Ray Charles discography


The discography of American musician Ray Charles consists of 54 studio albums, 7 live albums, 39 compilations albums, and 127 singles

Overview

Ray Charles first appeared on a Billboard chart in 1949, when — as part of the Maxin Trio with G.D. McKee and Milton Garred — he charted his first single with "Confession Blues." It reached No. 2 on the R&B chart, then called the Most-Played Juke Box Race Records. In 1952, Charles signed with Atlantic Records and went on to top Billboards pop, country, R&B, jazz, and dance charts.
In the early 1960s, after leaving Atlantic Records to sign with ABC–Paramount, he negotiated for ownership of his own master recordings. He also established his own labels. Tangerine came first, which evolved into CrossOver Records. As a songwriter, Charles penned nearly 200 songs. He also operated his own publishing companies, Tangerine Music and Racer Music.
On the Billboard Hot 100, Charles had 80 hits between 1958 and 1990, when "I'll Be Good to You" became his last Hot 100 single, reaching No. 18. His biggest hit, "I Can't Stop Loving You", spent five weeks at No. 1 in 1962. He also topped the Hot 100 with the singles "Hit the Road Jack" and "Georgia on My Mind". Among all acts, he charted the third-most singles on the Hot 100; only Elvis Presley and James Brown had more.
On Billboards R&B chart, Charles had 86 hits, including 11 chart-toppers such as "I've Got a Woman", "What'd I Say ", "Hit the Road Jack", and "You Are My Sunshine."
Charles also reached No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1985 with "Seven Spanish Angels", a duet with Willie Nelson. The single appears on Charles' duets album, Friendship, which reached No. 1 on Top Country Albums. His 1962 album, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, became his first album to top the Billboard 200.
In 1990, Charles had a No. 1 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart with "I'll Be Good to You", a collaboration with Quincy Jones and Chaka Khan.

Studio Albums

The Atlantic years

The ABC years

1973–2004

Posthumous albums

Compilations

Hundreds of Ray Charles compilations and "Greatest Hits/Best Of" albums have been released and continue to be produced and released by various labels around the world. Some of the more notable compilations include:
  • 1958: Ray Charles
  • 1959: The Original Ray Charles
  • 1959: The Fabulous Ray Charles
  • 1961: Do the Twist! with Ray Charles
  • 1962: The Ray Charles Story, Volume One
  • 1962: The Ray Charles Story, Volume Two
  • 1962: Ray Charles' Greatest Hits
  • 1963: The Ray Charles Story, Volume Three
  • 1964: The Ray Charles Story, Volume Four
  • 1967: A Man And His Soul
  • 1970: The Best of Ray Charles
  • 1971: A 25th Anniversary in Show Business Salute to Ray Charles
  • 1973: Ray Charles Live
  • 1978: The Tender Side of Ray Charles
  • 1980: Heart to Heart
  • 1982: A Life in Music
  • 1987: Ray Charles – His Greatest Hits, Volume 1/Volume 2
  • 1988: Ray Charles Anthology
  • 1989: Seven Spanish Angels and Other Hits
  • 1990: The Collection
  • 1991: The Classic Years
  • 1991: The Birth of Soul: The Complete Atlantic R&B Recordings 1952–1959
  • 1992: The Collection Volume 2
  • 1993: Ray Charles – Blues + Jazz
  • 1994: The Best of Ray Charles: The Atlantic Years
  • 1995: Jazz & Blues Collection, Vol. 3
  • 1997: Genius & Soul: The 50th Anniversary Collection
  • 1997: The Complete Swing Time & Down Beat Recordings 1949–1952
  • 1998: The Complete Country & Western Recordings, 1959–1986
  • 1999: Ultimate Hits Collection
  • 2000: The Very Best of Ray Charles, Volume 1/Volume 2
  • 2001: The Definitive Ray Charles
  • 2002: Ray Charles Sings for America
  • 2003: Ray Charles in Concert
  • 2004: RAY
  • 2004: The Best of Ray Charles Live
  • 2005: Pure Genius: The Complete Atlantic Recordings
  • 2009: Genius! The Ultimate Ray Charles Collection
  • 2011: Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles
  • 2011: The Complete Early Recordings 1949–1952
  • 2017: An Introduction to Ray Charles
  • 2020: One Two Three Songs
  • 2021: True Genius 6-CD 'limited edition' boxed set

    Singles

Down Beat, Swing Beat, Swing Time releases

1949: The McSon Trio :
  • "I Love You, I Love You " / "Confession Blues"
  • "Blues Before Sunrise" / "How Long Blues"
  • "A Sentimental Blues" / "You'll Never Miss the Water "
  • "Alone in the City" / "Can Anyone Ask for More?"
  • "Rockin' Chair Blues" / "Let's Have a Ball"
  • "If I Give You My Love" / "This Love of Mine"
  • "Ain't That Fine" / "Don't Put All Your Dreams in One Basket"
1949–1953: Ray Charles, The Ray Charles Trio:
  • "I've Had My Fun " / "Sitting on Top of the World "
  • "See See Rider" / "What Have I Done?"
  • "She's on the Ball" / "Honey, Honey"
  • "Th' Ego Song" / "Late in the Evening"
  • "Some Day" / "I'll Do Anything but Work"
  • "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" / "All to Myself"
  • "Lonely Boy" / "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand"
  • "I'm Glad for Your Sake" / "Kissa Me Baby"
  • "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" / "Hey Now"
  • "Baby Let Me Hear You Call My Name" / "Guitar Blues"
  • "I Can't Do No More" / "Roly Poly"
  • "Walkin' and Talkin' to Myself" / "I'm Wonderin' and Wonderin'"
  • "Misery in My Heart" / "The Snow Is Falling "

    Atlantic releases

The list of singles below are songs Ray Charles released while on the Atlantic label between 1952 and 1980.

ABC releases

This list below is of songs Ray Charles released on the ABC-Paramount, ABC, and subsidiary Impulse and Tangerine/TRC labels from 1960 to 1973.
This list below is of songs Ray Charles released while on the CrossOver label from 1973 to 1976.

Columbia releases (all country music)

Listed below are songs Ray Charles released during his Columbia Records tenure which was spent on the country singles chart.

Other releases

Listed below are songs Ray Charles issued on various labels where the pop and R&B charts are concerned.

''Billboard'' Year-end performances

Video performances

  • O Genio – Live in Brazil 1963 1963 São Paulo performance
  • The Dick Cavett Show – Ray Charles Collection 1972 and 1973 TV appearances
  • Soul of the Holy Land 1973 Israel tour
  • Ray Charles Live – In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony 1981 performance
  • Ray Charles – 50 Years in Music 1991 Pasadena, CA performance
  • Live at Montreux, 1997
  • Ray Charles, Live at the Olympia, 2000 2000 Paris performance
  • Ray Charles in Concert 1999 Miami, FL 'Lighthouse for the Blind' benefit
  • Ray Charles Celebrates a Gospel Christmas with Voices of Jubilation 2002 Green Bay, WI performance
  • The Legend Lives On video compilation of various performances