MSCL.com

Posted: **Jun 10th 2004, 5:09 pm**

http://entertainment.msn.com/music/arti ... 3&GT1=3584

Ray Charles Dies at 73
Jun 10, 2:42 PM EST
The Associated Press

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif -- Ray Charles, the Grammy-winning crooner who blended gospel and blues in such crowd-pleasers as "What'd I Say" and heartfelt ballads like "Georgia on My Mind," died Thursday, a spokesman said. He was 73.

Charles died at his Beverly Hills home surrounded by family and friends, said spokesman Jerry Digney.

Charles last public appearance was alongside Clint Eastwood on April 30, when the city of Los Angeles designated the singer's studios, built 40 years ago in central Los Angeles, as a historic landmark.

Blind by age 7 and an orphan at 15, Charles spent his life shattering any notion of musical boundaries and defying easy definition.

Rest of article at above link

Posted: **Jun 10th 2004, 5:51 pm**

Yeah, this is sad. And with all the airtime devoted to Reagan right now, his life will probably get only a passing mention in the news. Kinda reminds me of when Mother Theresa died but nobody seemed to care 'cause Princess Di was killed around the same time. My folks used to play a lot of Ray Charle's music around the house when I was a kid.