Ray Charles

VIRGIN 180G. VINYL - GATEFOLD EDITION

This outstanding LP features Ray Charles’ greatest hits from the period 1953-62. All of the songs were issued as singles (even if some were also included on 12” LP albums), and all of them climbed to the top 10 singles in the Billboard R&B chart, with seven of them skyrocketing to #1. This collection includes such perennial classics as “Georgia on My Mind”, “Hit the Road, Jack”, and “Drown in My Own Tears”.

RAY CHARLES, piano & vocals
On all tracks, plus:

A1: Strings & chorus arranged by Ralph Burns & conducted by Bennie “Hank” Crawford.
Edgar Willis (b), Milton Turner (d.
New York, March 25, 1960.

A2-A5: Joe Bridgewater, Charles Whitley (tP), Don Wilkerson (ts),
David Newman (bs), Wesley Jackson (g), Jimmy Bell (b),
Glenn Brooks (d).
Atlanta, November 18, 1954.

A6: Joe Bridgewater, Riley Webb (tpt), David Newman (as, bs),
Don Wilkerson (ts), Roosevelt Sheffield (b), William Peeples (d).
Miami, April 23, 1955.

A7-A8: Joe Bridgewater, Joshua Willis (tpt), Don Wilkerson (ts),
Cecil Payne (bs), Paul West (b), Panama Francis (d).
New York, November 30, 1955.

B1: Ray Charles plays Wurlitzer electric piano and wrote the arrangements.
Marcus Belgrave (tp), David “Fathead” Newman (ts),
Bennie “Hank” Crawford (bs), Edgar Willis (b), Milt Turner (d),
Mongo Santamaría (congas)
The Raeletts [Gwen Berry, Margie Hendrix, Priscilla “Pat” Moseley Lyles,
Ethel “Darlene” McCrea] (backing vocals).
New York, February 18, 1959.

B2: Phillip Guilbeau, John Hunt (trumpet), David “Fathead” Newman (ts),
Bennie “Hank” Crawford (as), Leroy “Hog” Cooper (bs), Edgar Willis (b),
Edward “Bruno” Carr (drs),
The Raeletts [Gwen Berry, Margie Hendrix, Priscilla “Pat” Moseley Lyles,
Ethel “Darlene” McCrea] (backing vocals).
New York, July 5, 1961.

B3: Joe Bridgewater, Joe Hunt (tp), David “Fathead” Newman (as, ts),
Emmett Dennis (bs), Roosevelt “Whiskey” Sheffield (b),  William Peeples (d),
The Cookies [Margie Hendrix, Dorothy Jones, Ethel “Darlene” McCrea] (backing vocals). Ray Charles (also arranger).
New York, May 16, 1956.

B4-B5: Orchestra & chorus arranged & conducted by Marty Paich.
Hollywood, February 15, 1962.

B6: Marcus Belgrave, Wallace Davenport, Phillip Guilbeau, John Hunt (tp),
Henderson Chambers, Leon Comegys, Jim Harbert, Keg Johnson (tb),
David “Fathead” Newman, Donald Wilkerson (ts), Bennie “Hank” Crawford,
Rudy Powell (as), Leroy “Hog” Cooper (bs), Sonny Forriest (g),
Edgar Willis (b), Edward “Bruno” Carr (d),
The Raeletts [Gwen Berry, Margie Hendrix, Priscilla “Pat” Moseley Lyles,
Ethel “Darlene” McCrea] (backing vocals).
Arranged & conducted by Gerald Wilson. New York, September 5, 1962.

B7: Jessie Drakes (tp), Sam “The Man” Taylor (ts), Dave McRae (bs),
Mickey Baker (g), Lloyd Trotman (b), Connie Kay (d),
Jesse Stone (additional vocals). Arranged by Jesse Stone.
New York, May, 17, 1953.

B8: Phillip Guilbeau, John Hunt (tp), David “Fathead” Newman (ts),
Bennie “Hank” Crawford (as), Leroy “Hog” Cooper (bs), Edgar Willis( b),
Edward “Bruno” Carr (d), The Raeletts [Gwen Berry, Margie Hendrix, Priscilla “Pat” Moseley Lyles, Ethel “Darlene” McCrea] (backing vocals).
New York, July 5, 1961.

SIDE A:

01. GEORGIA ON MY MIND
02. BLACKJACK
03. I GOT A WOMAN
04. GREENBACKS
05. COME BACK BABY
06. A FOOL FOR YOU
07. DROWN IN MY OWN TEARS
08. HALLELUJAH I LOVE HER SO

SIDE B:

01. WHAT’D I SAY Parts I & II
02. UNCHAIN MY HEART
03. LONELY AVENUE
04. I CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU
05. YOU DON’T KNOW ME
06. YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE
07. IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME
08. HIT THE ROAD, JACK