Ray". He was often referred to as "The Genius". Charles was blind from the age of seven.

Read about Ray Charles in Wikipedia

Random Authors

Ray Charles Quotes

Dreams, if they're any good, are always a little bit crazy.

Crazy, Dream, Dreams, Good, Littles

I'm not into the money thing. You can only sleep in one bed at a time. You can only eat one meal at a time, or be in one car at a time. So I don't have to have millions of dollars to be happy. All I need are clothes on my back, a decent meal, and a little loving when I feel like it. That's the bottom line.

Back, Car, Clothes, Money, Sleep

When I was going blind, I didn't turn to God. It didn't seem to me then - and it doesn't seem to me now - that those items were His concern. Early on, I figured I better begin to learn how to count on myself, instead of counting on supernatural forces.

Blind, Concern, Early, Figured, Prayer, Supernatural Forces

I had to pawn my clothes just to pay my rent.

Clothes, Pawn, Pawns, Pay

Affluence separates people. Poverty knits 'em together. You got some sugar and I don't; I borrow some of yours. Next month you might not have any flour; well, I'll give you some of mine.

Affluence, Giving, Knits, People, Sugar, Together

Music is about the only thing left that people don't fight over.

Fight, Fighting, Music Is, People, Thing

Music's been around a long time, and there's going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead. I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind. If it's a big record, that's the frosting on the cake, but music's the main meal.

Big, Cake, Long, Make, Rays

You got to set your mind right and the rest will come to you naturally. No restrictions, no hang-ups, no stupid rules, no formalities, no forbidden fruit - just everyone getting and giving as much as he and she can.

Forbidden, Generosity, Giving, Naturally, Stupid

I used to sing like Nat King Cole. I mean he was the guy when I was comin' up, and you know, man, people used to say of me, "Damn, he sure do sound like Nat King Cole. " But there was a day, and luckily for me it was early, when I woke up and asked myself, "Well, when are the ask me to sing because I sound like me?" So my advice is, never do anything that you don't like.

Advice, Day, Guy, Kings, Mean, Men

It's like Duke Ellington said, there are only two kinds of music - good and bad. And you can tell when something is good.

Bad, Dukes, Ellington, Kind, Kinds, Two

There's nothing written in the Bible, Old or New testament, that says, 'If you believe in Me, you ain't going to have no troubles. '

Believe, New Testament, Nothing, Old, Trouble

The role of the designer is basically that of a good host, anticipating the needs of the guest.

Basically, Good, Guests, Needs, Roles

Nowadays they say you need a special chip to put in the TV so kids can't watch this and that. In my day, we didn't need a chip. My mom was the chip. End of story.

Inspirational, Kids, Mom, Say, Special, Story

[On his heroin addiction:] I did it to myself. It wasn't society. . . it wasn't a pusher, it wasn't being blind or being black or being poor. It was all my doing.

Addiction, Black, Blind, Poor, Pusher

I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind.

Good, Immortality, Make, Mark, Musically, Want

I don't know what would have happened to me if I hadn't been able to hear.

Able, Eye, Happened, Hear, Know, Vision

All my life I've always been so blue, born to lose, and now I'm losing you.

Blue, Born, Lose, Losing, Low Self Esteem

Art Tatum -- he was a genius. And Einstein, not me.

Art, Einstein, Genius, Tatum

I cant retire from music any more than I can retire from my liver. Youd have to remove the music from me surgically—like you were taking out my appendix.

Like You, Remove, Retire, Retiring, Youd

Music is my life, professionally, for nearly 60 years. To be recognized by the academy is still the highest honor.

Honor, Music Is My Life, Nearly, Recognized, Years

1