Sample Early Blues by Ray Charles Before His Rise to FameSample Early Blues by Ray Charles Before His Rise to Fame

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Sample Early Blues by Ray Charles Before His Rise to Fame

The late Ray Charles was a true icon. An early pioneer in R&B and soul music, a mentor to iconic producer Quincy Jones, and a "master of sounds" in blues, gospel, pop, and jazz.

By

Tracklib

·

February 21, 2024

The compilation The Complete Swing Time and Down Beat Recordings on Tracklib includes previously unreleased material of Ray Charles from 1949 to 1952, such as "Can’t You See Darling." The selection features some of his work for Down Beat Records, which was renamed to Swing Time Records in 1949. The Maxin Trio also debuted on the label with a range of 10" shellac records (that's pre-vinyl!), featuring Ray Charles on piano and vocals.

maxin trio ray charles

The Maxin Trio’s "Confession Blues" became the very first song written by Charles to reach the charts. The song reached a #11 position on Billboard's Best Selling Retail Race Records in 1949. He spent the following years touring with Lowell Fulson as his musical director. That's when the sound of Ray Charles started to toughen with his heartfelt blues moans, backed by horn arrangements—and major label budgets after signing to Atlantic Records in 1952.

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