In Albany, Georgia, on September 23, 1932, Ray Charles Robinson was born. In his autobiography, Brother Ray, Charles quotes himself as saying, “The elderly man… was virtually always present.” When the family moved to Greenville, Florida, Charles was still a little child.
Charles’ vision soon started to deteriorate. His right eye was amputated when he was seven years old, and shortly after that, he become completely blind. He was sent to the Saint Augustine School for the Blind in Florida, where he learned to play the piano, the clarinet, and the saxophone in addition to studying Braille. Because of his vision, he had to rely on his excellent musical recall and exquisite pitch.
Ray Charles’s parents: Meet Bailey Robinson, and Aretha Robinson
Bailey Robinson was the father of Charles Ray. Charles was unable to be raised by Bailey Robinson, a migrant railroad worker who was absent from his life. Charles’s father left the home two years after his mother died when he was fifteen years old. Charles’ anguish as a result of going blind and becoming an orphan at an early age gave his music profundity.
Aretha Robinson is Ray Charles’ mother. Aretha was a sawmill employee.
