The Architects of Soul
Ray Charles – The Father of Soul
The Genius – Brother Ray
Ray Charles was influenced by and a master of many forms of music Americana such as the many forms of music that made up Jazz (swing, Bop and Pop), Blues, R&B (including Jump Blues and Rock & Roll), Gospel music, and even Country & Western music (containing various forms of Folk, “Hillbilly”, Western Swing and Stomps) as well as the piano styles of barrelhouse, boogie-woogie and stride.
Ray broke one of the biggest taboos of spiritual music which was combining “sacred music” (Gospel Music) with “secular” (risque or explicit) lyrics, mixed with elements of R&B. He practically invent Soul music with his 1954 #1 R&B hit “I’ve Gotta Woman” which was one of the first songs to feature this hybrid of music. Gospel lyrics were generally religious, spiritual or sacred that went with an upbeat, energetic tempo.
There was much controversy over Ray Charles’s innovation to play gospel-styled R&B music with secular lyrics. This new style of music caused quite an uproar in the church, the black community and later the media, political spheres and of course parents.
The music was uplifting and had lyrical topics that applauded modern life encompassing subjects such as love, infatuation, desire and of course the insinuation of sex. Soul music would go on to have lyrics expressing other topics that have been frowned upon by the many religious authorities of the time.
Gospel music is very upbeat and energetic music that came out of Black Churches in America. The music is very rousing and is a source of divine inspiration when played by both bands and choirs in church. Rhythm in soul music of the 60s is very important to the genre. The music makes one want to dance with its moderate to fast beats utilizing many rhythmic instruments and styles. Soul music would go on to change in the late 60s and early 70s influencing offshoot genres like psychedelic soul and funk music.
Many people point to Ray Charles as having started the musical genre of soul. With the song “I’ve Got a Woman” early in 1955 just as R&B was becoming mainstream, Ray broke the rules by writing “secular lyrics” to a Gospel styled song. Now Ray Charles is not only considered the “Father of Soul” but he is also a true “Genius” a master and a significant contributor to genres of Jazz, Blues, R&B and Gospel music. Ray followed all this up with “What I’d Say” late in 1959 just before the soul era of the sixties hit the mainstream, a true song ahead of its time.
“I’ve Got a Woman” caused quite a stir when it first came out in various religious communities across the US especially in the Christian Pentecostal evangelical communities. Black and white critics rose up and warned of the evils of rhythm and blues music, the mixing of races or that rock & roll was the devils music. Culturally speaking, rock & roll was blurring the lines of race as more white teenagers continued to tune into R&B music, things were changing in the fifties.