In the 1960s
In 1960
Ray Charles Enterprises Inc. became incorporated in April 1960 while still located on West 57th Street, New York, NY. Tangerine Music Corporation and Racer Music Corporation were incorporated in January 1962.
Ray Charles was the first recording artist to purchase an airplane large enough to tour the world with his entire orchestra.
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY® Nomination for Best Vocal Performance Single Record or Track Male for “Georgia On My Mind.”
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY Nomination for Best Performance by a Pop/Rock/Contemporary Single Artist for “Georgia On My Mind.”
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY Nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance for “Let The Good Times Roll.”
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY Nomination for Best Vocal Performance Album Male for The Genius Of Ray Charles.
In 1961
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY Nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for “Hit The Road Jack.”
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY Nomination for Album of the Year (other than Classical) for Genius + Soul: Jazz.
Ray Charles appeared in the movie Swingin’ Along as himself.
In 1962
Ray Charles recorded his first Country and Western Album Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music.
Over the next four years — from January 1962 through January 1966, Ray Charles would record 33 country songs. These songs were previously recorded by other country artists and adapted to Mr. Charles’ signature style.
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for “l Can’t Stop Loving You.”
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY Nomination for the Record of the Year for “l Can’t Stop Loving You.”
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY Nomination for the Best Solo Vocal Performance Male for “l Can’t Stop Loving You.”
Ray Charles remains the first and only black man to earn a GRAMMY Award and a #1 Billboard Pop Chart Hit with a country and western song as he did with “l Can’t Stop Loving You.”
In 1963
Ray Charles starred in his first feature film Ballad in Blue.
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for “Busted.”
A Salute to Freedom, Ray Charles performs at a star-studded concert to raise funds for the historic March on Washington for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1964
Ray Charles was the first major recording artist to own his own state-of-the-art recording studio — RPM International Inc. [incorporated in November 1964] — and it opened in 1965 in Los Angeles, California.
Under the Tangerine Records label, Ray Charles signed hundreds of artists who went on to become great artists in their own right, such as Billy Preston, Louie Jordan, and Question-Mark and the Mysterians just to name a few.
In 1966
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Science recognized Ray Charles as Producer of Best Rhythm & Blues Recording for “Crying Time.”
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY for Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance Male for “Crying Time.”
Ray Charles performed in The Big T.N.T. Show documentary.
In 1967
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Contemporary Single, Best Vocal Performance and Best Contemporary Male Solo Vocal Performance for “Yesterday.”
Ray Charles was the first to receive not one, but two standing ovations from the U.S. Army Transportation Center in tribute to his performances (Ft. Eustis April 14, 1967).
In 1968
Ray Charles had long been Honorary Life Chairman of the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, and was inducted into the Playboy Magazine Hall of Fame. He has topped that magazine’s reader’s poll in several categories many times.
In 1969
Ray Charles received a GRAMMY Nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance Male “Doing His Thing.”