Channel: Concord Records

Category: Music

Tags: countryalbumsclassicssoulbrother rayhappyrayamerican musicr&bsixtiespopstandardsyou are my sunshineray charles60scovers

Description: The Sixties marked a monumental shift in popular culture and society throughout all of America. Starting in 1962, it was soundtracked by what would later be considered by critics to be two of the most important American music recordings of all time. In early 1963, when incoming Alabama governor George Wallace delivered his infamous “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever” speech, the #1 record on the nation’s R&B chart, as well as a recent Top 10 hit on pop radio, was “You Are My Sunshine” by Ray Charles. At the time, the thought of an African-American artist, covering country standards by/for a predominately white audience, seemed like an outrageous undertaking. Initially met with hesitation by his label ABC, Ray stood fast in his belief knowing that strong performances and good songs had no boundary, especially of race or genre. The albums proved to be a massive commercial success and catapulted Ray from soul legend to American music icon. Vol 1. spawned four chart-topping singles: “Born to Lose,” “Careless Love,” “You Don’t Know Me,” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” the latter (and the album itself) being RIAA-certified Gold in only one month. The success led to the recording of Vol. 2. Focusing more on balladry, one side featured performances by the Ray Charles Big Band with the Raelettes, and the other with a string section and the Jack Halloran Singers. Like its predecessor, it was released to both critical and commercial acclaim. In 1999, Vol. 1 was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame for “historical significance,” as was the lead single, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” in 2001. 57-years later, these genre-bending albums continue to showcase the most enduring yet still-aspirational achievement on these albums: unity. __ Concord Records has re-issued a Deluxe Edition of "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, Vols. 1 & 2" on 180g vinyl featuring remastered audio, as well as CD and for the first time ever - streaming platforms. Pick up your copy and listen to these landmark records at the link below. found.ee/RayCharles_ModernSounds __ Original Animation and Direction by Mertcan Mertbilek mertcanmertbilek.com #RayCharles #ModernSounds