Ray Charles dead at 73

Jun 10, 2004 by Ian Evans

Ray Charles, the pioneering pianist and singer nicknamed “The Genius”, has died at the age of 73.

Charles, known for hits like “What’d I Say,” “Georgia on My Mind” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You”, had acute liver disease. The pianist and saxophonist, blind since age seven, had a career that spanned many musical genres including soul, rock, jazz and country. Diagnosed with a failing liver, Ray had also undergone hip replacement surgery. His last public appearance was on April 30th, when Clint Eastwood presided over a ceremony where the City of Los Angeles designated his studios an historical landmark.