Ray Charles just died.

Great, great loss.One time Ray Charles was due to put on a concert, When he arrived he found out that all of the Black audience was to be seated in the balcony while the white audience got the main floor seats. He told the venue manager that the only way he would do the show was if the balck got to sit on the main floor and let the whites sit in the balcony.The manager refused, Ray didn't sing, they sued him and he lost.Years later someone asked him about the whole issue. His response was, "Shows how dumb that white boy was. All he had to do was say 'Sure Mr. Charles' and put folk wherever he wanted. How was I gonna know if the kid in the front row seat was black or white?"

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

The late 50's and early 60's we were still in the heyday of the US Highway, Mom & Pop Motels and Monkey Farms. Wipers were still vacuum operated and no cars had AC. Radios were available in most cars but for the most part, they were AM only.For a young guy with his first car, not new but not all that old either, there are few more vivid memories than driving south in the springtime on US 29 headed for the Promised Land. Floor vents were wide open and the window vents cracked to let some air pass through but keep out the rain. As you began winding up each hill the wipers would slow down, sometimes to a stop, and start up with a slap as you crested the ridge and started on the way down. All the while What I say (Part I & II) or Hit the Road Jack from WWVA, Wheeling West Virginy would be blazing from the radio.Although you knew that the Promised Land (the area around Staunton) was getting closer by the minute, you still wished you could prolong that moment when it was you, glistening two lane highway, slapping wipers and the sound.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Lovely tribute, Jar. Many thanks.

My favorite Ray Charles memory is an old Saturday Night Live skit, where Ray was the musical guest.The theme of the skit was a "Slow Reading Course".Various people were commenting on how much more they enjoyed reading, now that they had learned to read slower.Cut to Ray Charles, reading Braille text (approximation of what Ray said):
"Before the slow reading course, I was always getting blisters on my fingers".Moose

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but I just wanted to give you kudos on acknowledging his death with the thread. I was a little upset that news of the death was slightly lost due to the death of Ronald Reagan (at least around here), but I guess that's how things go. Ray Charles was definitely a wonderful musician and person, and I hope his music and life story will continue to inspire everyone for generations to come."We all got to get it together
There's just no other place to go
If we can't find some peace with each other
Then we'll be dead before you know
I don't have all the answers
I'm just one man who's searching for a change "
My World - Ray Charles