Unreleased
-
December 10, 2014
An Album That Was Never Released: Ray Charles Sings For You (1964/65)
Read moreIn the last quarter of 1964 ABC-Paramount made full preparations to release a compilation album titled Ray Charles Sings For You – the liner notes were compiled, the artwork was ordered, the release numbers for the mono and stereo versions (ABC-Paramount #500 A&B) were claimed, and the following tracks – until that date all only released […]
-
November 20, 2014
A Brand New Day (With Stevie Wonder, Patti Austin, James Ingram; Ray Charles On Piano)
Read moreUnreleased. On December 2, 2001 Ray participated (a bit) in the performance of this song, the grand finale of the 24th Kennedy Center Celebration, honoring Quincy Jones. (Starts at 17:06): Update 24.01.2021: the video of this performance is no longer available on YouTube, please let me know in the comments below if you have any footage, thanks — […]
-
November 19, 2014
Always A Friend
Read moreUnreleased. In episode 16 of season 3 of the sitcom Who’s The Boss, titled Hit the Road, Chad (first aired on Tuesday February 3, 1987), “Samantha’s boyfriend Chad writes a song just for her. [T]he tune is heard by legend Ray Charles whom Angela coerces into recording it for her ad agency.” The song was “written exclusively for […]
-
November 18, 2014
Baby Please Don’t Go
Read moreUnreleased (? The Knebworth concert may have been issued on VHS). It’s odd that Ray never recorded this in the studio. For the origin of the song, read this. Capital Jazz Fest, Knebworth, 1982: Update 24.01.2021: the video of this performance is no longer available on YouTube, please let me know in the comments below if […]
-
November 18, 2014
Bacio (The Ray Charles Orchestra)
Read moreUnreleased. Unfortunately, up till now only an audience taped recording has surfaced, from a 1988 concert in Saratoga Springs. You can listen to it here (first track). The orchestra that night: Chuck Parrish, Jeff Helgesen, Ted Murdock, Jeff Kaye – trumpets; Armin Marmolejo, Steve Sigmund, James Romanek, Charlie Shofner – trombones; Chris Lega, Al Jackson, Mike Karn, Rudy Johnson, […]
-
November 18, 2014
Backseat Baby (Jingle)
Read moreUnreleased. Crash Dummies was a long running campaign, handled by the US Department of Transportation. In 1997 Ray contributed to the 30 second Back-Seat-Ba-By announcement below (campaign theme: “You could learn a lot from a dummy”; catchline: “Buckle Kids In The Backseat, Baby”). At the end Ray adds his most peculiar oneliner ever: “They stay alive […]
-
November 17, 2014
BBC (The Ray Charles Orchestra)
Read moreUnreleased. The tune was written and arranged by Bob Florence. Live: ’95 LC Tramps – Streamed ’96 LC Lugano ’96 LC Montauk’97 LC Philly
-
November 17, 2014
Beautiful Heartache (With Michael Ball)
Read moreUnreleased. In July and August 1993 The Michael Ball Show, a six-week music series, was broadcast by ITV. The program featured guests such as Cher, Cliff Richard, Dionne Warwick, Elaine Page, Emmylou Harris, Julio Iglesias, Shirley Bassey, James Brown, Joe Cocker, and Ray Charles – who was featured in the first show, produced and directed […]
-
November 17, 2014
Behind Closed Doors
Read moreUnreleased. One of Brother Ray’s last masterpieces, performed during the CMT 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music Concert, recorded at Nashville’s Gaylord Entertainment Center on June 9th, and aired on June 13th, 2003.
-
November 17, 2014
Believe In Yourself (With Elmo & Sesame Choir)
Read moreUnreleased*. Ray sang Believe In Yourself on Sesame Street, in episode #3491, aired on April 1, 1996. The central message of this song of encouragement is that you can be or do anything you want if you just believe in yourself – even when other people doubt you. * On the DVD The Best of Elmo 2, for some […]
-
November 17, 2014
Between An Old Memory And Me (With Travis Tritt)
Read moreUnreleased. A marvelous duet from CMT Crossroads, taped on 10 September 2002, and first aired on 6 December of that year. Ray Charles (ep, vo); Travis Tritt (g, vo); Aubrey Haynie (vln); John Jarvis (o); Dan Dugmore (pedal steel g); Brent Mason, Reggie Young (g); Mac (Lyman Corbitt) McAnally, Jr. (ac-g); Glenn Worf (b); Greg Morrow […]
-
November 17, 2014
Big Legged Woman
Read moreUnreleased. The first-ever, slow, raw performance of Big Legged Woman (written by Johnnie Temple) was recorded at the 1976 Stuttgart concert. Just as in the 1978 Boston show it was used as an intro to What’d I Say. The song is best known in Freddie King’s version, but Ray stayed much closer to the slow version of Muddy Waters, giving […]